Late September Garden Highlights......

I got well behind on all my records and who could be surprised? A prolonged heat wave at the end of September and into October is far from usual. As a result, counts were way over average and the new species just kept rolling in. The 200th micro for the year finally fell on 28th Spetember.

264 Bedellia somnulentella

A garden 1st 28th September. #200 for the year!

889a Mompha bradleyi

This landed on my PC screen while writing a blog entry! One of a few similar species; a Gen. Det. by D. Manning revealed it to be a 4th VC30 record. A garden 1st, 28th September

 1041 Acleris sparsana

A long awaited garden 1st, 28th September.

 Pink-barred Sallow

After one record last year, recovered from a spiders web- HERE. It was nice to find 1 in each trap, including this well marked individual.

The result- 28-09-11- Twin 15w Actinic/UV Skinner, Twin 25w FUL Actinic Skinner- 76 of 26 species-

• 0264 Bedellia somnulentella 1 Gen. Det. DVM Garden 1st 
• 0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 
• 0889a Mompha bradleyi 1 Gen. Det. DVM Garden 1st 
• 0998 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 1 
• 1041 Acleris sparsana 1 Garden 1st 
• 1048 Acleris variegana Garden Rose Tortrix 1 
• 1413 Hypsopygia costalis Gold Triangle 1 
• 1524 Emmelina monodactyla 2 
• 1728 Xanthorhoe fluctuata Garden Carpet 2 
• 1745 Larentia clavaria Mallow 1 
• 1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 4 
• 1961 Campaea margaritata Light Emerald 1 
• 2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 7 
• 2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 10 
• 2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 7 
• 2110 Noctua fimbriata Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1 
• 2126 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character 5 
• 2231 Aporophyla lutulenta Deep-brown Dart 2 
• 2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 2 
• 2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 6 
• 2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 9 
• 2273 Xanthia togata Pink-barred Sallow 2 NFY 
• 2274 Xanthia icteritia Sallow 1 
• 2375 Rhizedra lutosa Large Wainscot 1 
• 2384 Hoplodrina ambigua Vine's Rustic 2 
• 2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 2  

Brick

NFY 29th September.

 Barred Sallow

NFY 29th September.

 Dusky-lemon Sallow

2 of 3 caught, NFY 29th September.

The result- 29-09-11- Twin 15w Actinic/UV, Twin 25w FUL Actinic Skinner- 56 of 21 species-

•  0697 Agonopterix arenella 2 
•  0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 1 
•  1745 Larentia clavaria Mallow 1 
•  1764 Chloroclysta truncata Common Marbled Carpet 1 
•  1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 4 
•  2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 7 
•  2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 5 
•  2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 1
•  2110 Noctua fimbriata Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1 
•  2126 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character 2 
•  2199 Mythimna pallens Common Wainscot 1 
•  2231 Aporophyla lutulenta Deep-brown Dart 2 
•  2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 3 
•  2262 Agrochola circellaris Brick 2 NFY 
•  2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 8 
•  2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 4 
•  2272 Xanthia aurago Barred Sallow 1 NFY 
•  2274 Xanthia icteritia Sallow 3 
•  2275 Xanthia gilvago Dusky-lemon Sallow 3 NFY 
•  2306 Phlogophora meticulosa Angle Shades 2 
•  2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 2

........25/09

The recent cold snap seems to have finally kick started the arrival of some seasonal moths. The dreaded Turnip Moth seems to be in steep decline now and is being replaced by a sharp increase in Lunar Underwing numbers. Still no Sallows, but they may start turning up before the week's end. The weather is by no means ideal though with a fairly strong, gusting wind last night.

Brick

1st of the year and only my 2nd record....

Lunar Underwing

A high count last night, but more to come.

Beaded Chestnut

Full Count-

1. Lunar Underwing- 15
2. Willow Beauty- 2
3. Turnip Moth- 1
4. Beaded Chestnut- 1
5. Brick- 1
6. Shuttle-shaped Dart- 1

Mystery.......?......10/11

The only moth in the trap this morning. Very faded, 19mm from nose to wing tip. It probably looks slightly lighter than the photos suggest. The brick red markings on the wings were probably once much bolder as a lot of it has worn away. Outer edge of wing almost transparent due to wear, with some damage. The most apparent thing to me was the contrast between leg colour (orange brown) to the rest of the body and wings (light straw/yellow).

I.D now confirmed as a 'Brick'. All be it a very tatty one at the end of it's flight season. Thanks to Ian Woiwod and Beds Moth Group.