Herald the passage of Swallows

A sunny day spent in the garden.  The problem with a wildlife garden is it gets wild if left untouched, so today was spent tidying it up a bit.
The Herald moth is quite common but despite it's food-plants of Poplars and Willow, both very close to the garden I have only ever has a couple here. Of course I'm mentioning this because I had the trap out overnight and caught one. A smart thing it was too.

Herald

Also caught were  Ruby Tiger,  Canary-shouldered Thorn and Dusky Thorn amongst the usual  commoner moths such as Yellow Underwings (Large & Lesser), Square-spot Rustic and Riband Waves. Both Common and Red Wasps and a Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale (Hawthorn Shield Bug)  were also trapped.

Hawthorn Shield Bug

Red Wasp Vespa rufa

The Buddlejas in the garden are still flowering well and held Comma, Red Admiral, Peacock and Large White Butterflies.

Red Admiral on the Buddleja

Swallows were streaming past today heading south, I counted 198 flying over the garden in an hour, together with 6 House Martin and 3 Siskin.