Mothing at The Hidden House, St Margaret's at Cliffe, Tony Morris


Passenger, caught 23/9/2006 (National moth night).

Mothing at St Margaret's

Most of the Moth lists and Photographs are from my garden (TR359450) in the village of St Margaret's at Cliffe in Kent. It is situated about 1Km from the sea and has farmland with in 100 metres. The garden is well shrubbed and about 1600 sq metres. I normally run a 125 MV lamp and a 15W actinic light over-night and once the season gets going a couple of other traps. At the moment both are 25W black Lamps. previously I used a 160W blended lamp in one of them. All traps are home made. Trapping dates refer to the date the trap was put out.

Trap Update in 2017. A new 125W MV Robinson was added to a 125W MV Skinner, 15W Actinic Skinner, two 80W MV Morris modified Skinners and a 80W MVMorris Box trap.
Traps are now (2020 onwards) 2x 125W Robinsons, 2x 80W Skinner type and 1x 15W Actinic strip light on a Skinner type .

I try and identify all the Macro Moths, with the micros I am not at all systematic, I do more than I used to with the help of the new book, but there are some that do get through.


Monday, 13 April 2026

Species List for 12/04/2026

 A slight improvement in numbers, although not at the level of the 8th. There were 20 moth of eight species.

Code

Taxon

Vernacular

Individuals


49.039

Epiphyas postvittana

Light Brown Apple Moth

1


70.067

Anticlea derivata

Streamer

1


73.015

Autographa gamma

Silver Y

1


73.069

Xylocampa areola

Early Grey

1


73.242

Orthosia incerta

Clouded Drab

1


73.244

Orthosia cerasi

Common Quaker

6


73.247

Orthosia gracilis

Powdered Quaker

2


73.249

Orthosia gothica

Hebrew Character

7


Sunday, 12 April 2026

Species List for 11/04/2026

 Saturday was coolish with a cold breeze. The night only fell to 9 deg C. but it remained quite breezy and there were few moths, with none in the Greenhouse garden trap. There were only eight moths of four species (all Orthosias) with one NFY.

Code

Taxon

Vernacular

Individuals


73.242

Orthosia incerta

Clouded Drab

2


73.244

Orthosia cerasi

Common Quaker

3


73.247

Orthosia gracilis

Powdered Quaker

2

nfy

73.249

Orthosia gothica

Hebrew Character

1


.
Powdered Quaker

Saturday, 11 April 2026

Species List for 10/04/2026

Although the day was cool the night was warmer than the previous one with a  minimum of 8 deg C. There were 2 moths of nine species with four NFY.

Code

Taxon

Vernacular

Individuals


49.039

Epiphyas postvittana

Light Brown Apple Moth

1


70.095

Chloroclysta siterata

Red-Green Carpet

1

nfy

72.022

Diaphora mendica

Muslin Moth

2

nfy

73.015

Autographa gamma

Silver Y

2

nfy

73.069

Xylocampa areola

Early Grey

3


73.095

Caradrina clavipalpis

Pale Mottled Willow

1

nfy

73.242

Orthosia incerta

Clouded Drab

1


73.244

Orthosia cerasi

Common Quaker

12


73.249

Orthosia gothica

Hebrew Character

5



Muslin Moth

Pale Mottled Willow

Red-green Carpet

Silver Y


Friday, 10 April 2026

Species List for 09/04/2026

 Thursday was fine but much cooler than the previous day and the night temperature fell to 5 deg C. Consequently there were just 16 moths of five species with one NFY.

Code

Taxon

Vernacular

Individuals


49.039

Epiphyas postvittana

Light Brown Apple Moth

1


70.226

Opisthograptis luteolata

Brimstone Moth

1

nfy

70.257

Menophra abruptaria

Waved Umber

1


73.244

Orthosia cerasi

Common Quaker

11


73.249

Orthosia gothica

Hebrew Character

2


.
Brimstone Moth

Thursday, 9 April 2026

Species List for 08/04/2026

 After a trip to the north, vias Clitheroe, Durham and the Cairngorms back to a very warm day (20 deg C) and minimum night od 14 deg C there were 55 moths of 18 species and eight NFY.

Code

Taxon

Vernacular

Individuals


18.001

Plutella xylostella

Diamond-back Moth

4

nfy

44.001

Alucita hexadactyla

Many-plumed Moth

1


49.039

Epiphyas postvittana

Light Brown Apple Moth

1


70.067

Anticlea derivata

Streamer

1

nfy

70.141

Gymnoscelis rufifasciata

Double-striped Pug

10


70.157

Eupithecia dodoneata

Oak-tree Pug

1

nfy

70.160

Eupithecia tripunctaria

White-spotted Pug

1

nfy

70.200

Acasis viretata

Yellow-barred Brindle

1

nfy

70.201

Trichopteryx polycommata

Barred Tooth-striped

1

nfy

70.251

Biston strataria

Oak Beauty

1


70.257

Menophra abruptaria

Waved Umber

1

nfy

72

Scoliopteryx libatrix

Herald

1

nfy

73.069

Xylocampa areola

Early Grey

4


73.242

Orthosia incerta

Clouded Drab

2


73.244

Orthosia cerasi

Common Quaker

12


73.245

Orthosia cruda

Small Quaker

2


73.249

Orthosia gothica

Hebrew Character

9


73.250

Anorthoa munda

Twin-spotted Quaker

2


.
Yellow-barred Brindle

Oak-tree Pug

Wave3d Umber

Herald

Barred Tooth-striped

Streamer

White-spotted Pug

Diamond-backed Moth

Tuesday, 24 March 2026

Species List for 23/03/2026

 Three Traps, a 125W Robinson in the Back Garden, an 80W MV Skinner in the Pond Garden and a 15W Actinic in the Front Garden. 16 Moths of five species. 

Code

Taxon

Vernacular

Individuals


70.141

Gymnoscelis rufifasciata

Double-striped Pug

4


73.242

Orthosia incerta

Clouded Drab

4


73.244

Orthosia cerasi

Common Quaker

3


73.245

Orthosia cruda

Small Quaker

3


73.249

Orthosia gothica

Hebrew Character

2



Monday, 23 March 2026

Species List for 22/03/2026

 Three Traps, a 125W Robinson in the Back Garden, an 80W MV Skinner in the Pond Garden and a 15W Actinic in the Front Garden. 21 Moths of five species was a poor return, but not unexpected with a clear night and the temperature down to 4 deg C.

Code

Taxon

Vernacular

Individuals


73.069

Xylocampa areola

Early Grey

2


73.242

Orthosia incerta

Clouded Drab

3


73.244

Orthosia cerasi

Common Quaker

3


73.245

Orthosia cruda

Small Quaker

2


73.249

Orthosia gothica

Hebrew Character

11



Sunday, 22 March 2026

Species List for 21/03/2026

 Three Traps, a 125W Robinson in the Back Garden, an 80W MV Skinner in the Pond Garden and a 15W Actinic in the Front Garden. 19 Moths of six species with one NFY 


Code

Taxon

Vernacular

Individuals


73.069

Xylocampa areola

Early Grey

3


73.242

Orthosia incerta

Clouded Drab

1


73.243

Orthosia miniosa

Blossom Underwing

1

nfy

73.244

Orthosia cerasi

Common Quaker

4


73.245

Orthosia cruda

Small Quaker

2


73.249

Orthosia gothica

Hebrew Character

8


.
Blossom Underwing

Saturday, 21 March 2026

Species List for 20/03/2026

 Three Traps, a 125W Robinson in the Back Garden, an 80W MV Skinner in the Pond Garden and a 15W Actinic in the Front Garden. 18 Moths of four species. The temperature dropped to 3 deg C and consequently a low catch.

Code

Taxon

Vernacular

Individuals


73.069

Xylocampa areola

Early Grey

2


73.244

Orthosia cerasi

Common Quaker

2


73.245

Orthosia cruda

Small Quaker

3


73.249

Orthosia gothica

Hebrew Character

11



Friday, 20 March 2026

Species List for 19/03/2026

 Three Traps, a 125W Robinson in the Back Garden, an 80W MV Skinner in the Pond Garden and a 15W Actinic in the Front Garden. 40 Moths of seven species. After the warm day another disappointing  catch.

Code

Taxon

Vernacular

Individuals


49.039

Epiphyas postvittana

Light Brown Apple Moth

1


73.069

Xylocampa areola

Early Grey

4


73.242

Orthosia incerta

Clouded Drab

5


73.244

Orthosia cerasi

Common Quaker

13


73.245

Orthosia cruda

Small Quaker

5


73.249

Orthosia gothica

Hebrew Character

11


73.250

Anorthoa munda

Twin-spotted Quaker

1



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