Oak Beauty

 

The back garden is usually void of moths from late November to the end of March. I put the trap out on suitable nights hoping for a catch but am always disappointed come the morning. This year was the same until Friday morning.

A Common Plume on the wall near the trap was a good sign but an Oak Beauty on the outside of the trap was a real find. Not only my earliest garden catch of the year since I started mothing but also a first for the garden. It's not a particularly rare moth but it is scarce where I live, near the coast and with few trees around.

Oak Beauty - Biston strataria

A great start to the year and some encouragement to get the trap out more often.