With work now taking me back to Oxfordshire, I took advantage of the mild overnight temperatures to get the trap out on the Lockinge Estate, not far from where I’m currently staying. After what has felt like a long wait through the colder months, it was great to finally spend a few hours back out in the field doing some proper mothing again.
Conditions looked promising from the outset. The temperature held up well into the night, and with relatively calm conditions, it felt like one of those evenings where something interesting might turn up. Even so early in the season, there’s always that sense of anticipation when you switch the trap on and let the night do its work.
The highlight of the session was trapping my first Frosted Green; five were eventually recorded by the end of the session.
The following moths were also recorded during the night:
Brindled Beauty
Early Grey
Small Quaker and Common Quaker
Clouded Drab
Hebrew Character
It was encouraging to see a good range of early-season species on the wing, especially given that we are still relatively early in the year. The supporting cast made for a productive and enjoyable session overall. There’s something particularly satisfying about these early outings; each species feels like a sign that the season is beginning to gather momentum, as temperatures continue to improve.