With a break in the weather (little wind or rain was forecast) the moth traps were placed at three sites in Grouville on three consecutive nights (24th – 26th February). This is early in the season, some moth species only fly at this time of the year and you don’t expect to catch large numbers.
The first site is in Gorey Village and in the middle of two estates. A trap in the back garden and one outside the front of the house resulted in 7 moths of 5 species. The following night was on the outskirts of Gorey Village in a garden which backs on to Grouville Marsh (not by the SSI) and which netted 12 moths of 10 species. The final trapping took place near Grouville Parish Hall in a very open garden on a hillside (with views across to the castle). It backs on to farmland and a small area of woodland. A better catch was recorded – 18 moths, 10 species.
Light Brown Apple Moth, Common Quaker and March Moths were caught at each location. The lower numbers at the garden in the village are probably as a result of several factors: light pollution from street lighting and outside lights being left on, more people with plastic lawns/hard paving and therefore fewer flowering plants. The marsh area was better (no light pollution, but the marsh was flooded in certain areas which may have reduced the number of some flowering plants), the best garden (from a moth trapping point of view) had much more habitat diversity and a more open aspect.
Tawny Pinion – it flies late in the autumn (October and November), then hibernates and reappears in the spring (in the UK it reappears in April/May but our flight seasons often vary a little). The larvae feed mainly on ash.
This is also an ‘early moth’ usually flying in the UK throughout March and April, again, it flies slightly earlier in Jersey. The larvae eat oak, sallow and other deciduous trees.
Waved Umber – in the UK they have a single generation which flies from April into June. We probably have two generations as we have caught these from this time of year through to August. The larvae feed on garden privet and lilac. It inhabits woodland, parks and gardens.
Author – Kim Koester- Entomology Section
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