October & March on December 27th.............

..........as the wacky Winter weather continues, there seems to be no end to the unusual records. As well as record breaking early emergence, there seems to be evidence of some migrant activity too. I also have a query on a possible Acleris kochiella and have included a species list at the bottom of this post. 

Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis

 Previous latest garden record, 22nd November in 2014

Silver Y

Previous latest garden record, 8th November in 2011. 

Dotted Border

 This was a real surprise. Earliest previous garden record 21st February, 2011. All time earliest in VC30 (Beds), 7th January. 

Hebrew Character

 No need to say really, but another early garden record. Previous earliest garden record 22nd February in 2014. This is an equal VC30 earliest record (27th December)

Pale Brindled Beauty

 Previous earliest garden record was 3rd January in 2013. Another record breaker as the earliest ever in VC30 was 1st January.

Acleris kochiella

 Has been retained, but looks like a good candidate. The Winter flight of this species always looks grey compared to the Summer flight, which is often extremely pale with prominent markings. If it does turn out to be one, it will be new for the garden and only the 2nd I have ever seen. Confirmed as A. kochiella, Gen Det AM Banthorpe

Acleris kochiella

For comparison, here is an example caught in Home Wood 2nd July 2014. The strong markings point towards kochiella, though this one was Gen. detted just to make sure. (photo: Ben Sale)

Acleris logiana

A second record for the year after one trapped 10th July. 

27-12-2015- 2 traps, Upper Caldecote Garden- 14 of 11 species-

1050  Acleris kochiella  1- Confirmed, gen det AMB
1051  Acleris logiana  1
1395  Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis)  1
1524  Emmelina monodactyla  1
1799  Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata)  4
1926  Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria)  1
1934  Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria)  1
1935  Mottled Umber (Erannis defoliaria)  1
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  1
2258  Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii)  1
2441  Silver Y (Autographa gamma)  1

.......and still they come

Overnight conditions were mild but extremely wet. Just one trap out, though it was under the overhanging shed roof. 8 species is exceptional for this time of year, also nice to see there is still some migrants around.

 Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis

December Moth

After keeping this female in a pot for a day, it layed eggs which will hopefully hatch in the next few weeks. They are common in my garden, probably on account of the mature Hawthorn on two of the boundaries. Apparently, they also feed on Oak and Birch.

Upper Caldecote Garden- 22-11-2014- 1x Twin T12 Synergetic Skinner, 8 of 8 species

0464  Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella)  1
1395  Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis)  1
1524  Emmelina monodactyla  1
1631  December Moth (Poecilocampa populi)  1 NFY
1799  Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata)  1
2240  Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri)  1
2259  Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula)  1
2263  Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota)  1

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

Battered, but new...........

..........And after the south-western quarter of the country has been plagued with exotic immigrant species. I at last managed one of the expected and surprisingly, it's taken me three years to get it on the list- even though it's seen better days........

1395 Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis

 

The night of the 12th was yet again very good, with a smattering of micros as well. No sign of any NFY macros at present, but hopefully time to get three more.

The result- 12-10-11- Twin 15w Actinic/UV and Twin 25w FUL Actinic Skinners- 43 of 22 species-

•  0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 1 
•  0998 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 2 
•  1048 Acleris variegana Garden Rose Tortrix 2 
•  1395 Udea ferrugalis Rusty Dot Pearl 1 Garden 1st 
•  1413 Hypsopygia costalis Gold Triangle 1 
•  1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1 
•  1745 Larentia clavaria Mallow 1 
•  1760 Chloroclysta siterata Red-green Carpet 2 
•  1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 4 
•  2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 5 
•  2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 2 
•  2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 1 
•  2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 3 
•  2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot 2 
•  2252 Polymixis flavicincta Large Ranunculus 1 
•  2263 Agrochola lota Red-line Quaker 1 
•  2264 Agrochola macilenta Yellow-line Quaker 3 
•  2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 2 
•  2274 Xanthia icteritia Sallow 2 
•  2375 Rhizedra lutosa Large Wainscot 1 
•  2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 4 
•  2441 Autographa gamma Silver Y 1