Mottled Umber 24-11

Another one for the year list in the shape of the third garden record of Mottled Umber. Also, three Winter Moths on the lit windows of my workshop were notable. One of my only realistic targets left is Northern Winter Moth, but this  hasn't been seen in the garden for almost two years...........

Mottled Umber

 Winter Moth

3 Amigos!.........

How anything flew last night I will never know! Gusts of up to 40 mph and driving rain; I can only assume that these three were an extremely local hatch. It's the first time I've recorded more than one on a single night. They were all caught under a 15w BLB bulb on the front of my garden shed. 

Tonight I went out and found a single Winter Moth on a lit window.........

December Moths

NFG- Upper Caldcote 13-11-12

Not too much in the way of macro moths at the moment as the Autumn wears on. But the 13th was especially mild and as a consequence, did manage to trap a handful of moths (list at the foot of this post). Pick of the bunch was this Acleris sp. which I have retained. I think it is either ferrugana or notana; either would be new for the garden. Now confirmed as Acleris ferrugana, gen. det. D. Manning VC30 Moths.

1044 Acleris ferrugana

 34 Ectoedemia occultella

NFG- Seems to be a few of these reported this year. One I didn't record last year on the same Birch Tree.

 114/15 Stigmella glutinosae/alnetella
Whoops! This is a diptera (fly) mine. It is made by Agromyza alnivora

Well spotted A. Banthorpe of VC30 Moths.

Gaden list for 13-11-2012- 7 of 7 species-

0229	Monopis obviella		1
1044	Acleris ferrugana	Acleris ferrugana/notana	1	To be confirmed
1760	Chloroclysta siterata	Red-green Carpet	1
1769	Thera britannica	Spruce Carpet	1
2232	Aporophyla nigra	Black Rustic	1
2258	Conistra vaccinii	Chestnut	1
2267	Agrochola lychnidis	Beaded Chestnut	1

Upper Caldecote Garden 7-11

Not a great deal of trapping at the moment, but I've continued to leave a 15w BLB bulb on overnight. I recorded a single Silver Y on 1st, this was after a few blank nights. The 7th proved to be a better night with three species recorded, a Willow Beauty with the photographed species below. Last night looked a decent night so I put out my trap and caught............nothing!

Feathered Thorn

NFY- 7th November

 November Moth agg.

Garden List 24-10

Beaded Chestnut

Top of the shop with 5 caught. A very late Square-spot Rustic was also notable.

Upper Caldecote- Twin 15w Actinic/UV Skinner & 15w BLB Bulb- 24 of 15 species

1048	Acleris variegana	Garden Rose Tortrix	1
1764	Chloroclysta truncata	Common Marbled Carpet	2
2087	Agrotis segetum	Turnip Moth	1
2107	Noctua pronuba	Large Yellow Underwing	1
2109	Noctua comes	Lesser Yellow Underwing	1
2126	Xestia c-nigrum	Setaceous Hebrew Character	2
2134	Xestia xanthographa	Square-spot Rustic	1
2232	Aporophyla nigra	Black Rustic	1
2237	Lithophane ornitopus	Grey Shoulder-knot	1
2240	Lithophane leautieri	Blair's Shoulder-knot	1
2245	Allophyes oxyacanthae	Green-brindled Crescent	2
2263	Agrochola lota	Red-line Quaker	2
2267	Agrochola lychnidis	Beaded Chestnut	5
2306	Phlogophora meticulosa	Angle Shades	1
2441	Autographa gamma	Silver Y	1

New for late October

Green-brindled Crescent ab. capucina

 NFY, 20th October

Spruce Carpet

NFY, 21st October

 Red-green Carpet

NFY, 22nd October

Garden List 17-10

Upper Caldecote- Twin 15w Actinic/UV Skinner, 15w BLB Bulb- 18 of 11 species-

1764	Chloroclysta truncata	Common Marbled Carpet	1
2109	Noctua comes	Lesser Yellow Underwing	1
2126	Xestia c-nigrum	Setaceous Hebrew Character	4
2240	Lithophane leautieri	Blair's Shoulder-knot	1
2258	Conistra vaccinii	Chestnut	1
2259	Conistra ligula	Dark Chestnut	1
2267	Agrochola lychnidis	Beaded Chestnut	5
2273	Xanthia togata	Pink-barred Sallow	1	NFY
2306	Phlogophora meticulosa	Angle Shades	1
2384	Hoplodrina ambigua	Vine's Rustic	1
2441	Autographa gamma	Silver Y	1

Bonus Tick........

............Having looked back through my records, I didn't get this when I usually do in Spring.

Grey Shoulder-knot

NFY, 15th October.

This was caught under a 15w BLB bulb at the bottom of the garden, with just a handful of others. Another Deep-brown Dart along with a Large Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character and Blair's Shoulder-knot.

List for 11-10-12

A couple of year ticks after a short break from trapping.

Upper Caldecote Garden- Twin 15w Actinic/UV Skinner 10 of 8 species-

1048	Acleris variegana	Garden Rose Tortrix	1
1795x	Epirrita dilutata agg.	November Moth agg.	1	NFY
2126	Xestia c-nigrum	Setaceous Hebrew Character	1
2232	Aporophyla nigra	Black Rustic	1
2247	Dichonia aprilina	Merveille du Jour	1	NFY
2267	Agrochola lychnidis	Beaded Chestnut	1
2270	Omphaloscelis lunosa	Lunar Underwing	3
2306	Phlogophora meticulosa	Angle Shades	1

List for 28-09..........

Pretty uninspiring really.


Upper Caldecote Garden- Twin 15w Actinic/UV Skinner- 12 of 8 species-

1048	Acleris variegana	Garden Rose Tortrix	1
1937	Peribatodes rhomboidaria	Willow Beauty	1
2107	Noctua pronuba	Large Yellow Underwing	2
2109	Noctua comes	Lesser Yellow Underwing	2
2231	Aporophyla lutulenta	Deep-brown Dart	1
2270	Omphaloscelis lunosa	Lunar Underwing	3
2353	Luperina testacea	Flounced Rustic	1
2381	Hoplodrina alsines	Uncertain	1

Mallow..............................

............one under my outside light when I looked this morning.

Just into Autumn ....... it's already over!.......

...................and very little time for mothing of late as my extension (promised to the Mrs for years!!) is finally under way. So I've been coping with lack of time and even space at times, especially when building materials have encroached onto my prime mothing locations. We do now have power at the bottom of the garden again, so I have been putting the trap on at weekends.

However, I need not worry; for Trent, in the style of Paddy Power has paid out early! Although he flogged his guts out to squeeze every last species out of his small town garden, he has fallen short by a considerable margin. Ironically, if the competition had been 'all in' as last year he would at this stage be 12 species in front- due to his superior micro moth list..................

Anyway, here is a few highlights from the last month- starting with the winnings!

The Wine

..............and for the most species of Macro Moths in 2012 with a total of? Well, I don't know yet. But probably not as good as last year's 253. Already dispatched- very nice indeed and Trent drank half of it anyway!

1332 Scoparia subfusca

 

A garden 1st, 24th August.

 Orange Sallow

First seen since 2009, found in the house- 9th September.

 Frosted Orange

 Large Thorn

A 2nd for the year, caught under a 15w BLB bulb, 16th September.

A 'real' Brown-spot Pinion

Quite rare in my garden- only the 2nd record, unlike Lunar Underwings- eh Trent? 22nd September.

 Deep-brown Dart

1st of the year, 22nd September.

September.............Large!

............................has been pretty boring so far, with limited chances for mothing. That is until this turned up on 4th September. It's another 1st, macro number 309 for the garden list.

Thanks for putting me right Bill, indeed this was a very big Thorn! 

This represents the 63rd VC30 record, not seen since 2009.................................

  

September Thorn

Large Thorn!

Yarrow Pug

Before this year, I am sure I'd never seen Pugs like these before. I have now caught 6 and have posted a couple of examples below. They are large, with a 25mm wingspan and food plant (Hawk's beard) is abundant in the overgrown garden next door, anyone care to comment?

Yarrow Pug

Caught 9th August. Spot on Bill D!

Yarrow Pug?........probably

Caught 24th August.

To add to this, the example from 9th August was dissected by Andy Banthorpe of VC30 Moth Group. It was found to be a male Yarrow Pug, only the 12th confirmed for the vice county. I could be wrong, but the others (another 5) were probably the same species. I will pay more attention if I trap any next year. 

All New.............

...................and a surprise really, as I expected once over 300 macros- new ticks would become harder and harder to achieve. But incredibly, I have trapped 30 new species this year- 17 Macro and 13 Micro. Now with a combined garden list total of 547 things have surely to slow down? I wonder just how many species can be caught over a long enough period of time.........

1461 Assara terebrella

To my knowledge, this is only the 2nd adult record in VC30 to date after the first in Home wood on 26-07-12. NFG- 14-08-12

 Chalk Carpet

Bizarre! The nearest chalk to my location is at the School. NFG 19-08

 Fen Wainscot

NFG- 19-08. The 11th 'Wainscot'

Burnished Brass

NFY 21-08. For some reason, these are quite scarce in my garden.

In the reedbeds, Broom GPs

Last Sunday (19th) I decided to drop off a battery actinic/BLB Skinner at Broom Gravel Pits. The pits were first dug in the late 1990's and are now well established and I was curious to find out a possible source of the wetland species I trap in the garden. It would be logical to suspect they are carried on the prevailing wind towards my garden just over half a mile away to the north. I collected my trap- which was positioned HERE on Monday morning. There is a list at the bottom of this post.

Webb's Wainscot

One of three caught.

 Bulrush Wainscot

One of three trapped.

 737 Monochroa palustrella

The first time I've seen this species.

Broom GPs, G&M Pits- 19-08-12- Twin 15w Battery Actinic/BLB Skinner- c1093 of 37 species

0015	Hepialus sylvina	Orange Swift	1
0737	Monochroa palustrella		1
0898	Limnaecia phragmitella		1
0937	Agapeta hamana		1
1200	Eucosma hohenwartiana		1
1292	Calamotropha paludella		6
1293	Chrysoteuchia culmella		2
1309	Agriphila geniculea		5
1331	Acentria ephemerella	Water Veneer	1000	circa
1348	Parapoynx stratiotata	Ringed China-mark	5
1354	Cataclysta lemnata	Small China-mark	1
1439	Trachycera advenella		1
1452	Phycita roborella		1
1470	Euzophera pinguis		1
1699	Idaea rusticata	Least Carpet	2
1713	Idaea aversata	Riband Wave	3
1776	Colostygia pectinataria	Green Carpet	2
1825	Eupithecia centaureata	Lime-speck Pug	1
1906	Opisthograptis luteolata	Brimstone Moth	1
1937	Peribatodes rhomboidaria	Willow Beauty	1
1956	Cabera exanthemata	Common Wave	1
2000	Notodonta dromedarius	Iron Prominent	3
2006	Pheosia gnoma	Lesser Swallow Prominent	2
2102	Ochropleura plecta	Flame Shoulder	11
2107	Noctua pronuba	Large Yellow Underwing	7
2126	Xestia c-nigrum	Setaceous Hebrew Character	2
2154	Mamestra brassicae	Cabbage Moth	1
2197	Mythimna straminea	Southern Wainscot	1
2199	Mythimna pallens	Common Wainscot	1
2297	Amphipyra pyramidea	Copper Underwing	1
2303	Thalpophila matura	Straw Underwing	1
2321	Apamea monoglypha	Dark Arches	1
2353	Luperina testacea	Flounced Rustic	16
2369	Nonagria typhae	Bulrush Wainscot	3
2373	Archanara sparganii	Webb's Wainscot	3
		Cochylis sp.	1	Awaiting gen det. DVM
		Depressaria sp.	1	Awaiting gen det. DVM

More soon.........................

...................Snowed under at the moment but still trapping. A few decent new moths for my garden plus other highlights to come. In the meantime it was nice to trap such a well marked White-spotted Pinion.

This RDB species seems to be a VC30 specialty- I have now trapped it every year since 2009.

Bicentenary Hits................

.............to take the macro year list over the double century. Just a few shots of some of the highlights for now, with a list and some further information to follow.................time permitting. I've also got some other bits and pieces including a few Cnephasias and Common Rustic aggs. which could add to the garden list. 

Southern Wainscot

This is the 3rd record on Southern Wainscot this year. This shot shows the subtle band across the front of the thorax, another good diagnostic feature.

Tawny Speckled Pug

Caught on 8th August. I've retained a couple of worn pugs for inspection by the recorders.

 Purple Thorn

NFY, 8th August.

 Orange Swift

NFY, 9th August.

 1091 Apotomis lineana

A second ever record on 9th August for this scarce micro.

Small Mottled Willow

Two years in a row for this sporadic migrant, NFY 9th August.

 1350 Beautiful China-mark Nymphula stagnata

A long awaited garden first. 10th August.

 Tissue

The star lot, only the 40th record for VC30, though most of these records are not recent. Not seen in the vice-county since 2008. NFG 10th August.

To add to this- it is only the 4th record since 2003 and the first in August since 1982. It is also the first  in my 10km square (TL14) since 1975!

 Latticed Heath

A garden first, 10th August.

Home Wood 26/07

Once again I left a small  80w MV Skinner in the wood overnight. In the morning myself and Trent went to pick it up with the cheapo Chinese generator still going strong at 6.30am. For just £60, it has proved to be cheap to run and very reliable, if a little on the noisy/smoky side!

A lot of the micros are currently with David Manning for Gen Dets, mainly Coleophora and Cnephasia sp.

I also have what looks like a Triple-spotted Clay and a very worn pug for Andy Banthorpe.

Black Arches

 Very common in Home Wood.

196 Morophaga choragella

This is the Cork Moth's big brother- with a whopping 25mm wingspan.

 Burnished Brass

 Large Twin-spot Carpet

 Dingy Footman  f. stramineola

Home Wood list- 57 species so far (awaiting gen dets)

0196	Morophaga choragella		1	Location#4
0642	Batia unitella		9	Location#4
0658	Carcina quercana		2	Location#4
0765	Teleiodes vulgella		1	Location#4- NFS
0938	Agapeta zoegana		1	Location#4
1010	Ditula angustiorana	Red-barred Totrix	2	Location#4
1020	Cnephasia stephensiana		4	Location#4- NFS
1032	Aleimma loeflingiana		1	Location#4
1036	Acleris forsskaleana		1	Location#4- NFS
1037	Acleris holmiana		2	Location#4- NFS
1038	Acleris laterana		1	Location#4
1083	Hedya nubiferana	Marbled Orchard Tortrix?	5	Worn, with DVM- Location#4
1086	Hedya salicella		1	Location#4- NFS
1175	Epiblema uddmanniana	Bramble Shoot Moth	1	Location#4- NFS
1293	Chrysoteuchia culmella		3	Location#4
1316	Catoptria falsella		1	Location#4- NFS
1331	Acentria ephemerella	Water Veneer	5	Location#4- NFS
1334	Scoparia ambigualis		12	Location#4
1376	Eurrhypara hortulata	Small Magpie	2	Location#4
1415	Orthopygia glaucinalis		1	Location#4- NFS
1640	Euthrix potatoria	Drinker	4	Location#4
1667	Comibaena bajularia	Blotched Emerald	1	Location#4
1673	Hemistola chrysoprasaria	Small Emerald	1	Location#4- NFS
1699	Idaea rusticata	Least Carpet	1	Location#4
1702	Idaea biselata	Small Fan-footed Wave	6	Location#4
1708	Idaea dimidiata	Single-dotted Wave	3	Location#4
1713	Idaea aversata	Riband Wave	6	Location#4
1726	Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata	Large Twin-spot Carpet	2	Location#4
1732	Scotopteryx chenopodiata	Shaded Broad-bar	1	Location#4
1777	Hydriomena furcata	July Highflyer	2	Location#4- NFS
1906	Opisthograptis luteolata	Brimstone Moth	1	Location#4
1917	Selenia dentaria	Early Thorn	1	Location#4
1919	Selenia tetralunaria	Purple Thorn	1	Location#4- NFS
1921	Crocallis elinguaria	Scalloped Oak	1	Location#4- NFS
1922	Ourapteryx sambucaria	Swallow-tailed Moth	1	Location#4- NFS
1937	Peribatodes rhomboidaria	Willow Beauty	2	Location#4
1947	Ectropis bistortata	Engrailed	9	Location#4
1958	Lomographa temerata	Clouded Silver	1	Location#4
2029	Euproctis chrysorrhoea	Brown-tail	3	Location#4
2030	Euproctis similis	Yellow-tail	22	Location#4
2033	Lymantria monacha	Black Arches	16	Location#4
2044	Eilema griseola	Dingy Footman	29	Location#4
2049	Eilema depressa	Buff Footman	4	Location#4
2050	Eilema lurideola	Common Footman	8	Location#4
2061	Spilosoma luteum	Buff Ermine	2	Location#4
2127	Xestia ditrapezium	Triple-spotted Clay?	1	To be confirmed?- Location#4
2128	Xestia triangulum	Double Square-spot	4	Location#4
2318	Cosmia trapezina	Dun-bar	1	Location#4
2321	Apamea monoglypha	Dark Arches	1	Location#4
2345	Photedes minima	Small Dotted Buff	1	Location#4
2349	Chortodes fluxa	Mere Wainscot	4	Location#4
2381	Hoplodrina alsines	Uncertain	4	Location#4
2425	Colocasia coryli	Nut-tree Tussock	1	Location#4
2434	Diachrysia chrysitis	Burnished Brass	1	Location#4
2474	Rivula sericealis	Straw Dot	1	Location#4
		Coleopha sp. 1?	8	Location#4- awaiting gen det.
		Coleopha sp. 2?	1	Location#4- awaiting gen det.