Steve Hind's confirmation of my recent micros (thank you Steve) has brought my garden species count for this year (from 6 April) to 251.
I think that is quite impressive for an ordinary suburban garden and suggests that this is going to be a record year, as my highest year species total since I started trapping in 2002 is 272.
That said, I'm convinced that trap catches were very much bigger back then but I didn't log the numbers of individuals in those days. This has made me wonder whether despite this year's unusual weather patterns other trappers are similarly having a 'good year' for species, or is it just that I've maybe put a bit more effort this year into identifying the micros?
Andrew
A record year?
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andrewjcharlton
- Posts: 68
- Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 2:57 pm
Re: A record year?
A little addendum:
I frequently get foxes in my garden but over the summer I have neglected to feed them.
So I was interested earlier tonight to see a young fox arrive in my front garden, where I run my MV lamp a few feet away from the window. Without hesitation he sat in front of the trap and spent 5 minutes happily catching and eating the moths as they flew in. Perhaps I've discovered another reason why numbers in my trap have fallen so much!
I frequently get foxes in my garden but over the summer I have neglected to feed them.
So I was interested earlier tonight to see a young fox arrive in my front garden, where I run my MV lamp a few feet away from the window. Without hesitation he sat in front of the trap and spent 5 minutes happily catching and eating the moths as they flew in. Perhaps I've discovered another reason why numbers in my trap have fallen so much!
Re: A record year?
Hi Andrew,
for Fox read House Sparrow in my garden! (Although a neighbour reported a Pipistrelle the other day too so that would account for some more I'd guess, though I've not seen any tell-tale wings on the floor).
I'm actually having a very good year to this point, 321 in the garden is about the 6th best year ever already and there's still plenty of time to improve on that figure. Its even more impressive given I was away from home for much of the spring and a lot of July and unfortunately I'm set to be away for most of September and October too as well as the last week in August. I'll have to squeeze in trapping whenever can!
Numbers wise, I'd also agree; generally down but a few species are up. I've also had 15 new species in the garden to date, which is the best year since 2011 and a major surprise since four were macros!
Cheers,
Steve
for Fox read House Sparrow in my garden! (Although a neighbour reported a Pipistrelle the other day too so that would account for some more I'd guess, though I've not seen any tell-tale wings on the floor).
I'm actually having a very good year to this point, 321 in the garden is about the 6th best year ever already and there's still plenty of time to improve on that figure. Its even more impressive given I was away from home for much of the spring and a lot of July and unfortunately I'm set to be away for most of September and October too as well as the last week in August. I'll have to squeeze in trapping whenever can!
Numbers wise, I'd also agree; generally down but a few species are up. I've also had 15 new species in the garden to date, which is the best year since 2011 and a major surprise since four were macros!
Cheers,
Steve