Good Moth Night

Last night the temperature was still in double figures at dusk, so off to Westland Green with the heath trap. I set it in my usual place, near rose hip in unmanaged woodland at 5pm.
I then popped into Millennium Wood to check on the hips and guelder rose berries, only noting satallite, but 11 of them on one bush.
At 9.00pm I checked the outdoor temperature, only to find it was pouring down, so off to the actinic, none too hopeful.
Upon arrival a feathered thorn zipped past me and 4 more were on the sheet, along with 2 December moth and a November moth. Inside the trap, a satellite, chestnut and 2 sprawlers, so a good haul for a wet and breezy November night.
3 site records for the year: satellite, sprawler and December moth.

Sprawler

December moth

Leaf Mines in Millennium Wood

Today I organised a leaf mine hunt in Millennium Wood. Wonderful to have Gracie, Ruby and Leo, along with parents, helping me find evidence of micro moth larvae on hazel, hornbeam, bramble, oak, apple and field maple. The children were brilliant at finding these, with a list of 10 species found.
4 were new for my parish year records:
Phyllonorycter nicelli
Parornix devoniella
Lyonetia clerkella
Stigmella floslactella
Back home, I rigged up a very simple light box to photograph the mines of some.

Ruby, Gracie and Leo with their evidence of micro moth caterpillars

Stigmella microtheriella on hazel

Stigmella aceris on field maple

Stigmella aurella on bramble

Stigmella microtheriella on hornbeam