Something to be said for a Leyland Cypress hedge after all

New moths for my 'garden list', which is tidily arranged in alphabetical order here, are unusual but last night I welcomed two. The first is the slightly sinister looking Cypress Carpet, above, with its demonic-looking 'eyes' and what appear to be pincers on either wing. This is a tremendously successful recent colonist in the UK; the first national record was as recent in 1984.

That was in East Sussex and the moth has since spread rapidly across the South of England and into Wales. Perhaps the reason is that its main foodplant is the Leyland Cypress, that curse of well-tended suburbs throughout the country.

Its fellow newcomer was the Crescent Plume shown in my second photo with its strange markings on the furled wing ends looking like spanners. In spite of appearances, it has no more evil intent towards the little tortrix, a fellow micro-moth, than the Cypress Carpet has of stabbing anyone or anything.

I briefly thought that my third moth might be yet another debut but I have had the Tawny-barred Angle once here, in 2018, and once in Leeds in 2011 when the arrival was the darker variant f. nigrofulvata. The moth is rated 'common' but that has not been my experience. Perhaps they are shy. Rarther than cypress, their caterpillars feed on conifers of various kinds and build their chrysalises among fallen pine cones.

There were plenty of other nice moths in the eggboxes, about 200 of them in all, on the second of the two National Moth Nights held annually which were the subject of this interesting report on the BBC's website. It is encouraging that interest in moths has risen as sharply during the lockdowns as the piece suggests. Long may that trend continue, then more people will grow to appreciate the likes of the Shoulder-stripe Wainscot above and the Beautiful Hook-tip below.

Here's another typical eggbox scene, below: a Drinker tucking its head away for a nap next to a Willow Beauty (I think) while a Harvester spider delicates passes by.

And below, a Dun-bar, a Marbled Minor or Lesser Marbled Minor, a Marbled White-spot and a delicate, tiny Small Fan-footed Wave (I think).

Finally, an unhappy crash-landing in the light bulb's little tophole for a Common Footman. I extracted it carefully and hope that it survives.