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08/03/2010	Bob Turner observed a Small Tortoiseshell at Burnett Road, Inverness (NH 6646) this afternoon.
06/03/2010	Brian Neath carried out his second moth trapping of the season on 6th March, attracting 52 moths of 6 species including 27 March Moths. Initially Brian thought this was a record count but on checking back found that he had 30 on the early date of 11th February 2004. Subsequently the highest count was 12 on 14th March 2006 until today's. The March Moth has a limited distribution in Wester Ross with only 6 records north of Lochalsh. In fact there are only 9 records in the Wester Ross database other than his own. There are four records from the Rothamsted station at Raasal in 1987 and 1988 and one from Beinn Eighe in 1994. However Max and Sue Pittman recorded one as far north as Ullapool in 2009 so the moth may be under recorded or possibly in the process of extending its range. Thanks to Brian for providing the photo. The other moths trapped were 12 Chestnut, 6 Dotted Border, 4 Mottled Grey, 2 Pale Brindled Beauty and a splendid Satellite. Brian also had another March Moth and Dotted Border indoors. Surprisingly no Orthosia species as yet. (Click on the links for more information about these species on the Moths of the Month pages, January and February and March.)
01/03/2010	Thanks to Jean Cameron for sending a record of a Peacock, seen at 14:30 on 1st March on the north side of Loch Sheil, Moidart (Grid ref NM 703697), flying in sunshine.
27/02/2010	Brian Neath's first moth trapping of the year on 27th February at Dornie produced 9 Chestnut, 3 Pale Brindled Beauty and single March Moth and Dotted Border. Nice to know that some moths have survived the big freeze! (Click on links for photos and more details.)
11/02/2010	Alison Cropper reports a Small Tortoiseshell at Claddach Kirkibost, North Uist, looking 'very sleepy and obviously cold'.
04/02/2010	Mike Taylor found a fresh-looking Mottled Umber resting on one of the doors of the wooden toilet block at Wellhill car park, Culbin Forest, at midday. The photo, by Roy Leverton, shows a male. The female is flightless. This is an unusually late sighting for this moth.