Moth update

After the first frost of autumn where I got my first blank night since Spring I thought time for an update.
The trap set at Westland Green on the 15th gave up my 1st vestal of the year whilst at home an orange sallow was new for parish records, a pleasing find as not common in East Herts.
Whilst running the actinic trap on the local golf course footpaths, I took, in a catch of 5 moths of 4 species, a Vapourer, not a moth that comes to light on a regular basis and a new for 2017 species, so a pleasing find.

Orange sallow

Vestal

The next new for the year species was an Acleris schalleriana in the garden on the 22nd, followed by another on the 23rd (garden.) This was a different specimen, the 1st was still in the fridge awaiting a photo. It flew off before I could get a shot. On the 23rd I ran a trap at Stocking Wood, with the temperature at 10pm still around 16C. An amazing 93 moths taken, including 33 feathered thorn. On the same night at home, another new record for the parish, a pine carpet, again, disappearing before I could get a good photo.
The only other new for year record was a surprise, being a little early for East Herts, a December moth, taken at Pig's Green on the 28th.
Also of note, my 2nd for the year of Amblyptilia acanthadactyla in the garden on the 27th, when 5C meant it was one of just 2 moths to the Skinner.

Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

December moth

 Latest activity takes totals for the year to 10,063 moths, with a willow beauty being the 10,000 moth for 2017, taken on 25.x.17.
I now have identified 280 macro species and 203 micro species for the year and, with latest additions, my list for the parish of Little Hadham stands at 705 species.

Vapourer

a dark form of Satellite, frequently found on rosehips and guelder rose berries in Millennium Wood

Realistically, there is probably only one more macro species to see this year, a Sprawler. Anything else would be a real bonus, all other possibilities for this time of year, such as winter moth were noted in January.