Friends Reunited

I've been away in Leeds, Bradford and Shrewsbury for the last three days, so was only able to get the trap out for its second 2015 sesh last night. Although the day had been blissful, taking in the Pennines, the dramatic ridge overlooking the Dee estuary and the Shropshire countryside, the night was colder and the catch, including the Common Quaker seen above examining my wedding ring, small.

There were three Hebrew Characters (second picture) - so named because the marking on their wings resembles the Hebrew letter 'Nun' - and two Twin-spot Quakers, one of them shown above. The modest haul gives me time to catch up on the brown/grey moths which came on my first night's trapping this year, and here they are. First, a couple of Clouded Drabs (I think):

Next, a Powdered Quaker:

Then - I think - a Small Quaker (You've maybe got my post heading by now...):

But what, mmmm, are these? Clouded Drabs maybe?

Meanwhile, there is exciting news of successful hatching by fellow-enthusiasts of some of the Emperor Moth cocoons which I distributed locally last year after a magnificent female laid eggs in - appropriately - one of the (hens') eggboxes which provide sheltering nooks for moths which enter the trap. I have five cocoons myself, all still sleeping. More on this in the next post.