17 June 2015 - Nr Sevenoaks, Kent

Went out looking for Common Valerian for future Valerian Pug searching, but left it too late to look for plants and consequently got rather annoyed with myself for not leaving the house until after 9pm (Lesson 1 - plants are easier to find in the daylight). Giving up on finding the right foodplant, I parked up and searched the woodland on my right, only to find the understory a mass of Common Cow-wheat and Bilberry.

Armed with a net I potted the first three moths I saw on the wing - 2 Little Thorns and a Bilberry Pug. Bouyed up by this I quickly set two actinics and spent a very pleasant couple of hours moffin.

I ended the night with 6+ Little Thorns, 5+ Bilberry Pugs, 5+ Lead-coloured Pugs and an Alder Kitten - a nice selection when Eyed Hawk-moth and Green Silver-lines are both added!

The ID of the Bilberry Pugs has swayed to and fro today - when I caught them, I thought they were Bilberry, when I photographed them I thought Green - but now looking on UKMoths and in the Manley book, I'm happy with original ID - I think!

Bilberry Pug

Bilberry Pug

Bilberry Pug

Lead-coloured Pug

Lead-coloured Pug

Common Pug - I assume

Common Pug - as above

Alder Kitten

Little Thorn

Little Thorn

Micro 1

Micro 2

Green Silver-lines