28/5/09 : count off 34 Painted Lady Butterflies in our garden at one point this afternoon.

Night of Wednesday 27/05/09 at 125W MV:
Striped Hawk-moth

Also Elephant Hawk-moth, 2 Eyed Hawk-moth, 3 Poplar Hawk=moth and 1 Lime Hawk-moth.

Numerous Painted Lady Butterflies on the wing across Essex and South Suffolk

Menophra japygiaria (almost certain)
A geometrid native to southern Europe and North Africa. Trapped at Saltash, Cornwall by Ted Griffiths on 23 May 2009. If identity confirmed would seem to be new for Britain.[i][/i]

A Striped Hawk-moth on the wall above my actinic trap this morning. Only the second county record, I believe. The only other potential immigrant being a single Diamond-back Moth.

Monday 25th: 74 Painted Lady and 13 Silver Y seen in the space of 20 minutes on Mount Pleasant, Newhaven. Shortly afterwards, at Castle Hill LNR on the clifftops at Newhaven, c.200 Painted Lady seen in just under two hours.

Tuesday 26th: 33 Painted Lady seen at Mount Pleasant in 30 minutes.

Night of 26/05/09 at 125W MV:

Striped Hawk-moth - second site record.
5 Diamond-back Moths P. xylostella
4 Silver Y
1 Dark Sword-grass

Painted Lady ca 660 on Tues 26th May basking or taking nectar from Valerian,Erysimum,Nepeta,etc.

26th May 2009

A hour and half spent on the Spit revealled the extent of the Painted Lady influx with 408 counted, also seen two Clouded Yellow, a silver Y and a dark medium sized dragonfly which was possible Lesser Emperor.

25th May 2009 Despite the stormy weather it was the best moth trap of the season with in excess of 40 spp trapped. Still low numbers of migrants but with large movements of Painted Ladys then are expecting the numbers to increase. however last night was the best catch of migrants so far this year with 9 Diamond Back Moths, 2 White Point and 2 Pearly Underwing.