Silver Y (Autographa gamma)

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JoyCarol
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 2:14 pm

Silver Y (Autographa gamma)

Post by JoyCarol »

Silver Y (Autographa gamma):

Hi,

I am new to mothing.... last year during the months of August and September I counted numerous Silver Y moths on the Verbena, Sedum and Buddleia in my back garden. This year I bought a Robinson MV light-trap and have been enjoying trapping once a week since the beginning of June. However, I have only seen one Silver Y on a Wall Germander and I have caught one in the trap. Is this unusual, has anyone else noticed this... . or do moths have boom and bust years in some areas? :roll:

stevehind
Posts: 2908
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:44 am
Location: Higher Poynton, Cheshire

Re: Silver Y (Autographa gamma)

Post by stevehind »

I find one of the interesting things about regularly running a garden moth trap is how numbers of the resident species fluctuate from year to year. Numbers of migrants, such as the Silver Y, are even more variable. 2006 was the last good year for migrants. In that year I had 223 Silver Y's in the garden. The previous year I had only seen six and the following year only eight. Last year I recorded 44, which is about average over the twenty years I've trapped here, whereas this year has been another poor one with only nine so far.

Steve

SteveH
Posts: 2072
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:50 am
Location: Elton, Cheshire

Re: Silver Y (Autographa gamma)

Post by SteveH »

I'd echo Steve's comments though sometimes its more concerning how some of the 'commoner' moths are no longer that. I'd site Heart and Dart, categorising it as an abundant species between 1991 and 1997, when our average catch per year was 2,189 with a peak of 4350 in '97. In contrast, the average for the last six years is just 327, with a peak of 'only' 526 in 2006 and an all time low of 163 in 2009.

Silver Y numbers are a variable depending on how the immigration goes - our peak was in '96 (626) but the all time low was just 11 the following year. This year so far its numbered 28.

Steve

JoyCarol
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 2:14 pm

Re: Silver Y (Autographa gamma)

Post by JoyCarol »

Thank you for your feedback. :D

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