1949

In 1949 Clement Atlee held the office of Prime Minister, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-four was published, Bruce Springsteen was born, NATO was founded and the average house price in the UK was £1,911. In the same year a moth enthusiast in Shropshire recorded a micro moth going by the name of Agonopterix umbellana. That was the last recorded sighting from the county until last night, when one turned up in my moth trap. Yet again, showing how much there is to discover about our microlepidoptera (and how much has changed in terms of the price of property).

Agonopterix umbellana

In fact last nights moth trapping session was my best since September. I caught 16 moths of ten species, four of these being new species for me in Batch Valley. The other highlight was four December Moths, and though Graham posted a picture of one a few days ago they are good-looking enough to deserve another one. These stunning moths are common at the moment, and are one to look out for coming to house lights.

December Moth

I also managed to catch up with a couple of common species which had previously eluded me, a worn Red-line Quaker and this beautiful Red-green Carpet. This is an incredible-looking moth, and lurking in many peoples gardens under the cover of darkness.

Red-green Carpet