Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Yarrow Pug

Before this year, I am sure I'd never seen Pugs like these before. I have now caught 6 and have posted a couple of examples below. They are large, with a 25mm wingspan and food plant (Hawk's beard) is abundant in the overgrown garden next door, anyone care to comment?

Yarrow Pug
Caught 9th August. Spot on Bill D!

Yarrow Pug?........probably
Caught 24th August.

To add to this, the example from 9th August was dissected by Andy Banthorpe of VC30 Moth Group. It was found to be a male Yarrow Pug, only the 12th confirmed for the vice county. I could be wrong, but the others (another 5) were probably the same species. I will pay more attention if I trap any next year. 

Friday, August 24, 2012

All New.............

...................and a surprise really, as I expected once over 300 macros- new ticks would become harder and harder to achieve. But incredibly, I have trapped 30 new species this year- 17 Macro and 13 Micro. Now with a combined garden list total of 547 things have surely to slow down? I wonder just how many species can be caught over a long enough period of time.........

1461 Assara terebrella
To my knowledge, this is only the 2nd adult record in VC30 to date after the first in Home wood on 26-07-12. NFG- 14-08-12

 Chalk Carpet
Bizarre! The nearest chalk to my location is at the School. NFG 19-08

 Fen Wainscot
NFG- 19-08. The 11th 'Wainscot'

Burnished Brass
NFY 21-08. For some reason, these are quite scarce in my garden.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

In the reedbeds, Broom GPs

Last Sunday (19th) I decided to drop off a battery actinic/BLB Skinner at Broom Gravel Pits. The pits were first dug in the late 1990's and are now well established and I was curious to find out a possible source of the wetland species I trap in the garden. It would be logical to suspect they are carried on the prevailing wind towards my garden just over half a mile away to the north. I collected my trap- which was positioned HERE on Monday morning. There is a list at the bottom of this post.

Webb's Wainscot
One of three caught.

 Bulrush Wainscot
One of three trapped.

 737 Monochroa palustrella
The first time I've seen this species.

Broom GPs, G&M Pits- 19-08-12- Twin 15w Battery Actinic/BLB Skinner- c1093 of 37 species

0015    Hepialus sylvina Orange Swift 1
0737    Monochroa palustrella
1
0898    Limnaecia phragmitella
1
0937    Agapeta hamana
1
1200    Eucosma hohenwartiana
1
1292    Calamotropha paludella
6
1293    Chrysoteuchia culmella
2
1309    Agriphila geniculea
5
1331    Acentria ephemerella Water Veneer 1000    circa
1348    Parapoynx stratiotata Ringed China-mark 5
1354    Cataclysta lemnata Small China-mark 1
1439    Trachycera advenella
1
1452    Phycita roborella
1
1470    Euzophera pinguis
1
1699    Idaea rusticata Least Carpet 2
1713    Idaea aversata Riband Wave 3
1776    Colostygia pectinataria Green Carpet 2
1825    Eupithecia centaureata Lime-speck Pug 1
1906    Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth 1
1937    Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 1
1956    Cabera exanthemata Common Wave 1
2000    Notodonta dromedarius Iron Prominent 3
2006    Pheosia gnoma Lesser Swallow Prominent 2
2102    Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 11
2107    Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 7
2126    Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character 2
2154    Mamestra brassicae Cabbage Moth 1
2197    Mythimna straminea Southern Wainscot 1
2199    Mythimna pallens Common Wainscot 1
2297    Amphipyra pyramidea Copper Underwing 1
2303    Thalpophila matura Straw Underwing 1
2321    Apamea monoglypha Dark Arches 1
2353    Luperina testacea Flounced Rustic 16
2369    Nonagria typhae Bulrush Wainscot 3
2373    Archanara sparganii Webb's Wainscot 3
Cochylis sp. 1   Awaiting gen det. DVM
Depressaria sp. 1   Awaiting gen det. DVM

Monday, August 20, 2012

More soon.........................

...................Snowed under at the moment but still trapping. A few decent new moths for my garden plus other highlights to come. In the meantime it was nice to trap such a well marked White-spotted Pinion.

This RDB species seems to be a VC30 specialty- I have now trapped it every year since 2009.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Bicentenary Hits................

.............to take the macro year list over the double century. Just a few shots of some of the highlights for now, with a list and some further information to follow.................time permitting. I've also got some other bits and pieces including a few Cnephasias and Common Rustic aggs. which could add to the garden list. 

Southern Wainscot
This is the 3rd record on Southern Wainscot this year. This shot shows the subtle band across the front of the thorax, another good diagnostic feature.

Tawny Speckled Pug
Caught on 8th August. I've retained a couple of worn pugs for inspection by the recorders.

 Purple Thorn
NFY, 8th August.

 Orange Swift
NFY, 9th August.

 1091 Apotomis lineana
A second ever record on 9th August for this scarce micro.

Small Mottled Willow
Two years in a row for this sporadic migrant, NFY 9th August.

 1350 Beautiful China-mark Nymphula stagnata
A long awaited garden first. 10th August.

 Tissue
The star lot, only the 40th record for VC30, though most of these records are not recent. Not seen in the vice-county since 2008. NFG 10th August.
To add to this- it is only the 4th record since 2003 and the first in August since 1982. It is also the first  in my 10km square (TL14) since 1975!

 Latticed Heath
A garden first, 10th August.