I started the day by emptying the moth trap at work and then at Blashford, between them there were three species of hawk-moth, privet, pine and eyed. The still conditions meant that there were a few more micro moths than on some recent nights. A number were Tortrix moths.

Grey Tortrix species
There are several grey Tortrix moths a number of which cannot be identified with certainty without rather closer inspection than can be done in a photograph.

Another grey Tortrix moth
Luckily some are rather easier, such as this one Apotomis turbidana.

Apotomis turbidana
Blashford has a lot of nectar sources for insects at the moment, one of the best in hemlock water dropwort.

hemlock water dropwort
In the shadier wooded areas there are stands of foxglove, not as accessible as the dropwort for many smaller insects, but still great for bumble bees.

foxgloves
Back at home I was pleased to see the first wild carrot now in flower, like a lot of the Umbellifers it is a great nectar source for lots of smaller insects.

wild carrot
As the carrot is starting to flower the yellow rattle is coming to and end, with just a few still flowering.

yellow rattle
I was going to feature my emperor moth caterpillars this evening, but then I came across a very fine mullein moth caterpillar eating figwort.

mullein moth caterpillar
I also saw that one of the brimstone caterpillars on my alder buckthorn is now very well grown, hopefully they will get to pupate this year, last year they all got eaten just before they changed.

brimstone caterpillar
That Mullein Moth caterpillar is a stunner! Great shot of the Wild Carrot….helping me to differentiate between the umbellifers. When I was a child, we thought everything that grew at the roadside was either Wild Carrot or Yarrow. I havent heard Yarrow mentioned for years!