#305- 13th Nov

An expected species, but are there any more to get? As predicted, Sprawler has proved to be difficult yet again. It's not too late yet though and I'm just hoping for a few more mild nights. My other targets include Scarce Umber and Northern Winter Moth, both of which I've trapped before.

December Moth

Just one so far, the only other moths recently were a Diamond-back on 14th. Red-line Quaker, Agonopterix alstromeriana on 11th.

October Top 20..................

Here is a quick summary for October from my garden traps in Upper Caldecote. I didn't trap on 8 of the 31 days. It is no surprise that Setaceous Hebrew Character topped the league again as it did in September. A high count of 63 was recorded on 2nd. Also notable was the exceptional catch of Dark Sword-grass, a total of 22 caught this year so far after 3 in September.

2126 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character  208
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing  118
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut  117
2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot  76
2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow  44
2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic  39
2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing  39
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing  35
1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty  31
2091 Agrotis ipsilon Dark Sword-grass  19
1745 Larentia clavaria Mallow  19
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart  17
2306 Phlogophora meticulosa Angle Shades  15
0998 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth  14
2264 Agrochola macilenta Yellow-line Quaker  12
2375 Rhizedra lutosa Large Wainscot  12
1764 Chloroclysta truncata Common Marbled Carpet   11
1760 Chloroclysta siterata Red-green Carpet  9
2263 Agrochola lota Red-line Quaker  8
1524 Emmelina monodactyla  8

Moth Gods keep Smiling........

........and they really do! In my last post, I dared to hope for a Pearly Underwing and Halloween night duly obliged. Having waited a long time for this species, I made sure all the diagnostic features were there before calling it. This particular individual really does resemble a Turnip Moth, as colour, pattern and size are all very similar.
 It has just laid c60 eggs in the pot I was keeping it in- apparently they feed on low growing plants such as Docks, Dandelions and Clovers. But the larvae are rarely found in Britain.

Pearly Underwing

 The size of the 'mohawk' is one of the distinguishing features- Pearly Underwing display a prominent raised stripe down the middle of the thorax. This one has very little frosting though.

The best feature is the 'pearly' hindwing and this one does have dark-veined, semi-translucent wings so is a clincher!

Feathered Thorn

Nice to see a few of these about too.

So what's left to get now?

Well I can think of a few more- Scarce Umber, Herald, Sprawler and December Moth are all possible.

Oh, and dare I hope for a Clancy's Rustic or a Delicate................

Upper Caldecote Garden- 31-10-2013- 1 trap- 6 of 6 species

1524  Emmelina monodactyla  1
1760  Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata)  1
1923  Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria)  1
2119  Pearly Underwing (Peridroma saucia)  1 NFG
2240  Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri)  1
2306  Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa)  1