Last night at Broughton Burrows (Gower)

Despite the heavy rain by dawn we recorded a modest 44 moths of 23 species. The highlights for us were three firsts for the site for us in the form of Phycitodes binaevella (agg), Scallop Shell and Lychnis, taking our Broughton list to 154 species (106 macro / 48 micro) since we started trapping here in 2014.

The catch was 1 Brown House moth, 8 Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Scoparia pyralella, 1 Scoparia ambigualis, 1 Crescent Plume,  1 Phycitodes binaevella (agg), 1 Purple-bar, 2 Green Carpet, 1 Scallop Shell, 3 Grass Rivulet, 2 Grey Pug, 1 Brimstone, 3 willow Beauty, 1 Mottled Beauty, 2 White Ermine, 2 Heart & Dart, 2 The flame, 1 LY Underwing, 2 Lychnis, 1 The Clay, 2 Brown Rustic, 1 Small Angle Shades and 2 Uncertain. We also caught Aphodeus rufipes and Brown Chafer beetles and nearly a Field Vole!

Day flying moths recorded earlier on Saturday during a walk from Burry Holms to the burrows were The Cinnbar and the pretty Agapeta zoegana plus Painted Lady, Common Blue, Meadow Brown and Small Heath butterflies. We also noted Green Tiger Beetles, Corizus hyacyami (red and black species of Rhopalid Bug) and Panorpa germanica (a species of Scorpionfly).

Mike, Emma, James & Holly Cram