......29/04

Pretty poor of late generally. Strong NE winds and cooler night time temperatures have stifled progress. Also the breeding pair of Robins next door are stealing all moths that are not in the trap, so anything on the shed wall is eaten/taken to young before I see it. Worse still, Trent is streaking ahead in his Work-less Utopian bubble. At the last count, 14 species up and counting- so I've been sending his CV out to relevant companies in the hope of finding him a job. A night shift would be best, but anything would do. Trouble is, no-one seems to want him,......funny that.............

Pebble Prominent

Having a good year for these with 8 so far.

The result- 33 of 12 species-

• Shuttle-shaped Dart- 18
• White-shouldered House-moth- 2
• Lime Hawk-moth- 2
• Pebble Prominent- 2
• Hebrew Character- 2
• Turnip Moth- 1
• Powdered Quaker- 1
• Brimstone Moth- 1
• Agonopterix arenella- 1
• Common Pug- 1
• Brindled Pug- 1
• Esperia sulphurella- 1

Home Wood Survey.....26/04

Well, it was that time again; another foray into the woods ensued. The plan was to go a few days earlier when the weather was perfect. But a genrator that I had ordered turned out to have been used as a football in the depot and had to be returned. When the replacement did finally turn up it was deployed in a new location (3) in the wood and left overnight to see how it would fare. Pity really as the wind and cooler temperatures probably hampered the catch somewhat.........

Mr T. Duval's van

We packed it to the rafters with 2 traps and a tripod stand with MV bulkhead attached. We seem to have acumilated a lot of gear in a reletively short space of time.

 Location 3

This is a new area at the Southern end of the main trails on an intersection. This is where the MV Skinner was left overnight. The new Chinese 2-stroke 850w generator with one 80w MV trap connected  managed to last 7 hours 20 minutes with approximately 1 litre of the 4.2 remaining. So in the middle of Summer this would be more than enough. Thanks to Mark Skevington for the idea. The 'Home Wood Survey' page has now been updated with location map and photos.

 Location 4

This is where the battery Actinic/UV was placed. Unfortunately the battery failed and the lights where out when we arrived in the morning (6.15am). However with more mature Oak trees and a mixture of low lying scrub and Coniferous trees, this looks a slightly better site than the others......

 Flame Carpet

4 caught loc. 2&3

 Frosted Green

2 caught Loc. 3&4

 Green Carpet

5 caught- Loc. 2,3&4

 Scorched Carpet

2 caught- Loc. 2&4

 Yellow-barred Brindle

1 caught- Loc. 3

 Pale Prominent

1 caught- Loc. 3

Adela reaumurella 150

4 caught- Loc. 2,3&4. ID, A. Banthorpe VC30 Moths

The results-

Location 2- 80w MV on stand with sheet, 8.45-10.45pm-  27 of 13 species

• Brindled Pug- 5
• Dwarf Pug- 4- NFS (New for Site)
• Green Carpet- 2- NFS
• Red Twin-spot Carpet- 2- NFS
• Flame Carpet- 2- NFS
• Cream Wave- 2- NFS
• Orange Footman- 2- NFS
• Adela reaumurella- 2- NFS
• Hebrew Character- 2
• Streamer- 1
• Brimstone- 1- NFS
• Early Grey- 1
• Common Wave- 1- NFS

Location 3- 80w MV Skinner, 8.45-dawn- 36 of 21 species-

• Brindled Pug- 7
• Dwarf Pug- 4
• Green Carpet- 2
• Common Pug- 2- NFS
• Brimstone Moth- 2
• Flame Carpet- 2
• Muslin Moth- 2- NFS
• Hebrew Character- 2
• Red Twin-spot Carpet- 1
• Pale Prominent- 1- NFS
• Maiden's Blush- 1- NFS
• Syndemis musculana- 1- NFS
• Yellow-barred Brindle- 1- NFS
• Least Black Arches- 1- NFS
• Frosted Green- 1- NFS
• Grey Pine Carpet- 1- NFS
• Mottled Pug- 1- NFS
• Adela reaumurella- 1- NFS
• Flame Shoulder- 1- NFS
• Orange Footman- 1- NFS
• Clouded Drab- 1

Location 4- 2x15w Actinic/UV- 8.30-dawn- 6 of 6 species-

• Scorched Carpet- 1
• Green Carpet- 1
• Frosted Green- 1
• Muslin Moth- 1
• Maiden's Blush- 1
• Adela reaumurella- 1

Home Wood Survey continued.....26/04

Some more of the moths caught..........

Common Wave

1 caught loc.#2- NFS (new for site)

 Cream Wave

2 Caught at Loc.#2- NFS and a lifer! ID A. Banthorpe, VC30 Moths.

 Maiden's Blush

2 caught Loc.#3&4- NFS

 Dwarf Pug

8 caught- Loc.#2&3 NFS

 Mottled Pug

1 caught- Loc.#3 NFS

 Orange Footman

3 caught- Loc.2&3 NFS

A bit Windy......25/04

.....But a couple more to add as temperatures drop and a N Easterly wind blows. Checking the books, Small Dusty Wave is supposed to be a June flier. Last year I caught my 1st one on 4th June, so must be a contender for another early VC30 record.

Small Dusty Wave

As well as this a 1st for the year Turnip Moth- I will be plagued with them later, as I live in a market gardening area.

The result- 18 of 10 species-

• Shuttle-shaped Dart- 6
• Hebrew Character- 3
• Muslin Moth- 2
• Small Dusty Wave- 1- Year tick
• Nutmeg- 1
• Garden Carpet- 1
• White Ermine- 1
• Turnip Moth- 1- Year tick
• Pale Mottled Willow- 1
• Brimstone Moth- 1

Cabbage & Nutmeg...24/04

Numbers and the count right down at the moment, as well as the problem of Robins stealing some of my catch off the shed wall at 1st light. I had limited success last year putting out some of the kids rubber snakes! But the crafty birds seem to have wised up to this. Yesterday I saw a Robin dive in the trap and nick a Muslin Moth as I went to get my camera!

Despite all of this I managed 3 new for the year bringing the total to 80 species in the garden for 2011.

Cabbage Moth

1st of the year.

 Nutmeg

1st of the year- 5 days earlier than last year, in VC30 early records for a good deal of species are falling all over the place....

 Skin Moth Monopis laevigella 277

1st of the year.

The result- 31 of 13 species-

• Shuttle-shaped Dart- 11
• Hebrew Character- 4
• Flame Shoulder- 3
• Muslin Moth- 3
• Clouded Drab- 2
• Nutmeg- 1- Year tick
• Cabbage Moth- 1- Year tick
• White-shouldered House-moth- 1
• Skin Moth- 1- Year tick
• Brindled Pug- 1
• Pebble Prominent- 1
• Powdered Quaker- 1
• White Ermine- 1

............23/04

I had a quick sweep around Broom Gps during the day with Louie. Looking mainly for micros, but found this instead.

Common Carpet

This was new for the site, though that isn't that hard as I'm the only person recording!

Back in the garden it looked promising. All in all though, not that good. I did pick up 1 new micro though.

 Platyedra subcinerea 808

This was a bit of a puzzle- I thought it was a Depressaria sp. but not so. Quite small at only 9mm long and a 1st confirmed for the garden after a typically unidentifiable photo I took last year!

The result 30 of 18 species- 

• Shuttle-shaped dart- 7
• Brimstone Moth- 3
• Common Quaker- 3
• Brindled Pug- 3
• Argyrotaenia ljungiana- 2
• Epiblema costipunctana - 1
• Platyedra subcinerea- 1- 1st Ever
• Waved Umber- 1
• Garden Carpet- 1
• Red Twin-spot Carpet- 1
• Double-striped Pug- 1
• Oak-tree Pug- 1
• Muslin Moth- 1
• White-shouldered House-moth- 1
• Hebrew Character- 1
• Powdered Quaker- 1
• Coxcomb Prominent- 1
• Lime Hawk-moth- 1

Macro catch up Part 2.........

......And following on, a few more debutant's. Look to the bottom of the post for the catch for 22nd April.

Iron Prominent

A year 1st on 18th and caught again 20th. Also Pebble Hook-tip which did the 'Frank' before a photo.

meaning: 'Frank Bough'- off, as in left the scene.....

Foxglove Pug

Year tick- 19th April.

White Ermine

Year tick 21st April.

Sallow Kitten

1st for year on 21st April.

Lime Hawk-moth

Year tick- 21st April.

Knot-grass

Year tick- 22nd April.

Poplar Hawk-moth

After a no-show in 2010, it was nice to get this nice and early. 22nd April.

Puss Moth

My 2nd ever record of this moth after 1 in 2010. 22nd April.

Results for 22nd April- 31 of 23 species-

• Shuttle-shaped Dart- 4
• Hebrew Character- 2
• Brimstone Moth- 2
• Emmelina monndactyla- 2
• Pebble Prominent- 2
• Brindled Pug- 2
• Common Pug- 1
• Oak-tree Pug- 1
• Lesser Swallow Prominent- 1
• Knot-grass- 1- Year tick
• Clouded Drab- 1
• Waved Umber- 1
• Coxcomb Prominent- 1
• Bee Moth- 1
• Argyrotaenia ljungiana- 1
• Puss Moth- 1- Year tick
• Poplar Hawk-moth- 1- Year tick
• Red Twin-spot Carpet- 1
• Muslin Moth- 1
• Flame Shoulder- 1
• Agonopterix arenella- 1
• Common Quaker- 1
• Powdered Quaker- 1

Macro catch up Part 1...........

I feel like I'm battling against 1) The unusually warm weather bringing everything out at once. 2) The fact that Trent Duval is unemployed, means he is totally absorbed by Mothing.......this time last year I was killing his year list by 20+ species. It's not going to be the case this year, so it was a good job the garden has been pulling plenty in of late. 3) The height of the bird migration season means I've been spending most mornings 6.30-7.45am at Broom Gps. 4)Work!

At some point over the next few days we also need to get into Home Wood for the BC/FC survey.......it's all go!

Flame Shoulder

Year tick on 15th April, also 4 Ruby Tigers (no photo)

 Lesser Swallow Prominent

A year tick also 15th April.

 Currant Pug

Year tick- 15th April

 Shuttle-shaped Dart

Year tick- 17th April.

 Common Pug

Also 17th April.

 Red Twin-spot Carpet

A year tick 19th April.

 Chinese Character

Year tick- 19th April.

 Coxcomb Prominent

1 of my favourites- year tick 19th April.

Micro catch up Part 2..............

.......And here's a few more. Macro catch up to come soon.

Bee Moth 1428

Year tick 19th April.

 Fruitlet Mining Tortrix 1239

A day flying micro, caught with a sweep net, garden 1st 19th April.

 Incurvaria masculella 130

Year tick 20th April.

 Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner 366a

The dreaded 'Conker Moth' , a year tick swept 20th April.

 Possibly Epiblema costipunctana 1187??

Swept from a Hawthorn hedge during late afternoon of 21st April. A probable

 Elachista species???

Found in the house, right shape but not sure which one- lousy photo!

Micro catch up Part 1..............

I've been a little too busy for blogging of late, so here's a selection of new Micros to start with. The year really has had an early kick start due to the Mediterranean weather.

 Eriocrania subpurpurella 0006

A 1st for the garden 15th April.

 Zelleria hepariella  435

Another garden 1st 15th April.

 Diamond-back Moth 464

A year tick 16th April.

Pyrausta aurata 1361

A year tick 16th April.

 Depressaria ultimella 671

A garden 1st, 17th April.

 Mompha epilobiella 893

A garden 1st 19th April.