Pesky pugs and mystery micros

The Safari 'enjoyed' a hot humid but dry night last night. The moth trap was on and that purple light might have attracted the attention of the Police helicopter which sounded as if it was directly overhead for ages. How come the Yanks can get half way across a nation in a silent and invisible Steathcopter but what our Police force have is at the opposite end of the loudness scale - a nightmare; only we weren't asleep...if we'd have had a spare surface-to-air missile under the bed we'd have used it!!!

Then Frank, being hot, woke up early and we were out on Patch 1 not long after 05.00 hours. A Cormorant was seen going over and a Cinnabar moth was nosed out of the grass by Frank snufling around.

The moth trap was opened before breakfast and we soon learned we've forgetten all our Pugs!

Pug 1?

Pug 2 looks like it should be easy but we've been pouring over the field guides without any joy. Grey Pug?

Pug 3, dark form of Grey Pug, obsucrissima?

Then we found the micros...dooohhhh. Pretty sure this one and the next are the same species but the second one was about 50% larger.

This little Tortrix is bonny but nowhere near as pretty as one which avoided the lens and went for our throat - we dodged and it flew over our shoulder, disappearing into next door's garden. It was like a tiny Zebra!

OK on with the macros now - first one didn't make the trap as it was lodged in the base of the lamp and had been frazzled. Ingrailed Clay?

Fortunately we could identify the rest.

Clouded Bordered Brindle, dark form.

and the light form, no others caught.

Marbled Minor.

Scalloped Hazel.

Also in the trap were several Heart and Darts, a couple of Flame Shoulders and lurking just outside the trap we disturbed a Brimstone - not a bad night's trapping, if the weather holds a bit it can only get better...but the weather looks like breaking...doohhhh not AGAIN!!!

After half a loaf of toast we had an hours gardening keeping an eye on the pond in case a Large Red Damselfly turned up - none did but we probably haven't had a long enough spell of decent sunshine. A small number of Blue Tailed Damselflies were fluttering over the Lily leaves.

The Goldfish were full of the joys of spring, mating and egg-laying behind our pot of Fine Leaved Water-dropwort.

After lunch we joined the North Blackpool Pond Trail officer and members of our Fylde Amphibian & Reptile Group at a local Country Fair. A glorious afternoon which the organisers of all such summer events pray for...and consequently our stand was busy, don't think AB stood over his pond life 'touch-tank' had a chance to draw breath all afternoon with a constant stream of young and old alike wanting to have a look at his aquatic exhibits all drawn from his garden pond earlier in the morning.

This is a bit like Where's Wally? - - - Can you find Frank?

Where to next? Not sure what the weather is doing but doubt we'll get three red hot sunny days on the trot, but we have a plan and for once it doesn't involve trying to increase our tenuous lead over Monika.