NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

I recently mentioned that we have lived in our house for almost 30 years, and during that time have run a moth trap in the garden. It seems a good time to look back over those 'mothing years' and try and pick out any themes, trends, surprises, gains and losses. One post cannot do it justice, so thought I'd kick it all off with a look at the site itself. On August 14th 1987, Katrina and I moved into our three bedroomed house in Banstead, northern Surrey. It is an area that could best be described as 'leafy suburbia', positioned between Banstead Downs and Epsom Downs, relatively high on the chalk, and surrounded by 1930s housing. Most of the houses nearby had mature gardens, varying in sizes. Ours was well stocked with plants, had a 30ft front and 90ft back garden, which butted up to an area of 'wild' ground. A mature ash tree, a Lawson's Cypress and a small pond were further features. During the past thirty years there have been changes - the wild ...

Living in suburbia and running an MV trap do not make good bedfellows. There is a lot of extra light pollution to contend with (which may reduce the effectiveness of the MV) but the main problem is that of running such a bright light in the vicinity of other peoples houses. I'm lucky in as much as my immediate neighbours are highly tolerant of my activities. I do try to lessen the impact of the MV however - it is placed behind a garage, up against a wall and is also shielded from other house's windows by a mature ash tree. Although this cuts down the area from which the light can be 'seen' by moths it hasn't stopped this site producing some very good migrants over the years, plus (when moths seemed more plentiful), 500-600 macros in a night. The garden macro list currently stands at 389. Micros are work in progress... I still get excited when I go to check the trap. At the moment counts are very depressed. This morning, after a cloudy and quite mild night, my h...

What do you know? After sending the MV out into the garden to reignite the 'Warren Road Back Garden Moth Year List', and being successful with a Spring Usher, the past two nights trapping have produced... bugger all! Both nights have been very mild, mostly cloudy and I have even inspected the trap in the wee small hours dressed but in my jimjams - and not felt even chilly. I'm not being greedy, a Chestnut would have done! So, how do I break this blank spell? Make a sacrifice to the Moth Gods? Should I just accept that in suburbia at this time of year a blank night is the norm? Change the bulb? Ah, that jogs a memory. I seem to remember reading somewhere that you should change your MV bulb every season as it loses some of its ability to function at 100%. Is that something that the bulb manufacturers invented to ensure that we buy them more frequently? Whatever the truth is, I will replace the bulb tonight that is, admittedly, at least into its third year. There is no dou...