Dungeness NNR moths

Lade - 0700hrs - mild, dry, cloudy, sw 2 - With a couple of keen moth-ers (David and Veronica) down for a three day stay from Nottinghamshire we kicked off with the garden trap which held 31 species, many of which were new for our guests - Toadflax Brocade, Lackey, Pygmy Footman and, new for the trap a Blackneck, which unfortunately escaped before I could pot it up for a pic.
Kerton Road Café - We then moved a mile south to Mrs Moth`s traps where the likes of Sussex Emeralds and lots of interesting micros were on the menu. A wander around the back garden hay field was, as always, a joy to behold with plenty of grassland butterflies on the wing and a number of challenging moth caterpillars to mull over, while an adult Sussex Emerald had just emerged and was drying out on a stem of Wild Carrot. I was also particularly impressed by a healthy crop of onions drying on the patio...

                                Hebrew Character caterpillar, probably, KRC

                                Toadflax Brocade caterpillar, definitely, KRC

Greatstone - After a brief chat with SB regarding pheromones and clearwings we headed to Barry Banson`s trapping site at Greatstone where another batch of goodies awaited us, including some stunning Buff Arches, hawk-moths and tigers, plus Sand Dart, Rosy Wave, Blue-bordered Carpet, Southern Wainscot and much, much more.
Thanks are due to Dorothy and Barry as it was much appreciated by David and Veronica.

                                Rosy Wave, Greatstone

                                              Sand Dart, Greatstone

                                Blue-bordered Carpet, Greatstone

ARC - 2000hrs - On the way back from the allotment in Lydd we walked down to Screen hide for a scan where the Swallows have now fledged the nest. Several parties of Sand Martins hurried south and the lake was covered in common wildfowl. We had good views of male Marsh Harrier hunting over the reedbed to end the day.