Tony Allenby

 You will be greatly saddened to hear that Tony Allenby died yesterday.   He had been our County Moth Recorder for almost 10 years and was instrumental in setting up this blog.    During this time he created the invaluable document 'the State of all Macro Moth Species in Ceredigion' which can be accessed on this site and which hopefully will continue to be updated.

He was a dedicated and much respected moth-er and he and Ina were a great team spending many happy hours in the field trapping in the county.    As County Recorders they were very approachable and willing to share their expertise with all and sundry.    Being a recorder in the manner they did it was more a way of life than just a voluntary occupation.

On a more personal level we have fond memories of shared weekly trapping sessions with him up our valley prior to Ina's arrival and attending a number of David Brown's moth courses together.

He will be greatly missed.

Carolyn & Evan.

Early Mottled Grey

 We had this very early Mottled Grey in our woodland trap last night.

Carolyn & Evan

Late or early?

Tempted by the migrants seen in Carms, I put the trap out a couple of times over the weekend. The only possible migrant was a Silver Y. I was more impressed with a Merveille du Jour, and surprised by a Heart and Dart - did it think it was spring already?

Merveille du jour

Heart and Dart

Aberystwyth Cemetery

A circuit of the cemetery last night (since the forecast didn't look good for the trap) with torch and net. I was pleased to catch a Brick, which I don't see very often. Also Black Rustic, Rusty-dot Pearl, LBAM and T. acroxantha.

Brick

 

Rusty-dot Pearl

Tachystola acroxantha

Vestal

 To top off the recent migrants we caught a Vestal on 22/10/22 together with a Large Wainscot which must have dispersed some way to reach us [kindly amended by Tony from earlier misidentification of Bulrush Wainscot].

Carolyn & Evan

Vestal

Large Wainscot

Hier soir, Aberystwyth

I put the trap out in the garden for a couple of hours yesterday evening before the wind got much stronger. It was worthwhile! Two french-speaking moths, in addition to a Silver Y, Square-spot Rustics and LBAMs:

Clifden Nonpareil, Merveille du Jour

Brown-spot pinion

 I was feeling left out as well until this moth, which has been reported close by in previous years, paid a visit on Tuesday night!  Dull and brown blotchy....nooooo, subtle I say.

Garden above Aberporth