Trapped

The night was a little warmer and the result was the best moth catch for some time, not saying a lot perhaps, but it is only mid February. In all there were four species, a dotted border.

dotted border

Two chestnut, these will have over-wintered as adult moths.

chestnut

Two spring usher, ushering in the spring!

spring usher

And a single micro-moth, a Tortricodes alternella, actually there was another micro, but it flew off before I could see it well enough.

Tortricodes alternella

Not everything in the trap was a moth though, other insects are also attracted to light, in this case a female great diving beetle.

great diving beetle (female)

I understand that a bittern was seen again today at Ivy North hide and a redpoll at the Woodland hide. Out on Ibsley Water single black-necked grebe, a yellow-legged gull and a water pipit were seen.

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A Late Sign of Early Spring

I have not actually been at Blashford this weekend, but looking back at some of the pictures from this year I realised I had one of a small moth called Tortricodes alternella from the 10th January. The moth is not much to look at but it does appear to be the earliest record of the species in Hampshire. Yet another early sign of spring, although these may well now stop as we are finally experiencing a few real frosts.

Tortricodes alternella