Hadstock - NW Essex - Field Trip - 12/04/25

The first field trip of the year was in another county, a county that has always been close to me, being born there and having lived there for nearly a decade in my youth.

 

Hadstock village was the area of interest, it being on the border of South Cambs near Linton and only a few miles into Essex.

A small nature reserve with plenty of mature Blackthorn bushes and trees, mixed Hawthorn and Rose hedging and a few other species such as Sallow and Willow dotted about.

 

From what I gather, there are no moth records in this tetrad, bar some records of Grapholita pallifrontana on Wild Liquorice.

 

I set up only a couple of traps as this was a test run for my new battery pack. Actinic traps were the order of the day and I packed my home trap to come along with me which runs 5x 15w tubes.

The other trap was a diy 40w/22w bucket. 

Both were placed 50 metres apart and in favourable areas, hopefully ready to lure some good species.

 

 

The day had been warm at 21 degrees and was not set to drop below 12c, the only trouble was the moon. 

Ok if it was obscured by thick cloud, but sadly on this occasion the sky was fairly clear and the moon shone down like a beacon.

The temperature also dipped to 10c when I was packing up just before midnight.

 

Upon arriving at home, a mere 20 minute drive, it was thick cloud and 14 degrees, pah!

 

A good sign whilst being shown around the site was a disturbed Elachista rufocinerea, but nothing else was seen flying at dusk and an hour in it felt quite chilly.

 

21 species was a little low but the conditions just weren't favourable.

 

Nevertheless there were some moths to be had, including a mixture of late spring and early summer species.

 

Highlights were Ypsolopha mucronella, a new form for me of Acleris cristana and the stunning little Caloptilia alchimiella/robustella, a species that for me has seen a bit of a decline.

 

Hopefully I will return very soon.

12/04/25 - Hadstock - NW Essex - 1x 75w Actinic/Synergetic Robinson Trap, 1x 40w/22w Bucket Trap

Macro Moths

Brindled Pug 1
Chinese Character 1
Clouded Drab 3
Common Quaker 10
Flame Shoulder 1
Hebrew Character 1
Lunar Marbled Brown 1
Nut-tree Tussock 2
Pale Prominent 1
Red-green Carpet 1
Scorched Carpet 3
Shoulder-stripe 2
Small Quaker 1
Streamer 1

Micro Moths

Acleris cristana 1
Agonopterix alstromeriana 1
Agonopterix purpurea 1
Caloptilia alchimiella/robustella 1
Caloptilia rufipennella 1
Elachista rufocinerea 1
Ypsolopha mucronella 1

Ypsolopha mucronella

75w Actinic/Synergetic Robinson Trap

40w/22w Bucket Trap

Bright Moon rising

Acleris cristana

Caloptilia alchimiella/robustella

Elachista rufocinerea

Lunar Marbled Brown

Pale Prominent