On 19.11.2011 I recorded Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) at my garden moth trap. I have since learned that one was also caught in East Sussex on 21.11.2011.
Last night (23.11.2011) the temperature at dusk was almost 12 deg C, so I put out an Actinic light trap. I left it out for 5 hours and found two moths when checking to see if I had caught anything. A December moth (Poecilocampa populi) was no surprise, but a Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) was !! The photo does not show that it was slightly smaller than the usual sized specimens that I catch in the normal flight period of March to May/June.
Martin Townsend and Paul Waring, in their book Moths of Great Britain and Ireland state that they are sometimes seen 'in mild spells in late autumn and winter'. Having had a quick look at the Mapmate Database, I cannot find any other such records for Cheshire.
Mel.
- Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)
23rd November 2011
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