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.