Under no circumstances did I think that the garden moth trap would produce anything exciting, given the fact that the forecast was "Storm Betty" Overnight thunderstorms with accompanying heavy rain and gusty winds. The only positive was the fact that temperatures would remain around 20 C, so not conducive for a good night's kip? I stayed up until 23.00 hrs, watching the Hedgehog activity around the feeding station, whilst noting that Jersey Tigers were very numerous around the MV light. The rain arrived just around mid-night and then the fireworks started some ninety minutes later. Between 02.00 -03.00 hrs, the rain was absolutely torrential yet had stopped well before 05.00 hrs. I turned off the trap at 05.45 hrs and was confronted by a scene of total mayhem. There were moths everywhere I looked on the outside of the trap, on the lawn and also the fence panels. A Beautiful Hook-tip was spotted, yet took flight as I went to grab a pot. I counted seventeen Jersey Tigers scattered around the area - just crazy! With the trap covered, I went back to bed hoping to get a couple of hours sleep - which I did!
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When I got around to examining the contents of the trap it was amazing. Moths were present in huge numbers. Micros were conspicuous by their absence, yet macros had been very active during the storm conditions. There were a further twenty-six Jersey Tigers (making a total of forty-three), three Gypsy Moths, two Dark Crimson Underwings plus numerous Silver Y's, Dark Swordgrass, Straw Underwing and a lone Garden Tiger. Other odds and sods included a Bloxworth Snout, Olive-tree Pearl and a Fig-leaf Skeletonizer. Not got a clue as to the real number of moths attracted, as the activity of examining the various egg trays caused numerous individuals to escape scrutiny.
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| Fig-leaf Skeletonizer |
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| Olive-tree Pearl |
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| Bloxworth Snout |
I can't recall another night when the garden moth trap has attracted this number of individuals in these storm conditions. It just goes to show how little I know about these fascinating insects!
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| Straw Underwing |
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Dyl, I wonder if moths have evolved to fly in the rain as a means of avoiding bats? Moths communicating via pheromones, which still apply. Whereas bats echo location system is disrupted. Just a thought. Ropey as ever.
ReplyDeleteRic, it's a perfectly reasoned hypothesis but, asking me for an answer, is pissing in the wind! However, I'm sure Gav will have a better idea as to the factors involved, or if not, he'll probably know a man who has?
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