The first trapping session of the month resulted in a catch of over 1,300 moths, including 313 Dark Arches and new species for the year in Barred Yellow, Small Blood-vein and Round-winged Muslin. The following night was outstanding. Although numbers were similar, the total of 151 species included 12 new for the year, two of which have not previously been recorded at the Bay. These were SPLENDID BROCADE, first recorded in Britain in 2003 and which has been recorded only a handful of times in Kent (photo on the left by Paul Howe) and FESTOON, a scarce species restricted to southern British counties from Dorset to Kent. Otherwise, the most significant species were the 3rd Bay record of Wood Carpet, a lovely Peach Blossom, which has been recorded only four times previously, and Leopard Moth and Small Fan-foot, both of which are sporadic here.

The next couple of nights produced ten more new species, bringing the year’s macro total to 245, including the migrant Small Mottled Willow, Short-cloaked Moth, which is infrequent locally, and our 8th record of Silver Barred. A Blue-bordered Carpet - the 3rd Bay record - was found along Worth track during daylight on the 4th and the following night produced the 6th Bay record of Maiden’s Blush and our 7th record of the stunning Scorched Wing. Three more species were added on the 6th, including a Garden Tiger and a very productive session on the 7th produced second records for the Bay of Green Silver-lines and a worn but still attractive Green Arches, while three Red-necked Footman was fairly remarkable, given that the first for the Bay was recorded only ten days ago and totals of 366 Dark Arches and 1,071 of the grass moth Chrysoteuchia culmella were very much a taste of things to come.

The next few days were outstanding, as the hot weather continued, aided at times by a south-easterly airflow. Another new species for the Bay – FOUR-DOTTED FOOTMAN – was trapped on the 8th and a Shaded Broad-bar was found at New Downs New Pool in daylight the next day. Overnight trapping was outstanding, with six new species for the year, including the Bay’s 3rd record of Small Dotted Buff, the 4th record of Barred Red, the 8th record of The Olive, Common Lutestring, unrecorded last year, the 19th Bay record of The Vestal, a Fen Wainscot and the very attractive and nationally scarce plume moth Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla. The quality continued on the 10th with the Bay’s first ever SIX-BELTED CLEARWING, lured to pheromones in the Oasis paddock (photo on right by Ian Hodgson) and, overnight, first ever records of BROWN SCALLOP and WAVED CARPET, our 5th Varied Coronet and the first Delicate since 2006. A Striped Wainscot was caught on the 11th, along with the largest influx of immigrant Diamond-backed Moths (52) and Rush Veneers (13) so far this year. Four new species for the year were recorded the following night, including the Bay's 5th record of Coronet and Minor Shoulder-knot, which was identified for the first time only last year, while immigrants in the traps included 119 Diamond-back Moths, 28 Silver-y and 26 Rush Veneers. A Rosy Rustic was trapped on the 13th, a Scalloped Oak was trapped on a stormy 14th and on the 15th, having been recorded for the first time earlier this month, there was a remarkable record of 2 Splendid Brocades, along with 2 Least Yellow Underwings. New species over the next few nights included the Bay's 7th record of Small Rufous - the first since 2000 - and the 8th record of Crescent Striped, while five new species were trapped on the 19th, bringing the macro total for the year to 291; two ahead of the total at the end of July last year. Best of the bunch were three species unrecorded in 2009 - Dingy Shears, Ear Moth - our first since 2004 - and Dark Spinach, while other notables included a second Olive and another Stathmopoda pedella.

Among four new species for the year on the 20th were the Bay's 3rd record of Mere Wainscot and the infrequently recorded Crescent and on the 22nd a most unexpected OAK NYCTEOLINE was trapped - another addition to the Bay's macro list. Following the Bay's 4th Lunar-spotted Pinion on the 23rd and a Scarce Chocolate-tip on the 24th a session the following night produced seven new species for the year, including a splendid Marbled Green, bringing up the 300-mark for the year, along with a Marbled Beauty, a migrant Bordered Straw, Campion, Langmaid's Yellow Underwing and Webb's Wainscot, while 2 more Splendid Brocades brought the total of this previously rare species into double figures. Three more new species for the year on the 26th included Ash Pug, recorded in only four previous years, and the Bay's seventh record of Tree-lichen Beauty, all but one of which occurred in 2009. The next few nights brought an immigrant Gem, Tawny Speckled Pug, the fifth record of Tawny-barred Angle since the 1920s and Vapourer.