Norman Hall and Paul Black ran moth traps overnight in two fields of Tolhurst Organics on the night of 19 – 20 August 2023. The farm produces stock-free organic vegetables in two fields of the Hardwick Estate, to the east of Whitchurch-on-Thames. It was the first farm in the world to be classified as stock-free organic by the Vegan Organic Network. This means that there are no inputs from animal manures or slaughterhouse by-products. The farm uses rotations with fertility-building crops to maintain soil fertility. This was our second visit to the farm for moth trapping, following an outstanding night there on 1 June 2019. This time, the skies were clear and even though the temperature only dropped to about 14C overnight, conditions were not quite as good as before. In total, 719 moths of 103 species were recorded. Norman ran two traps and a light over a sheet above a pile of egg boxes at the top of the field called Lower Bec, which is on the north side of the road from Whitchurch to Hardwick. To the north of his traps was a field of steep Chalk grassland, while across the lane to the east was broad-leaved woodland. Clay Triple-lines was a Beech feeder which turned up in one of Norman’s traps. Pretty Chalk Carpet, whose larvae feed on Traveller’s-joy, also came to light there. Other moths in Norman’s traps included Buff Footman, Swallow Prominent, Black Arches and Hedge Rustic.
Paul ran two traps and a light over a sheet in Upper Knight, the field on the south side of the Whitchurch to Hardwick road. One of his traps was deep in a weedy vegetable plot and Paul was delighted to take a specimen of his target species there, the Dark Spinach. This is a moth of disturbed weedy places, and according to the Rothamsted Insect Survey, declined by 96% between 1968 and 2007. Its caterpillars feed on the seeds of goosefoots and oraches and its decline is attributed to ‘over tidiness’ in the countryside. Tolhurst Organics takes a relaxed attitude to weeds. With year-round ground cover, predators have time to get into balance with pest species, and vegetables with strong root systems can compete favourably with weeds. Another of Paul’s traps was in the shelter of a block of willows and close to a Field Maple tree in the hedge. This trap had 5 specimens of the Nationally Scarce Mocha, whose second generation was on the wing. This is a very attractively marked moth. Paul’s light over a sheet was run close to a group of 300-year old oak trees but this produced a rather disappointing catch. Good news was that there were no Oak Processionary moths, a pest species which has been turning up in increasing numbers in our area. Ripe blackberries in the hedge had attracted a number of species, including White-point, Yellow Shell and Tawny Speckled Pug. Norman and Paul stayed overnight. They reported that for a time around 2am, nothing new came in. Then late in the night, Clouded Border, the migrant Vestal, September Thorn, Dark Spinach, Poplar Hawkmoth and Chinese Character flew in. One specimen of each species was kept, and these were shown to members who came to view the catch at 9am next morning. The moths came in a great variety of colours, shapes and sizes. The Thorns are the most butterfly-like of moths, resting with their wings part raised. They were represented by Purple, Canary-shouldered, Dusky and September Thorn. The largest moths were Poplar Hawk-moths and an Old Lady, the latter in one of Paul’s traps in the damp area by the planted willows. The Magpie was another largeish moth, white with striking yellow and black markings. Jersey Tiger, a relatively recent arrival in this country, was well represented, with 25 moths in Norman’s traps and 14 in Paul’s. A night-time search of the hedges by torchlight also revealed Green-veined White and Meadow Brown butterflies.
Pictures by Rob Stallard
| Agassiz | Taxon | English Name | TOTAL |
| 03.001 | Triodia sylvina | Orange Swift | 23 |
| 16.002x | Yponomeuta padella agg. | Apple Ermine agg | 2 |
| 41.002 | Blastobasis adustella | 8 | |
| 45.044 | Emmelina monodactyla | Common Plume | 0 |
| 49.024 | Pandemis corylana | Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix | 2 |
| 49.039 | Epiphyas postvittana | Light Brown Apple Moth | 1 |
| 49.062 | Acleris forsskaleana | 1 | |
| 49.077 | Acleris variegana | Garden Rose Tortrix | 1 |
| 49.109 | Agapeta hamana | 1 | |
| 49.139 | Cochylis atricapitana | 1 | |
| 49.161 | Celypha striana | 2 | |
| 49.224 | Spilonota ocellana | Bud Moth | 1 |
| 49.341 | Cydia splendana | 1 | |
| 62.021 | Oncocera semirubella | 4 | |
| 62.035 | Acrobasis advenella | 4 | |
| 62.048 | Euzophera pinguis | 2 | |
| 63.007 | Pyrausta purpuralis | 1 | |
| 63.038 | Pleuroptya ruralis | Mother of Pearl | 4 |
| 63.057 | Evergestis forficalis | Garden Pebble | 1 |
| 63.088 | Crambus perlella | 4 | |
| 63.089 | Agriphila tristella | 2 | |
| 63.093 | Agriphila straminella | 2 | |
| 63.115 | Acentria ephemerella | Water Veneer | 20 |
| 63.117 | Parapoynx stratiotata | Ringed China-mark | 4 |
| 65.005 | Drepana falcataria | Pebble Hook-tip | 3 |
| 65.007 | Cilix glaucata | Chinese Character | 1 |
| 65.008 | Thyatira batis | Peach Blossom | 1 |
| 69.003 | Laothoe populi | Poplar Hawk-moth | 3 |
| 70.011 | Idaea dimidiata | Single-dotted Wave | 1 |
| 70.016 | Idaea aversata | Riband Wave | 2 |
| 70.029 | Timandra comae | Blood-vein | 2 |
| 70.031 | Cyclophora annularia | Mocha | 6 |
| 70.037 | Cyclophora linearia | Clay Triple-lines | 1 |
| 70.038 | Rhodometra sacraria | Vestal | 2 |
| 70.049 | Xanthorhoe fluctuata | Garden Carpet | 1 |
| 70.059 | Camptogramma bilineata | Yellow Shell | 5 |
| 70.061 | Epirrhoe alternata | Common Carpet | 4 |
| 70.069 | Pelurga comitata | Dark Spinach | 1 |
| 70.100 | Colostygia pectinataria | Green Carpet | 5 |
| 70.128 | Melanthia procellata | Pretty Chalk Carpet | 1 |
| 70.141 | Gymnoscelis rufifasciata | Double-striped Pug | 2 |
| 70.173 | Eupithecia centaureata | Lime-speck Pug | 3 |
| 70.187 | Eupithecia icterata | Tawny Speckled Pug | 1 |
| 70.200 | Acasis viretata | Yellow-barred Brindle | 8 |
| 70.205 | Abraxas grossulariata | Magpie | 3 |
| 70.207 | Lomaspilis marginata | Clouded Border | 1 |
| 70.208 | Ligdia adustata | Scorched Carpet | 1 |
| 70.226 | Opisthograptis luteolata | Brimstone Moth | 16 |
| 70.227 | Epione repandaria | Bordered Beauty | 1 |
| 70.234 | Ennomos alniaria | Canary-shouldered Thorn | 3 |
| 70.235 | Ennomos fuscantaria | Dusky Thorn | 7 |
| 70.236 | Ennomos erosaria | September Thorn | 3 |
| 70.239 | Selenia tetralunaria | Purple Thorn | 1 |
| 70.258 | Peribatodes rhomboidaria | Willow Beauty | 18 |
| 70.277 | Cabera pusaria | Common White Wave | 2 |
| 70.278 | Cabera exanthemata | Common Wave | 6 |
| 70.283 | Campaea margaritaria | Light Emerald | 2 |
| 71.005 | Furcula furcula | Sallow Kitten | 1 |
| 71.012 | Notodonta dromedarius | Iron Prominent | 2 |
| 71.013 | Notodonta ziczac | Pebble Prominent | 1 |
| 71.017 | Pheosia tremula | Swallow Prominent | 1 |
| 72.002 | Rivula sericealis | Straw Dot | 21 |
| 72.003 | Hypena proboscidalis | Snout | 9 |
| 72.010 | Lymantria monacha | Black Arches | 2 |
| 72.011 | Lymantria dispar | Gypsy Moth | 15 |
| 72.017 | Orgyia antiqua | Vapourer | 1 |
| 72.024 | Phragmatobia fuliginosa | Ruby Tiger | 5 |
| 72.030 | Euplagia quadripunctaria | Jersey Tiger | 39 |
| 72.043 | Eilema depressa | Buff Footman | 3 |
| 72.044 | Eilema griseola | Dingy Footman | 9 |
| 73.001 | Abrostola tripartita | Spectacle | 9 |
| 73.002 | Abrostola triplasia | Dark Spectacle | 1 |
| 73.012 | Diachrysia chrysitis | Burnished Brass | 4 |
| 73.015 | Autographa gamma | Silver Y | 3 |
| 73.032 | Colocasia coryli | Nut-tree Tussock | 5 |
| 73.045 | Acronicta rumicis | Knot Grass | 3 |
| 73.047 | Craniophora ligustri | Coronet | 4 |
| 73.062x | Amphipyra pyramidea agg. | Copper Underwing agg | 2 |
| 73.099 | Hoplodrina ambigua | Vine’s Rustic | 27 |
| 73.107 | Mormo maura | Old Lady | 1 |
| 73.109 | Thalpophila matura | Straw Underwing | 18 |
| 73.113 | Phlogophora meticulosa | Angle-shades | 2 |
| 73.123 | Hydraecia micacea | Rosy Rustic | 3 |
| 73.131 | Luperina testacea | Flounced Rustic | 4 |
| 73.169x | Mesapamea secalis agg. | Common Rustic agg | 5 |
| 73.172 | Mesoligia furuncula | Cloaked Minor | 5 |
| 73.188 | Agrochola helvola | Flounced Chestnut | 4 |
| 73.216 | Cosmia trapezina | Dun-bar | 1 |
| 73.252 | Tholera cespitis | Hedge Rustic | 1 |
| 73.267 | Lacanobia oleracea | Bright-line Brown-eye | 1 |
| 73.291 | Mythimna pallens | Common Wainscot | 60 |
| 73.297 | Mythimna albipuncta | White-point | 44 |
| 73.319 | Agrotis segetum | Turnip Moth | 6 |
| 73.325 | Agrotis puta | Shuttle-shaped Dart | 9 |
| 73.329 | Ochropleura plecta | Flame Shoulder | 23 |
| 73.334 | Diarsia rubi | Small Square-spot | 10 |
| 73.342 | Noctua pronuba | Large Yellow Underwing | 20 |
| 73.343 | Noctua fimbriata | Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing | 3 |
| 73.345 | Noctua comes | Lesser Yellow Underwing | 1 |
| 73.348 | Noctua janthe | Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing | 64 |
| 73.357 | Xestia xanthographa | Square-spot Rustic | 15 |
| 73.358 | Xestia sexstrigata | Six-striped Rustic | 6 |
| 73.359 | Xestia c-nigrum | Setaceous Hebrew Character | 37 |