A couple of back to back migrants

A quick post on back to back catches made on the 3rd and 4th of September.

Less moths recently as temperatures dip to around 12 degrees, not tragic but cool for this time of year in the east.

It was certainly very nice to score a Vestal on Thursday night and a shimmering white Palpita vitrealis on Friday night.

Flounced Rustic and Straw Underwing are still battling for top spot, but there are a few new contenders who's numbers are increasing, Square-spot Rustic and Vine's Rustic are getting more regular, as are Large Yellow Underwing, which is a much less common species in my garden these days.

The weather turned quite hot today for one day only, could be a good night!

 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 680 species 

 

03/09/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths

Vestal 1 [NFY]

04/09/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

Micro Moths

Palpita vitrealis 1 [NFY]

Vestal

Palpita vitrealis

Super start to September

On the 2nd I ran my first trap for the month of September. 

I stayed up fairly late, and rose early enough to limit escapees. 74 species was the grand total. That must be a record for September here in my garden, I'm sure of it.

There were two new macro moths for the year making it the best year on record, species-wise at least, with 678 species logged so far in 2026.

The two new ones were Cypress Pug & Orange Sallow, the latter I missed out on last year.

Clancy's Rustic was back, with 3 coming to the trap overnight, not seen since mid-June. 

A second garden record of Crocidosema plebejana was most welcome, both from this year. 

Drinker was rather late, I don't see many in September.

Cooler nights were coming up, a real feeling of Autumn in the mornings. 

 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 678 species 

 

02/09/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths

Cypress Pug 2 [NFY] 
Orange Sallow 1 [NFY]
Angle Shades 
Blue Underwing 
Cabbage Moth 
Centre-barred Sallow 
Clancy's Rustic 
Delicate 
Double-striped Pug 
Drinker 
Dusky Thorn 
Flounced Rustic 
Frosted Orange
Garden Carpet 
Large Yellow Underwing 
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
L-album Wainscot 
Lime-speck Pug 
Mouse Moth 
Nutmeg
Pale Mottled Willow 
Pebble Hook-tip 
Setaceous Hebrew Character 
Shuttle-shaped Dart 
Silver Y 
Spectacle
Small Blood-vein 
Small Dusty Wave
Small Ranunculus 
Snout 
Straw Underwing 
Square-spot Rustic 
Tawny-speckled Pug 
Toadflax Pug 
Treble-bar 
Turnip Moth 
Vine's Rustic 
Yellow Shell 
White-point 
Willow Beauty 

Micro Moths

Achroia grisella 
Agriphila geniculea 
Agriphila tristella 
Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 
Ancylosis oblitella 
Aproaerema anthyllidella 
Archips podana 
Cameraria ohridella 
Celypha lacunana 
Celypha striana 
Clavigesta purdeyi 
Crocidosema plebejana 
Cydalima perspectalis 
Cydia splendana 
Emmelina monodactyla 
Epiphyas postvittana 
Galleria mellonella 
Grapholita funebrana 
Hofmannophila pseudospretella 
Hypsopyqgia costalis 
Monopis crocicapitella 
Monopis weaverella 
Neocochylis atricapitana 
Neocochylis molliculana 
Nomophila noctuella 
Pandemis corylana 
Parapoynx stratiotata 
Paraswammerdamia nebulella 
Plutella xylostella 
Pyrausta aurata 
Scrobipalpa ocellatella 
Udea ferrugalis 
Yponomeuta evonynella

Orange Sallow

Achroia grisella

Aproaerema anthyllidella

Clancy's Rustic

Crocidosema plebejana

Cypress Pug

Drinker

 

France Day 3 - 24/08/26

Another fantastic night, although less moths and species as a result of a huge storm we experienced early evening, and we just had to be out in the hire car getting supplies in from a nearby supermarche!

Luckily we were only 6 miles away, 6 miles too far... driving in over 60mph gusts and torrential rain, debris was raining down on the car.

By late evening it looked like we hadn't any raining at all! But clear skies and a howling wind still, knocked the numbers down a bit.

But who could complain about the first Tiger Moth species of the night (And was to be the only Tiger Moth species of the trip) two stunning Cymbalophora pudica. Over the next few nights they kept returning in low numbers.

There were some lovely micros, some quite scarce such as the Tineidae Myrmecozela ataxella. An incredibly bright Etiella zinckenella was very photogenic.

Stemmatophora rungsi was the best moth, last seen in the Herault department in 2023.

Another warm day was expected on Tuesday and hopefully some lovely new moths overnight.

 

24/08/26 - Felines Minervois - Herault Department - 40w Actinic & 30w UV LED lamp

 

Macro Moths

Cryphia pallida

Cymbalophora pudica

Oak Eggar - Lasiocampa quercus

Pine Hawk-moth - Sphinx pinastri

Scopula marginepunctata

Micro Moths

Achyra nudalis 

Ancylosis cinnamomella

Duponchelia fovealis

Etiella zinckenella

Myrmecozela ataxella

Pediasia contaminella 

Stemmatophora rungsi

Tinea basifasciella 

 

Stemmatophora rungsi

Achyra nudalis

Ancylosis cinnamomella

Cryphia pallida

Cymbalophora pudica

Duponchelia fovealis

Etiella zinckenella

Myrmecozela ataxella

Scopula marginepunctata

 

 

 

France Day 2 - 23/08/26

Another really productive night out on the side patio of our villa.

Running twin 40w Actinic vane setups hanging from bungees, the moths came pouring in, not huge numbers, but the variety was staggering and there were so many different species from the previous night.

 

There were several regionally scarce species as well, and some real headaches for identification, so much so, that I had to lump several species together for fear of being incorrect!

 

The night was once again another warm one, with lows of 21 degrees at 5am. Being late August, it didn't really get light until half 6, so there was plenty of time to pot up the moths from the walls and surrounding floor tiles.

The local Lizards and Geckos, after just one night had already cottoned on to my activities! I guess several moths succumbed to their appetite. 

This was also the first night that I noticed bats racing up and down the pool and across the lights.

 

It's always interesting to see regional forms of our common moths, there were several Clays attracted to the lamps, a few looked rather unusual indeed.

 

One of my favourites was a lovely dainty plume species, Alucita palodactyla, and a rather unusual looking Waved Black proved to be the southern speciality Parascotia nisseni. 

 

Rarest moth was probably the Agonopterix nodiflorella, keyed out on the palps and forewing markings. But I can't be 100% unfortunately.  

 

23/08/26 - Felines Minervois - Herault Department - 40w Actinic & 30w UV LED lamp

 

Macro Moths

Clay - Mythimna ferrago

Dorset Cream Wave - Stegania trimaculata

Eublemma pura

Hoary Footman - Eilema caniola

Horse Chestnut Moth - Pachycnemia hippocastanaria

Idaea cf contiguaria

Middle Lace Border - Scopula decorata

Pale-shouldered Cloud - Chloantha hyperici

Parascotia nisseni 

Scopula submutata

Small Waved Umber - Horisme vitalbata 

White-speck - Mythimna unipuncta

 

Micro Moths

Acrobasis fallouella 

Acrobasis legatea

Agonopterix cf nodiflorella

Alucita palodactyla 

Antigastra catalaunalis

Apatema mediopallidum 

Aristotelia decoratella

Aproaerema cf patruella 

Blastobasis glandulella 

Dolicharthria punctalis

Dysspastus cf fallax

Elachista dispunctella

Emmelina monodactyla

Epinotia thapsiana 

Epischnia cf asteris illotella

Hypsopygia incarnatalis

Laodamia combustella

Lecithocera nigrana 

Nepticulidae sp

Pyroderces argyrogrammos 

Symmocoides oxybiella

Pale-shouldered Cloud - Chloantha hyperici

Parascotia nisseni

Scopula submutata

Acrobasis fallouella

Acrobasis legatea

Agonopterix cf nodiflorella

Alucita palodactyla

Apatema mediopallidum

Aristotelia decoratella

Dolicharthria punctalis

Epinotia thapsiana

Horse Chestnut Moth - Pachycnemia hippocastanaria

Hypsopygia incarnatalis

Laodamia combustella

First night in France - 22/08/26

We had a lovely family holiday to the Herault Department of France which resides in the Occitanie region of Southern France.

We took a short flight to Carcassonne and headed North-east to our base in rural Felines Minervois, a stunning property sat on the edge of a valley that was bordered by lovely montane hills, on the furthest western edge of what would eventually turn into the Alps.

 

I had several setups with me, including two 40w Actinic vane sets, a mobile trap and a couple of led lamps that could be run off of powerbanks for several hours.

 

On the first night it was very warm and with slight humidity, the patio area where I was running two lamps was quite busy.

 

Below were some of the best species I saw on the first night on the 22nd of August.

There were several nights where I recorded some species that we are more familiar here in the UK, they were added onto the final list at the end.

 

Some identifications might be subjective and open for challenging. No specimens were retained as I was unable to bring anything home with me.

Where I am not sure of the species, I have used the Latin word confer, which means to compare or compare with.

It is placed between a genus and a species name (for example, Homoeosoma cf calcella) to signal that an insect specimen closely resembles a known species, but its exact identity has not yet been fully confirmed or verified.

 

About 90% of the moth species recorded were new to my records. 

 

Several stunning Tortrix moths were seen including the pink-flushed Propiromorpha rhodophana & one beautiful moth from the Cnephasia group, Xerocnephasia rigana.

 

Best moth of the night was the 2nd record for the Herault Department of France of the rather smart micro moth, Eteobalea dohrnii. A nationally scarce species, being only the 15th record for the whole of France!  

 

 

22/08/26 - Felines Minervois - Herault Department - 40w Actinic & 30w UV LED lamp

 

Macro Moths

Bryophila raptricula

Caradrina aspersa 

Devonshire Wainscot - Leucania putrescens

Dusky Carpet - Tephronia sepiaria 

Ecleora solieraria

Four-spotted - Tyta luctuosa 

Idaea filicata

Idaea infirmaria

Lorimer's Rustic - Caradrina flavirena

Marbled Green - Bryopsis muralis 

Odice jucunda

Portland Ribbon Wave - Idaea degeneraria 

Purple Marbled Eublemma ostrina 

Small Dusty Wave - Idaea seriata ssp canteneraria

Sorcerer - Aedia leucomelas

Spiny Hook-tip - Watsonalla uncinula

Synaphe punctalis (Another common moth, 10+)

The Passenger - Dysgonia algira 

 

Micro Moths

Aethes bilbaensis 

Ancylolomia tentaculella

Aporodes floralis 

Aproaerema cf patruella 

Bostra obsoletalis 

Cadra figulilella (Very common numbering 30+)

Denticera divisella  

Eteobalea dohrnii (2nd record for Herault Department) 

Euchromius cambridgei 

Homoeosoma cf calcella

Homoeosoma nimbella

Nemapogon nevadella

Neocochylis millierana 

Phalonidia contractana 

Propiromorpha rhodophana

Pyrausta sanguinalis

Scythris cf terrenella

Udea numeralis

Xerocnephasia rigana 

 

Ancylolomia tentaculella

Cadra figulilella

Caradrina aspersa

Denticera divisella

Devonshire Wainscot - Leucania putrescens

Ecleora solieraria

Eteobalea dohrnii

Nemapogon nevadella

Propiromorpha rhodophana

Spiny Hook-tip - Watsonalla uncinula

Xerocnephasia rigana

 

40w Actinic Travel Trap

Patio setup - 40w Actinic & 30w led

 

End of August brings the migrants

The last night of August 2026 was fairly good at my home trap, with no rain overnight (although there was a small chance of a localised shower early morning).

Less species than the last outing, but the quality improved and there were several species that didn't feature in that catch.

Tawny Wave was back again, a real beautiful coloured specimen as well.

 

There were 3 Tawny-speckled Pugs, and the most numerous macro moth was Flounced Rustic at 17. For the micros, Agriphila geniculea was well ahead of anything else, with 22 counted.

 

A 3rd yearly record of Blue Underwing was also great to see, somehow squeezing into my trap. 

 

Best moth of the night was a Scarce Bordered Straw, completing the trio of migrant Straws this year (Bordered & Eastern).

 

There were also several Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella) and 5 Rusty Dot-pearls (Udea ferrugalis), possibly the most I've ever had in one night. 

 

Not content with one new moth, a mint Feathered Gothic was also added to the year list, a moth that is scarce here and was last seen in 2023.

 

Just one more moth to make it equal to the best year. 

 

 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 676 species 

 

31/08/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths 

Feathered Gothic 1 [NFY]

Scarce Bordered Straw 1 [NFY] 

 

Tawny-speckled Pug

Feathered Gothic

Nomophila noctuella

Scarce Bordered Straw

Tawny Wave