Garden moth trapping is, for me, little more than a pleasant distraction. What I fail to id causes not a nano-second of concern. It's just the enjoyment of looking at the creatures, attracted by the 125w MV light, which ensures I make the effort to prepare the egg trays each evening. As I said, in yesterday's post, my results are very similar to many other gardens that fellow bloggers also operate such contraptions of the "after dark art". At this stage in my journey I'd like to think that I'm well beyond jealousy? What other folk are recording is great to read about but, in all honesty, why worry about species you've not attracted and, instead, concentrate on making the most of those you have!
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| A bit of a puzzle? To all intents and purposes this has to be a Least Carpet yet, some things don't add up. Firstly it was very small, the wing span being under 15mm, and it didn't rest in the typical, wings at 90 degrees to the body, pose associated with the species. |
This morning I hit the jackpot; a real piece of moth trapping gold. Well over halfway through checking the sparse contents assembled upon the egg trays when I found myself staring down upon an absolute beauty. A Merveille du Jour, only the third I've taken in the garden, was resting there, before my very eyes. Just as when I land a decent fish, or discover myself watching a "rare" bird, the enjoyment is tangible and something which I hope will never stop. I grabbed a few shots before potting it up and taking it indoors to show Bev. It's moments like these that make all the effort so worth while. Sure, it's not one of the rarer Hawk-moth species which I hanker after but, without doubt, is aesthetically better than any other moth I've seen in 2022!
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| Is there a better looking moth? |
Garden vis-mig this morning was dominated by Starlings. It was certainly the largest movement I've witnessed, thus far, this autumn. I didn't keep an accurate count yet there were certainly hundreds of birds involved. Still the odd Skylark, Meadow Pipit and Chaffinch noted as I scanned the skies and, best of all, were my first Fieldfares of the season - three!
Hello Dylan- Brilliant as always. I must say, that 'Merveille du Jour' moth is stunning. I've found myself googling it several times since seeing it here. I'm with you, re: getting a similar buzz from nature finds/catching a large fish. It's very similar, isn't it? I caught a silver bream the other day, nothing huge but a first for me- from a stream we know. A lovely little meeting. But not quite a Merveille du Jour! I'm fascinated with it. Beers soon, surely, mucka? Gazza
ReplyDeleteHi mate - just like busses, I caught another one three nights later! Two in twenty-two years then two in a week. I think it's the unpredictability that makes running a garden moth trap such an enjoyable experience. Silver Bream, wow, I've not seen one of those since the 1970's when I used to fish The Grand Union Canal, just outside Berkhamsted, Herts. We'll definitely have to arrange another meet up, soon, and we can talk all things Pike, Perch and Silver Bream? Off to Sheffield tomorrow, so will email you when we get back to sort out a date. All the best - Dyl
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