Hay Wood and Gadesprings Field Trip report - 02/04/14

Hello all.
Last night I was joined by David and Steve for our first trapping session on the Boxmoor Trust's land.
The ensuing conditions were perfect with a good amount of cloud cover present and temperatures holding up at dusk at about 15 degrees.
The only niggle was that damn breeze, which thankfully did drop as the night progressed.

David had already set-up three traps at Gadesprings earlier on, so the plan was to use four traps at Hay Wood and at the Old Barn, then go back to Gadesprings after we had finished.

Setting up 3 different traps throughout the wood and leaving one out on an exposed position near the barn, we were all set and ready for the deluge.

The moths did come, sparingly at first with a spankingly fresh Water Carpet being the first moth in, Brindled Pugs, Diurnea fagella's and Common Quakers followed.
We fared much better this year compared to last year where we had our first trapping session over 3 weeks later than this date, and were catching pretty much the same species, although last year was very odd.
See HERE for last years report.
It was very nice to see so many Water Carpets again, last year we managed about 10, this year we easily trumped that with 20+ individuals.
Also the freshest Waved Umber I have ever seen graced the side of the trap near the Old Barn.

Species of note included 3 Shoulder-stripe, 1 immaculate Purple Thorn and a year first Pale Pinion, which was found sitting in the long grass near the trap at the Old Barn.

So onto the list of moths recorded.

Catch Report - Hay Wood (Westbrook Hay) - 02/04/14 - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap, 1x 160w MBT Robinson Trap and 1x 80w Actinic Trap

Lights run from 7.50pm until 11.30pm

262 moths of 28 species
Macro Moths

20+ Water Carpet
5x Clouded Drab
9x Small Quaker
13x Hebrew Character
15x Engrailed
1x Satellite
97x Common Quaker
8x Early Thorn
8x Chestnut
18x Brindled Pug
14x March Moth
3x Shoulder-stripe
1x Waved Umber
3x Nut-tree Tussock
5x Early Grey
1x Red-green Carpet
2x Oak Nycteoline
1x Spruce Carpet
2x Oak Beauty
1x Double-striped Pug
1x Purple Thorn
1x Pale Pinion
1x Twin-spotted Quaker

Micro Moths

22x Diurnea fagella
5x Eriocrania subpurpurella
1x Eriocrania semipurpurella
2x Agonopterix heracliana
2x Agonopterix arenella

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Catch Report - Gadesprings (Watercress Beds) - 02/04/14 - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap, 1x 40w Lucent Briefcase Trap and 1x 40w Actinic/26w Blacklight Trap

Lights run from Dusk until 12.00am

95 moths of 13 species

Macro Moths

5x Clouded Drab
4x Small Quaker
2x Hebrew Character
1x Engrailed
71x Common Quaker
2x Early Thorn
3x Brindled Pug
1x Early Grey
2x Oak Beauty
1x Double-striped Pug
1x Dotted Chestnut
1x Oak-tree Pug

Micro Moths

1x Agonopterix heracliana


Phone pics first as have yet to take other photos!

125w MV Robinson overlooking
ancient woodland at Westbrook Hay

Waved Umber

Dotted Chestnut