Chandos Road, Ampthill.

I keep finding new moths in the trap every time I set it out. It's been really amazing to see just how much biodiversity there is fluttering over and around my tiny back garden through the year. I'm gradually building up a list of the little micro-moths. Here's a few from last night with information from Chris Manley's brilliant book on British Moths & Butterflies. Apologies for the photos...it's not easy to photograph these titchy things with a long lens! Many thanks to Andy, Melissa & David for taking the time to look at this blog and id the critters as I upload them!

898 Limnaecia phragmitella - Common. In streams, ponds, fens, marshes, wherever the foodplant grows (Seedheads of bulrushes).

789 Bryotropha domestica.

427 Yponomeuta cagnagella (Spindle Ermine) - Common; widespread throughout on calcareous soils. The foodplant is Spindle.

1348 Parapoynx stratiotata (Ringed China-mark)- Local; found near ponds, lakes, canals etc., from Yorkshire southwards; larva is entirely aquatic on pondweeds, Canadian Waterweed, etc.

1305 Agriphila tristella - Common; can be abundant in tall grasses. White streak splits into 'fingers'.

462 Ypsolopha sequella - Local; widespread in south in woods and gardens; foodplant Acers, including Field Maple and Sycamore.

796 Aroga velocella - Local; mainly central and southern England in heathland and breckland.

You never know what will turn up - there are no lakes, ponds, fens or marshes close to me, so it was great to have a couple of the species dependent on these fly in. And the last one turned out to be the most interesting. Our Micro-moth Recorder, David Manning, wrote on seeing the photo here: '.........only two previous records for this species (in Bedfordshire: Coopers Hill in 1997 and RSPB (The Lodge) Sandy in 2008.'
The larvae feed on Sheep's sorrel, typically found on sandy heathland.