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My garden moth photos 'and' extra added info at no further cost ... 

'Extra added also' ... please note; - although I've written out the habitat and food plant etc for each and every species included from hereon, I didn't actually have all this information floating around in my head ... I nicked it out of a book of course. There's only one human on planet earth who has all this sort of information instantly accessible from his internal hard-drive, and I've already given him more accolades than might be warranted. 

Hepialidae - Swift Moths

0014 Hepialus humuli humuli - Ghost Moth

Female.

Male. 

Status: Notable.

Habitat/Food plant: Open grassy or weedy places. The larval food plants are the roots of various grasses and Common Nettle, Docks, Burdocks and Wild Strawberry.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, on the wing from June till early August.

1999 - 2023 garden records: Twelve records here, six of which were seen in 2008 and 2016.

The annual counts have been:

1999 = 0.    2000 = 1.    2001 = 0.    2002 = 0.    2003 = 0.    2004 = 0.    2005 = 0.    2006 = 0.    2007 = 0.    2008 = 3.    2009 = 1.

2010 = 2.    2011 = 0.    2012 = 0.    2013 = 0.     2014 = 0.     2015 = 0.    2016 = 3.   2017 = 0.    2018 = 0.     2019 = 0.   2020 = 1.   2021 = 0.  2022 = 0.   2023 = 1. 

Earliest date: 17th June 2008 and 2020. 

Latest date: 16th July 2010.

Peak count: Singles only.


0015 Hepialus sylvina - Orange Swift

Female. 

Male. 

Status: Common.

Habitat/Food plant: Rough grassy places, gardens, roadside verges, open woodland etc. The larvae feeds on the roots of many herbaceous plants including Broad-leaved Dock, Dandelions, Bracken and probably grasses too.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded flying from late July till September.

1999 - 2023 garden records: A common species often occurring in double figure numbers.

Earliest date: 25th July 2009.

Latest date: 27th September 2011.

Peak count: 31 moths, on 20th August 2000.

0017 Hepialus lupulinus - Common Swift

Male. 

Female. 

Status: Common.

Habitat/Food plant: Open grassland where the larval stage feeds on the roots of grasses and many herbaceous plants.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from May till July.

1999 - 2023 garden records: Catches often exceed double figures here.

Earliest date: 23rd April 2014.

Latest date: 7th July in 2007 and 2013.

Peak count: 28 moths in 2010, 2012 and 2013.


Cossidae - Leopard and Goat Moths

0161 Zeuzera pyrina - Leopard Moth

Status: Notable.

Habitat/Food plant: A moth of open woodland and scrub that also occurs in gardens and parks etc. The larval food plants are many woody plants including Willow, Blackthorn, Plum, Cherry, Hawthorn, Apple, Pear, Privet, Ash, Elm, Oaks, Beech, Wayfaring-tree, Honeysuckle and Lilac.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from late June till early August.

1999 - 2023 garden records:

The annual counts have been:

1999 = 0.    2000 = 1.    2001 = 1.    2002 = 0.    2003 = 1.    2004 = 2.    2005 = 2.    2006 = 2.    2007 = 2.    2008 = 4.    2009 = 1.

2010 = 1.    2011 = 1.    2012 = 0.    2013 = 0.    2014 = 2.    2015 = 1.    2016 = 2.    2018 = 3.    2019 = 0.   2020 = 3/2.   2021 = 1.  2022 = 3.   2023 = 8.   2024 = 

Earliest date: 25th June 2020. 

Latest date: 10th August 2007.

Peak count: Singles only.


0162 Cossus cossus - Goat Moth

I caught this Goat Moth during a rather epic July thunderstorm in 2019. It was fresh as daisy, scale perfect originally but lost lots of scales after going potty (in a pot) in the fridge. It's still rather impressive even though it did mess itself up a bit.

Status: Rare.

Habitat/Food plant: Riverbanks, Fens, Mashes, woodland edges etc. The larval stage feeds under the bark of a variety of trees including fruit trees, willows, Oaks, Ash, Birch etc. The caterpillar overwinters for three to four years before pupating.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in June and July.

1999 - 2023 garden records:

One, taken on 19th July 2019.

Earliest date: n/a.

Latest date: n/a.

Peak count: n/a.


Limacodidae

0173 Apoda limacodes - Festoon

Status: rare.

Habitat/Food plant: Mainly broadleaved woodland or wooded heath land. The larval foods are mostly Oak but also Beech.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in June and July.

1999 - 2023 garden records: One record, on 6th July 2017.

Earliest date: n/a.

Latest date: n/a.

Peak count: n/a.


Lasiocampidae - Eggar moths


1631 Poecilocampa populi - December Moth

Status: Notable.

Habitat/Food plant: Most numerous in woodland but also occurs in smaller numbers around rough ground, gardens etc. The larval food plants are many broadleaved trees including Oak, Birch, Elm, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Poplar and Sallows.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, on the wing from late October till early January.

1999 - 2023 garden records: 11 records.

The annual counts have been:

1999 = 2.    2000 = 0.    2001 = 1.    2002 = 1.    2003 = 0.    2004 = 0.    2005 = 1.    2006 = 0.    2007 = 1.    2008 = 2.    2009 = 0.

2010 = 0.    2011 = 3.    2012 = 0.    2013 = 0.    2014 = 0.     2015 = 0.   2016 = 0.   2017 = 0.    2018 = 0.    2019 = 0.   2020 = 0.  2021 = 0.   2022 = 2.   2023 = 

Earliest date: 24th November 2001.

Latest date: 1st January 2011.

Peak count: singles only.


1634 Malacosoma neustria - Lackey

Status: Once fairly common but since showing signs of decline, in fact in 2015 I took none at all.

Habitat/Food plant: A moth of open areas such as woodland, gardens, parks, hedgerows etc. The larval food plants are many varieties of broadleaved tree and shrub including Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Cherry, Plum, Apple, Oak, Willow etc.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in July and August.

1999 - 2023 garden records: As a child the many apple trees around the adjacent gardens would be festooned with Lacky caterpillars. The fruit trees have long since been removed, many years prior to me running my moth trap anyway, to be replaced with sterile, featureless lawns with plastic garden furniture. Although initially during my early years of moth hunting the adult moths were still fairly common, numbers have nosedived dramatically since and even though they are still recorded annually here, they occur in ever decreasing numbers.

The annual head counts have been:

1999 = ?.    2000 = 30+.    2001 = 15+.    2002 = 10.    2003 = 20+.    2004 = 20+.    2005 = 30+.    2006 = ?.    2007 = 30+.    2008 = 11.    2009 = 13.

2010 = 11.    2011 = 3.    2012 = 3.    2013 = 8.    2014 = 10.    2015 = 0.   2016 = 1.   2017 = 0.    2018 = 0.    2019 = 1.   2020 = 2.   2021 = 3.  2022 = 2.   2023 = 3.   2024 = 

Earliest date: 23rd June 2014.

Latest date: 14th August 2000.

Peak count: 6 moths, one night in 2005.


1635 Malacosoma castrensis - Ground Lackey

Status: rare.

Habitat/Food plant: Salt marshes and coastal shingle where the larvae feed on a variety of salt marsh plants such as Sea Plantain, Sea Lavender, Sea Wormwood, Sea-purslane, Grass-leaved Orache and Golden Samphire.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in July and August.

1999 - 2022 garden records: One record here, no doubt a wanderer from the salt marsh in Pegwell seen on 3rd August 2005. Also the specimen in the photo (above) which show some likeness to castrensis which I saw on 19th July 2022. Is it one? It was very large, far too big for a neustria? 

Earliest date: n/a.

Latest date: n/a.

Peak count: n/a.


1637 Lasiocampa quercus - Oak Eggar

Male. 

Female. 

Status: Annual in very small numbers.

Habitat/Food plant: A moths that occurs pretty much anywhere on lowland habitat, including Heaths, Moorland, Woodland, coastal dune etc. The larval food plants include Heather, Bilberry, Bramble, Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Sallow, Hazel, Sea Buckthorn, Garden Privet and Ivy.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in July and August.

1999 - 2023 garden records: 90% of the records at light are female moth, the males are always notable here. I have on occasion seen day flying males around the gardens though they are rarely seen in the traps.

The annual counts have been:

1999 = 3.    2000 = 0.    2001 = 3.    2002 = 3.    2003 = 2.    2004 = 5.    2005 = 2.    2006 = 1.    2007 = 2.    2008 = 3.    2009 = 2.

2010 = 2.    2011 = 2.    2012 = 5.    2013 = 2.    2014 = 2.    2015 = 1.    2016 = 1.    2017 = 1.    2018 = 3.    2019 = 6.   2020 = 3.   2021 = 5.   2022 = 5.   2023 = 5.   2024 = 

Earliest date: 5th July 2001.

Latest date: 16th August 2021. 

Peak count: 2 females at light on 24th July 2004. I also once saw two males attracted to the same area my privet hedge, so no doubt a female was lurking.

1638 Macrothylacia rubi - Fox Moth

Status: Scarce though fairly common half a mile away around the coast. 

Habitat/Food plant: Damp Meadows, moorland, downland, sand dunes, open meadow etc.The larval food plants include Bramble, Heather and Meadowsweet. 

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in May and June. 

1999 - 2023 garden records: Two records of day flying males seen in late May of 2010 then another on 9th June 2023.  

Earliest date: n/a.

Latest date: n/a.

Peak count: n/a. 


1640 Euthrix potatoria - Drinker

Status: Rare.

Habitat/Food plant: Damp grassland and marsh. The larval food plants are various course grasses and reeds.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded flying in July and August.

1999 - 2023 garden records: One record, on 24th July 2010.

Earliest date: n/a.

Latest date: n/a.

Peak count: n/a.


Drepanidae - Hook-tips


1645 Falcaria lacertinaria - Scalloped Hook-tip

Status: Scarce.

Habitat/Food plant: Usually woodland and scrub etc. The larval food plants are Downy and Silver Birch.

Broods/flight period: Two generations, flying from April till June then late July and August.

1999 - 2023 garden records: 1 on 26th July 2018.

Earliest date: n/a.

Latest date: n/a.

Peak count: n/a.


1646 Watsonalla binaria - Oak Hook-tip

Status: Scarce.

Habitat/Food plant: Mainly oak woodland but also parks, scrub land, gardens etc. The larval food plants are various Oaks plus on occasion Silver Birch.

Broods/flight period: Two generations, flying in May and June then late July till September.

1999 - 2023 garden records: Seven records here, taken on 2/08/2005, 9/09/2006, 7/06/2010, 16/08/2013, 12/08/2018, 16/09/2018 and 2nd June 2019.

1999 - 2017 = 4.

2018 = 2.  2019 = 1.  2020 = 0.  2021 = 5.   2022 = 4.   2023 = 0.   2024 = 

Earliest date: 7th June 2010.

Latest date: 9th September 2006 and 2021. 

Peak count: 2 on September 9th 2021. 

1647 Watsonalla cultaria - Barred Hook-tip

Status: Scarce.

Habitat/Food plant: Birch woodland or areas where there are old isolated Birches. Birch is the larval food plant. 

Broods/flight period: Two generations, flying in May and June then late July till early September.

1999 - 2023 garden records: singles on 31st July 2020 and 5th September 2022.  

Earliest date: n/a.

Latest date: n/a.

Peak count: n/a. 


1648 Drepana falcataria falcataria - Pebble Hook-tip

The pale form.

... and the dark form.

Status: Scarce.

Habitat/Food plant: Woodland and other areas with Birch scrub. The larval food plants are Birch and Alder.

Broods/flight period: Two generations, flying in April till June then late July till September.

1999 - 2023 garden records: Nine sightings, all as singles, taken on 30/07/02, 14/08/02, 7/08/10, 29/05/11, 14/08/13, 25/07/2018, 21/07/2019, 14/08/2021 and 5th September 2024.  

2018 = 1.   2019 = 1.  2020 = 0.  2022 = 5.   2023 = 0.   2024 = 

Earliest date: 29th May 2011.

Latest date: 15th August 2022. 

Peak count: Singles only.


1651 Cilix glaucata - Chinese Character

Status: Irregular, though showing a marked increase in the latter years.

Habitat/Food plant: Hedgerows, scrub and open woodland. The larval food plants include Bramble, Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Crab Apple, Rowan and Pear.

Broods/flight period: Double brooded, flying from April till June and July till September.

1999 - 2023 garden records: During the early days of trapping here they were fairly scarce. Numbers increased hand over fist during the middle 2000's but even then overall numbers vary substantially here.

Earliest date: 5th April 2024.

Latest date: 11th September in both 2010 and 2012.

Peak count: 4 on 17th May 2022. 


Thyatiridae

1652 Thyatira batis - Peach Blossom

Status: Rare.

Habitat/Food plant: Light woodland and scrub. The larval food plant is Bramble.

Broods/flight period: Usually single brooded, flying from late May till July.

1999 - 2024 garden records: Six records, all of single moths, seen on 8th July 2003, 18th June 2006, 26th June 2008, 17th June 2009, 24th September 2014 and 8th August 2024.  

Earliest date: n/a.

Latest date: n/a.

Peak count: n/a.


1653 Habrosyne pyritoides - Buff Arches

Status: Regular in small numbers though showing steep decline in latter years.

Habitat/Food plant: Open woodland and scrubby areas where Bramble grows. The larval food plants are Bramble, Dewberry ... possibly also Raspberry?

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from June till early August.

1999 - 2022 garden records: Numbers were reasonably stable here during the first decade of trapping though numbers are starting to drop off this past five years or so.

2020 = 1.  2021 = 0.   2022 = 2.   2023 = 1.   2024 = 

Earliest date: 11th June 2003.

Latest date: 6th August 2002.

Peak count: 8 Moths, taken on 9th July 2003.


1654 Tethea ocularis - Figure of Eighty

Above: The dark, sooty form and the more usual greyer version

Status: Caught in small numbers 'almost' annually.

Habitat/Food plant: A wide variety of habitats are used ... the larvae feed on Aspen and other Poplars.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded flying from late May till July.

1999 - 2024 garden records: Never numerous and is always a nice moth to see settled amongst the egg boxes.

The annual counts have been:

1999 = 0.    2000 = 1.    2001 = 4.    2002 = 5.    2003 = 9.    2004 = c.12.    2005 = 4.    2006 = 6.    2007 = 5.    2008 = 2.    2009 = 4.

2010 = 6.    2011 = 2.    2012 = 1.    2013 = 3.    2014 = 6.     2015 = 0.      2016 = 1.     2017 = 1.    2018 = 6.    2019 = 2.   2020 = 5.   2021 = 7.   2022 = 13.   2023 = 21.

2024 = 

Earliest date: 17th May 2014.

Latest date: 16th July 2002.

Peak count: 3 moths, on both 7th June 2004 and 9th June 2021 then 4 one night in 2023.  


1655 Tethea or or - Poplar Lutestring

My second sighting here, taken over twenty years after the first, this one on 7th July 2023. 

Status: Rare.

Habitat/Food plant: Mainly broadleaved woodland. The larval food plant is mainly Aspen though it will take other Poplar on occasion.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, on the wing from late May till early August.

1999 - 2023 garden records: Seen twice across the years here, taken on 21st May 2002 then 7th July 2023. 

Earliest date: n/a.

Latest date: n/a.

Peak count: n/a.


1656 Tetheela fluctuosa - Satin Lutestring

Status: Rare.

Habitat/Food plant: A moth of mature broadleaved woodland. The larval food plant is mainly Birch.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from June till early August.

1999 - 2023 garden records: One record, taken on 25th July 2012.

Earliest date: n/a.

Latest date: n/a.

Peak count: n/a.


1657 Ochrapacha duplaris - Common Lutestring

Status: Notable.

Habitat/Food plant: Light woodland and scrub. The larval food plant is mainly Birch but has been reported on Alder, Hazel and Oaks.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from mid June till August.

1999 - 2023 garden records: Sixteen records here.

The annual counts have been:

1999 = 0.    2000 = 0.    2001 = 3.    2002 = 0.    2003 = 1.    2004 = 2.    2005 = 1.    2006 = 1.    2007 = 0.    2008 = 0.    2009 = 0.

2010 = 2.    2011 = 1.    2012 = 1.    2013 = 1.    2014 = 1.    2015 = 1.    2016 = 0.   2017 = 0.    2018 = 1.    2019 = 0.   2020 = 2.   2021 = 0.  2022 = 1.   2023 = 0.

2024 = 

Earliest date: 8th June 2003.

Latest date: 21st July 2001.

Peak count: Singles only.


1658 Cymatophorima diluta - Oak Lutestring

Status: Rare.

Habitat/Food plant: A moth mainly of long established broadleaved woodland. The larval food plant is Oak.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, on the wing from late August till early October.

1999 - 2023 garden records: Three records here, on 7th October 2006, 20th October 2008 and 18th September 2018.

Earliest date: n/a.

Latest date: n/a.

Peak count: n/a.