Let the moth trapping commence!
Summer has well and truly begun on Skomer Island after two
weeks of sunny warm weather. The
bluebells have bloomed and are starting to die off, the red campion is now out in full, meadow pipits and
wheatears are busy feeding chicks and the puffins are starting to come in with
beakfulls of sandeels.
 |
| a sea of bluebells |
The warm weather has given James and me a chance to get our
moth traps out. James has been using two
heath traps powered by 12volt batteries in various places in both heath and
bracken habitats around the island; while I’ve been running a Robinson trap outside
the farm buildings. Every morning is
like Christmas as you never know which species you’ll get in the trap!
The traps use light to attract the moths which then fall in
and hide amongst the egg boxes until morning when they are identified and released.
 |
| Robinson trap |
 |
| It can take a long time to go through all the egg boxes! |
Exciting species so far have been:
A pale pinion which is the 2nd record for Skomer and a rare red twin spot carpet.
,+Bull+Hole+05.06.jpg) |
| Pale pinion |
,+The+Farm+02.06.jpg) |
| Red twin spot carpet |
My personal favourite is the spectacle (I like his glasses
and his hat!)
 |
| The spectacle |
James’ favourite is the Ruby Tiger
,+North+Haven+19.08.2012.jpg) |
| Ruby tiger |
Nia
No comments:
Post a Comment