Welcome

Hello and welcome to my moth Blog. I now reside in a small village in East Cambridgeshire called Fordham. My Blog's aim is to promote and encourage others to participate in the wonderful hobby that is Moth-trapping.
Moth records are vital for building a picture of our ecosystem around us, as they really are the bottom of the food chain. They are an excellent early indicator of how healthy a habitat is. I openly encourage people to share their findings via social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
So why do we do it? well for some people it is to get an insight into the world of Moths, for others it is to build a list of species much like 'Twitching' in the Bird world. The reason I do it....you just never know what you might find when you open up that trap! I hope to show what different species inhabit Cambridgeshire and neighbouring counties.
On this Blog you will find up-to-date records and pictures.
I run a trap regularly in my garden and also enjoy doing field trips to various localities over several different counties.
Please also check out the links in the sidebar to the right for other people's Blogs and informative Websites.
Thanks for looking and happy Mothing!

KEY

NFY = New Species For The Year
NFG = New Species For The Garden
NEW! = New Species For My Records

Any Species highlighted in RED signifies a totally new species for my records.

If you have any questions or enquiries then please feel free to email me
Contact Email : bensale@rocketmail.com

My Latest Notables and Rarities

Wednesday, 4 August 2010

I'm back!

Returned from Portugal the other day.

Had a lovely time and saw a few species of Butterfly, including Scarce Swallowtail (too fast to take a picture) many different species of Whites which were again too flighty to get pictures off, perhaps this was due to the soaring 38 degrees heat.

On the plus side I did manage a female Black Arches in Sintra and my partner and I spotted a small dainty butterfly whilst walking through Lisbon city centre, my partner gently cupped it in her hand and I quickly potted it up and took it back to the hotel for a better look.

I hadn't a clue at this stage what it was but new it was of the Lycaenidae family.

When I returned home it was straight to my Collins book and lo and behold it turned out to be a Geranium Bronze, an adventive species that originates from Africa, it has spread over many parts of Spain, the spanish Islands and even the UK (by introduction of caterpillar's via plants)
But I have no reefrences on this ever being recorded in the center of Lisbon! so it could be a first!

I am now in the process of getting together a portable light so I can take in my suitcase when I goto Spain at the end of this month and try for some moths! I can't wait.

Geranium Bronze












Black Arches
Posted by Bennyboymothman at 22:43

7 comments:

  1. Broom Birder5 August 2010 at 11:43

    Hi Ben,

    Hope you enjoyed your holiday. I recently made a trap for someone specifically to take to the South of France in a suitcase. It's basically an Actinic Skinner but collapses down small enough to fit in a rucksac!

    Have a look on my blog at 'twin actinic/UV travel version' in the right hand tab under 'lists and info'.
    It might give you a starting point to make something of your own........

    M

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bennyboymothman5 August 2010 at 22:19

    Thanks Matt.

    Yes will have a look at your travel version.

    Must get back out in the field this weekend somewhere.

    All the best.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Stewart5 August 2010 at 22:24

    Ben, I thought that moth trapping in Spain was illegal? Maybe I'm out of date?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bennyboymothman5 August 2010 at 23:05

    Yep been told the same by many others, hmmm :(

    ReplyDelete
  5. pabs6 August 2010 at 12:04

    I'm intrigued. What's the reason for making moth trapping illegal in Spain?

    ReplyDelete
  6. pabs6 August 2010 at 12:17

    I've just looked it up. It's because of the decline of the Spanish Moon Moth by collectors. A very impressive looking moth indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bennyboymothman22 August 2010 at 21:45

    Yep, such a shame it is not easy for us recorders to record!

    ReplyDelete

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