The poor May continues ...

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JohnR
Posts: 101
Joined: Mon May 11, 2020 5:21 pm
Location: Hazel Grove

The poor May continues ...

Post by JohnR »

Shockingly low catches recently compared to 12 months ago. Only 1 moth last night but is was a nice Lime Hawk-moth. I assume everyone else is having a similarly poor May. I am relatively new to moth trapping having only revived my interest in 2020. Is this sort of low catch in May unprecedented?

Cheers, John
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GasMacc1
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:10 am

Re: The poor May continues ...

Post by GasMacc1 »

Only one moth in the trap in Tytherington, Macc on Wednesday night (19th May 2021). Minimum overnight temperature was only 5.6 degrees C.

I nearly missed it: Nematopogon swammerdamella.
Nematopogon swammerdamella 1
Nematopogon swammerdamella 1
Nematopogon swammerdamella 2
Nematopogon swammerdamella 2
It was the first record of that species for my garden, though!

From my own garden records, I can only compare with similar dates from the last five years:

16th May 2020 [5.1 deg C]: One moth.
21st May 2020 [14.1 deg C]: 27 moths of 17 species.

13th May 2019 [8 deg C]: 4 of 4.
17th May 2019 [10 deg C]: 22 of 15.

13th May 2018: 3 of 2.
20th May 2018: 15 of 9.

3rd May 2017: 6 of 5.
18th May 2017: 7 of 5.

6th May 2016: 6 of 4.
19th May 2016: 4 of 4.
PaulHopkins
Posts: 456
Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:11 pm
Location: Bromborough, Wirral. MapMate Recorder

Re: The poor May continues ...

Post by PaulHopkins »

I had four moths in the trap last night:

2 Brimstone
1 Scalloped Hazel
1 Oak-tree Pug.

May has been getting steadily worse - definitely the poorest spell I’ve had since I started mothing 8 years ago.

Cheers
Paul
melbellingham
Posts: 834
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 7:00 pm
Location: Great Sutton, Cheshire. Mapmate.

Re: The poor May continues ...

Post by melbellingham »

I would have been happy with one moth last night, but I blanked.

Mel.
JohnR
Posts: 101
Joined: Mon May 11, 2020 5:21 pm
Location: Hazel Grove

Re: The poor May continues ...

Post by JohnR »

So, the next question is what is going on? Have those early May frosts killed emerging insects/pupae/larvae, or just delayed them?

Cheers, John
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