Moths: when to start trapping

Half-cocked

Driving home last night I spotted a couple of small moths in my headlights. I'm just wondering when I should start moth trapping again?

Mothman

These moths lighted by headlights are most likely to be Winter Moths and often alight on house windows.

I recorded 15 species outside in December, all in the last week.
Another species yesterday which is new to me and garden.

If you have native trees nearby, its worth trying trying the trap during mild winter weather, especially if fairly calm.

Mothman

Quite a lot of moths this morning, mainly Mottled Umber but 4 other species as well. Weather will be mild for a few days, getting traps into sheltered locations is probably the mainly issue.

littlebug

Mothman wrote: »

Quite a lot of moths this morning, mainly Mottled Umber but 4 other species as well. Weather will be mild for a few days, getting traps into sheltered locations is probably the mainly issue.

Well I do indeed learn something everyday! Having just looked up mottled umber moths I discovered that the females are wingless! If I saw a wingless "thing" the last thing I would expect it to be is a moth!

Mothman can you tell us any more about this? Are there many more wingless types and are there are any explanations as to why this is?

If you think this question belongs in the other moth thread rather than this one feel free to move it (yes I'm a useless mod:o)

Mothman

(yes I'm a useless mod)

So how did you get to be one :pac:
Maybe we could bump the moths in garden thread with this content. It's too good to confine to archives.

littlebug wrote: »

Well I do indeed learn something everyday! Having just looked up mottled umber moths I discovered that the females are wingless! If I saw a wingless "thing" the last thing I would expect it to be is a moth!

Mothman can you tell us any more about this? Are there many more wingless types and are there are any explanations as to why this is?

The are a number of species with flightless females. I'll try get round to uploading photos of a couple I've seen. Most of these species are about in Winter or early Spring and they include Winter Moth. With the females not flying they are relatively large and can carry loads of eggs, many times more than if she flew. So this is the main advantage. The issue is one of dispersion. Males can't colonise a new habitat alone. The females have to get there as well. These species disperse as little caterpillars. They spin a little web which the wind catches and away they go. Certainly luck involved in where one lands.

Other species with flightless females include
Pale Brindled Beauty, March Moth and Dotted border.

Half-cocked

Seeing as there's moths around already, I think I'll dust off the trap for tonight, its windy but I have a sheltered spot. See what appears.