Dissecting a specimen of Pammene obscurana caused me to re-examine and re-identify the specimen previously presented as this species. I now believe this former specimen to be P.agnotana. I have done a page comparing these two (Pammene) and would be happy to receive any comments either confirming or refuting this ID. If confirmed this (the P.agnotana) would be the first record for Essex.
A visit to Tolleshunt D'Arcy (Essex) on 10th April was successful in finding Aleucis distinctata (Sloe Carpet). I set 2 actinic traps but none came to light in the first two hours after dusk and I did not net any flying around (I did net several other species, so I think this is because they were not flying). I found 6 individuals between ~21:30 and 22:30, all on fairly bare blackthorn twigs, none on the flowers and none in the first hour after dusk.
A visit to Bernwood Forest (Oxfordshire) on the warm night of 18th April produced ~1000 moths of 47 species in 2 Robinson and 2 Heath traps - my best ever April catch. The main target species was Cerastis leucographa (White-marked), of which I obtained only one somewhat atypical specimen. An additional 3 species new to me were caught: Zelleria hepariella, Acleris literana and Pammene splendidulana
 04.085 Ectoedemia argyropeza; 16/05/2017; Strumpshaw Fen  49.087 Acleris literana; 18/04/2018; Bernwood Forest  49.360 Pammene splendidulana; 18/04/2018; Bernwood Forest  70.281 Aleucis distinctata (Sloe Carpet); 10/04/2018; Tolleshunt D'Arcy |  16.010 Zelleria hepariella; 18/04/2018; Bernwood Forest  49.366 Pammene obscurana; 23/05/2017; Chobham Common  73.337 Cerastis leucographa (White-marked); 18/04/2018; Bernwood Forest |
Total species presented now 1479.
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