New for late October

Green-brindled Crescent ab. capucina

 NFY, 20th October

Spruce Carpet

NFY, 21st October

 Red-green Carpet

NFY, 22nd October

Last chance to see?

Another warm front came through during the night with a thick bank of cloud cover . Perfect conditions for a good haul, including a couple that I thought I'd be waiting for until well into next year. I will have to find out what the latest VC30 dates are for Blood-vein and Vine's Rustic. If they're not the latest, they must be close! The Blood-vein is the equal latest record..........

It was also good to record a 2nd Rusty Dot Pearl, if migrants are still around it might not be too late to get a Dark Sword-grass.

Blood-vein

Vine's Rustic

 Green-brindled Crescent

A record 4 caught.

1395 Udea ferrugalis Rusty Dot Pearl

The result- 28-10-11- Twin 15w Actinic/UV, twin 25w FUL Actinic Skinners- 21 of 14 species-

• 0695 Agonopterix alstromeriana 1 
• 1395 Udea ferrugalis Rusty Dot Pearl 1 
• 1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1 
• 1682 Timandra comae Blood-vein 1 
• 1795x Epirrita dilutata agg. November Moth agg. 4 
• 1923 Colotois pennaria Feathered Thorn 1 
• 1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 1 
• 2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 2 
• 2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 1
• 2245 Allophyes oxyacanthae Green-brindled Crescent 4 
• 2259 Conistra ligula Dark Chestnut 1 
• 2375 Rhizedra lutosa Large Wainscot 1 
• 2384 Hoplodrina ambigua Vine's Rustic 1 
• 2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 1

Another Merv..........

But before that, it was good to record a another NFY macro. In fact, there were two recorded including the dark form ab. capucina pictured below. I now need just two more species to make the 250 mark, but I may have to wait as the weather is about to take a turn for the worse.

Green-brindled Crescent

 Merveille du Jour

An unprecedented 6th record for the garden this year.

 Large Wainscot

Another good year for these with 8 so far.

Result for 16-10-11, Twin 15w Actinic/UV Skinner- 11 of 10 species-

• 1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1 
• 1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1 
• 1745 Larentia clavaria Mallow 1 
• 1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 1 
• 2245 Allophyes oxyacanthae Green-brindled Crescent 2 NFY 
• 2247 Dichonia aprilina Merveille du Jour 1 
• 2264 Agrochola macilenta Yellow-line Quaker 1 
• 2375 Rhizedra lutosa Large Wainscot 1 
• 2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 1 
• 2441 Autographa gamma Silver Y 1

Quakers...........12/10

An improved night with slightly higher temperatures and less wind. Also another year tick, though I'm starting to run out of 'easy ticks'. Looking at the weather, things are about to get a lot colder; so I'm expecting the trap to be fairly empty by the end of the month.

On the Vismig front, things are picking up. A Merlin through today and yesterday a Ring Ouzel, for some not very exciting. But for inland birders, these are notable records!

Red & Yellow-line Quaker

The 1st time I've ever caught both species on the same night.

Green-brindled Crescent

3rd record this year.

Spruce Carpet

1 of 2 Carpet species on the night.

The Count-

1. Beaded Chestnut- 5- Highest ever count
2. Large Yellow Underwing- 3
3. Willow Beauty- 2
4. Setaceous Hebrew Character- 2
5. Red-line Quaker- 2- Year Tick
6. Spruce Carpet
7. Grey Pine Carpet
8. Yellow-line Quaker
9. Green-brindled Crescent
10. Shuttle-shaped Dart
11. Turnip Moth
12. Pale Mottled Willow
13. Black Rustic
14. November Moth agg.
15. Light Brown Apple Moth

The Catch Up and ID?....10/10

I've had a lot on recently so blogging has been pushed aside for a while. I have however still been trapping with some success of late. Here are a few of the highlights with a full count for 10th October at the bottom of the post......

Micro A?

Not sure about this one and awaiting an ID from the Micro recorder for VC30. It does look as though it could be Sitochroa palealis (1370) any ideas? Caught 7th October.

Not a Micro, but what looks like a very late Straw Dot..Thanks Ben.

Eudonia angestea (1342)

Another new micro caught 7th October

Green-brindled Crescent

2 caught so far on 7th & 8th October.

Large Wainscot

An incredible 4 caught on 9th October.

November Moth agg.

One of 3 caught- 10th October.

Pink-barred Sallow!

The 1st new garden moth since 11th September but I hardly feel Euphoric about it. Mainly because most of it is inside a Spider. So desperate am I for a new tick that I unravelled this one from a web to find it was indeed a Pink-barred...........Is it too much to ask to see a live one?

The full count-

1. Willow Beauty- 5
2. November Moth agg.- 3- Year Tick
3. Blair's Shoulder-knot- 2
4. Large Yellow Underwing- 2
5. Mallow
6. Pale Mottled Willow
7. Common Marbled Carpet
8. Shuttle-shaped Dart
9. Common Wainscot
10. Grey Shoulder-knot- 2nd Record
11. Garden Rose Tortrix
12. Barred Sallow
13. Pink-barred Sallow- 1st Ever

21/10............

Mallow - Looks very light in colour, a closer look shows droplets of condensation!

Green-brindled Crescent

Deep-brown Dart

Much better last night with little wind, cloud cover and higher temperature.(8-9°C) 11 0f 6 recorded;

1. Large Yellow Underwing -5
2. Mallow -2
3. Willow Beauty
4. Barred Sallow
5. Green-brindled Crescent
6. Deep-brown Dart

Caldecopia!......14/10

A superb night with 13 of 9 species recorded. As well as the 2 new ones, Green-brindled Crescent (left)and Dusky-lemon Sallow. There was also another different Merveille du Jour!
This is the best October night so far and brings the Macro Moth total for the garden to 99.

1. La. Yell. Uderwing -2
2. Beaded Chestnut -3
3. Blair's S-k -2
4. Merveille du Jour
5. Red-line Quaker
6. Willow Beauty
7. Angle Shades
8. Green-brindled Crescent
9. Dusky-lemon Sallow (photo right)