August 19th : Moth trapping is like bird ringing; it might be scientific in its objectives but more basic forces come into play on each round of the nets or when you open up the moth trap in the morning. Realism is transcended by fantasy and dreams of finding a Himalayan Rubythroat hanging in the net or an Oleander Hawk Moth nestling on the egg boxes come to the fore, no matter that you might be ringing at Roding Valley Meadows or trapping in a suburban garden at Ingatestone! The Oleander Hawk Moth remains a dream but the Bedstraw Hawk Moth that turned up in my garden trap last Thursday runs it quite close, at least in my eyes, and is the first of the rarer migrant hawk moths to come my way in twenty years of trapping. In the 'Moths of Essex' (2004) Brian Goodey descripes it as a scarce immigrant, which is a euphemism for "you'll be lucky"! Well, on this occasion I was and I hope you enjoy the photographs.
