Back to the Mothin'.......29/08

After another short break to deal with a Wedding and a party it was back to the old routine. Though I did get a chance to tick the Red-backed Shrike just north of Biggleswade on 28th for a county 1st!

The mothing has a real Autumnal edge now with lots of wind, low minimum temperatures and the arrival of the 1st Sallows............

Centre-barred Sallow

1 of 2 caught.......

Vine's/Uncertain aberrant?

An odd looking one this.....the kidney marks have merged to form a wedge and it has little evidence of any other markings. Size wise, its about the same as one of the smaller Uncertains.....

The full count-

1. Rustic?uncertain agg.- 10
2. Flounced Rustic- 10
3. Large Yellow Underwing- 6
4. Turnip Moth- 4
5. Setaceous Hebrew Character- 4
6. Agriphila geniculea- 3
7. Centre-barred Sallow- 2 Year Tick
8. Mouse Moth
9. Nutmeg
10. Buff Ermine
11. Lesser Yellow Underwing
12. Small Dusty Wave
13. Common Wainscot
14. Pale Mottled Willow

Gold!.........24/08

Well above all expectations really, and although it was cold the wind did drop and at some stage during the night a nice selection turned up!

Gold Spot

The star of the evening and extremely rare in VC30, this is only the 2nd record this year.

 Webb's Wainscot

A 1st appearance in the garden for this locally scarce moth.

 Marbled Beauty

Not rare, but really smart!

 Orange Swift

1 of 3 trapped on the night and my 1st female of the campaign.

 Micro??

Will have to trawl some micro moth images for this 1. If you know what it is please add a comment.....

Others included-

• Pale Mottled Willow
• Light Brown Apple Moth
• Willow Beauty
• Light Emerald

Put to the Sword...........23/08

With The Dells multiple trap approach failing dismally as the year begins to slip passed. It surely now looks like Trent Duval will be spending some time in the off-licence buying some of my favourite wine. His woeful run of late has been compounded by a 2nd ever record of this immigrant species. Easily overlooked as a Turnip Moth, these can turn up at any time. But are usually seen in August and September.

Dark Sword-grass

I had 2 traps out last night, as I was testing one I had recently built. It was a very windy, so as expected numbers were down. But there were a couple of other highlights-

• Orange Swift- 5- High Count
• Six-striped Rustic
• Flame Shoulder
• Common Wainscot
• Nutmeg

The Last Post..........19/08

This is it before we go away for a long weekend break..........I have been told that it is also a break from Mothing too. Hmmmmm, I'm not totally convinced by that, considering where we are going has a lot of coniferous woodland. Still, I may just stow away a few tools and a 25w BLB and make some minor alterations to our holiday cottage!

Square-spot Rustic

This is an expected addition to the year list and 2 were trapped, making the macro count for the garden 208 so far. I will be trapping again on Monday night.

Others included-

• Turnip Moth- 18
• Orange Swift- 4
• Flame Shoulder- 3
• Double-striped Pug- 2
• Mouse Moth- 2
• Carcina quercana- 2
• Lime-speck Pug- 1

Macro Drought.....

No new macros since 13th and numbers have been low. Still large amounts of Turnip Moth, Common Wainscot and Shuttle-shaped Dart. This must be the lag before the 'Autumn Collection' is launched!

On the 17th, 3 new micros turned up to keep me interested.............

Agonopterix alstromeriana (695)

 

Skin Moth Monopis laevigella (227) 

 Tinea trinotella (247)

 Riband Wave

Heart and Dart

Straw Dot

..........14/08

The cold, murky weather continues and yields are low. But still managed a new micro species. The only other notable species was a Pebble Prominent....... 

Bordered Pug

A really smart example, 2nd Record.

Agriphila geniculea (1309) 

Another new grass moth, 2 caught.

Lucky Friday 13th...............

After my last post, I wasn't too optimistic about getting anything new..........Well, how wrong can you be! Weather was quite poor with a lot of scattered showers, a less than favourable NW wind and temperatures that hovered around 13°C most of the night. The catch was fairly low, but quality was fairly high!

Square-spotted Clay

1st time I've ever seen this- pity it's seen better days....

Common Carpet

It's a garden 1st and a long time coming.....

Scalloped Oak

1st time in a while for this striking moth.

Others included-

• Flame Shoulder
• Rustic/Uncertain
• Cabbage Moth
• Cloaked Minor
• Pyrausta aurata
• Codling Moth
• Carcina Quercana
• Emmelina monodactyla
• Light Brown Apple Moth

The last few days......

Last night(12th) didn't really yield too much, but on 11th I managed 1 new macro and 3 new micros. Just one trap as usual but if this weather carries on, I think it'll be hard work getting anything new.....

Black Arches

Good to get this one in a sparsely wooded area.

Aethes smeathmanniana (947) 

A 1st for the garden.

Catoptria falsella (1316)

2nd Record.

 Spotted Shoot Moth Rhyacionia pinivorana (1212)  

A possible, though very worn.........

Back in the Garden, The best bits.

A few recent highlights form the back garden, just 1 twin Actinic/UV trap out for the last few nights.......

Twin-spotted Wainscot

Garden 1st on 8th August.

Six-striped Rustic

1st ever seen on 9th August.

Triple-spotted Pug?

Could be a problem here....Firstly it has to be checked by the recorders (its still in my fridge!).

Secondly, there is a chance I unwittingly transported it back from Chicksands Wood on 8th August. He'll have to stay in the 'lost property' cupboard I'm afraid.........caught 9th August.

Turnip Moth

I'm getting loads of these at the moment- highest count so far: 13

Straw Underwing

Another really common moth in my garden, I counted 24 in the trap on 9th August.

VC30 survey: Chicksands Wood......08/08

A really good night with perfect conditions for trapping. In the end 60 species of macro caught with many micros potted and taken away for analysis. Among the best were Twin-spotted Wainscot, Poplar Lutestring, Square-spotted Clay and many suspected Triple-spotted Pugs, if so a 2nd reliable site in Bedfordshire for this rare moth.

Flame Carpet

Many trapped on the night.

Common Carpet

As the name suggests..........Common!

July Highflyer

Again, many caught.

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet?

A probable, but can't be proven without gen check.

Broom Gps........08/08

A family walk round the local gravel pits today produced a surprise new moth.......Although common the Shaded Broad-bar has evaded my detection in the garden at least. This is a rather worn example, but beggars can't be choosers. The Broom List has been due mainly to sweep netting during the day, I just haven't had time to really have a go at it at night with the heavy artillery!

Shaded Broad-bar

On the birding front, still pretty quiet. Highlights were a both Green and Common Sandpiper on the new washout pit and a 1st of the Autumn Wheatear west of Peacock's Lake. A pair of juv. Yellow Wagtails were also notable. The day was finished off with a low flying Hobby over the back garden 2 hours later..................but back to the moths tonight!

............07/08

A fair night, though not quite the heady days of June........ Just 1 new macro for the garden. Dusky Thorn is a common species, though it is the 1st time I have ever seen it.

Dusky Thorn

Other highlights-

• Marbled Beauty- 2
• Willow Beauty- 2
• Mouse Moth- 2
• Brimstone Moth- 2
• Pebble Hook-tip
• Red/Dark Twin-spot Carpet
• Pale Prominent
• Ruby Tiger

Better than expected........06/08

I put 2 traps out last night, mainly to test a new one to make sure the electrics were working properly. As it rained a lot of the night, I had both twin 15w Actinics side by side under a shed canopy. I took a few photos and did a full count of both traps and surrounding walls.........

Orange Swift

Probably the 1st of many......

Blood-vein

Extremely well marked example.

Maidens Blush

Only my 2nd ever record.

Silver Y

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Svensson's Copper Underwing

Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana (1205)

New for the garden.

Bucculatrix thoracella (273)

Another garden newby.

Cochylis atricapitana (966)

2nd record.

Lathronympha strigana (1219)

Another Garden 1st.

The full count is as follows-

1. Shuttle-shaped Dart- 41- High Count
2. Straw Underwing- 16- High Count
3. Agriphila tristella- 14
4. Turnip Moth- 13- High Count
5. Common Rustic agg.- 5
6. Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing- 5
7. Nutmeg- 5
8. Chrysoteuchia culmella- 4
9. Pyrausta aurata- 3
10. Common Wainscot- 3
11. Setaceous Hebrew Character- 3
12. Uncertain- 3
13. Flame Shoulder- 2
14. Trachycera advenella- 2
15. Riband Wave- 2
16. Buff Ermine- 2
17. Cabbage Moth- 2
18. Sallow Kitten
19. Knot-grass
20. Sitochroa verticalis
21. Mother of Pearl
22. Lime-speck Pug
23. Large Yellow Underwing
24. Emmelina monodactyla
25. Silver Y
26. Agriphila straminella
27. Vine's Rustic
28. Garden Pebble
29. Blastobasis adustella
30. Willow Beauty
31. Dun-bar
32. Argyrotaenia ljungiana
33. Euzophera pinguis
34. Dark Arches
35. Maiden's Blush
36. Mouse Moth
37. Yponomeuta cagnagella
38. Crambus pascuella
39. Flounced Rustic
40. Clouded Border
41. Marbled Beauty
42. Svensson's Copper Underwing
43. Eudonia mercurella
44. Orange Swift- Year tick
45. Ypsolopha scabrella
46. Ruby Tiger
47. Bucculatrix thoracella- 1st Ever
48. Garden Rose Tortrix
49. Cochylis atricapitana
50. Ringed China-mark
51. Straw Dot
52. Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner
53. Lathronympha strigana- 1st ever
54. Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana- 1st ever

Slim Pickings........

Not a great deal around at the moment as temperatures drop to just 10°C. It was also quite windy last night and the trap this morning reflected this. I've posted a couple of recent highlights.........

Pebble Hook-tip

Caught on 1st August.

 Rhyacionia pinicolana (1211)

A worn example caught for the 1st time, 2nd August.

Blood-vein

Caught 4th August.

Meal Moth (1417)

1st of the year, caught 4th August.