Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Year Review 2020

There was far more effort put into garden moth recording in 2020, which was undoubtedly due to Covid-19 and the subsequent restrictions. I recorded on 47 more occasions than the year before and put far more effort into micros. Thanks to Andy Banthorpe (AMB) for completing the many Gen. dets. from the specimens I took during the year.
Also, hip surgery meant I was out of action for some of the year, with operations to replace both at the end of March and the end of August. Big thanks to Louie for continuing to record and sweep net the garden while I was incapacitated!

In 2020, I recorded 523 garden species in total, a new record. There were 267 Macros (6th best total) and 256 Micros, my best ever total.

Recording days/Trap nights: 265 (+47 on 2019)
Records: 7700 (+2423 on 2019)
The year ended with an all time garden total of 831 species. (397 Macro, 434 Micro)

The table below shows the most productive month for species caught was July. By far the least was February. There were ten blank nights in just two months, spread evenly between January (5) and December (5) and the most trap days was August to October with 100% coverage in September.

Month   Species   Trap days  

January        12       18
February        8        6
March          16        10
April             61        20
May            165       27
June            241       24
July             268       26
August        221       30 
September 100        30
October        62        30
November    43        19
December     9         15       

Although I started in 2009, the first full year was 2010.       

Year   Macro    Micro

2019    265         216
2018    281         241
2017    274         207
2016    276         230
2015    256         199
2014    289         213
2013    304         218
2012    241         161
2011    253         207
2010    240         135

Most abundant-

Once again, Common Wainscot had a very good year, with an impressive 455 caught on just one night. (11th August)

73.291 Mythimna pallens Common Wainscot    3332
63.115 Acentria ephemerella Water Veneer    3214
73.325 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart    1301
73.193 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing    1130
73.342 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing    1004
73.109 Thalpophila matura Straw Underwing    747
73.317 Agrotis exclamationis Heart and Dart    685
63.080 Chrysoteuchia culmella Garden Grass-veneer    640
73.319 Agrotis segetum Turnip Moth    550
73.131 Luperina testacea Flounced Rustic    494

Micros

There were 24 new species added in 2020. Including three new to county species as well as the recently classified, Prays ruficeps, thought once to be a dark form of Prays fraxinella Ash Bud Moth .

49.369 Pammene agnotana 1- 11/04- 1st for VC30- Gen det AMB
04.071 Bohemannia pulverosella 1- 07/05- Gen det AMB  
38.015 Elachista gangabella 1- 24/05- 14th record- Gen det AMB
49.047 Eana incanana 7- 01/06 
20.015 Argyresthia curvella 1- 02/06 
49.014 Archips crataegana  Brown Oak Tortrix 1- 09/06 
62.070 Synaphe punctalis 1- 18/06 
37.058 Coleophora conspicuella 1- 21/06- 5th VC30 record 
15.039 Phyllonorycter quercifoliella 1- 24/06- (No photo)- Gen det AMB
02.004 Eriocrania sparrmannella 1- 05/07- 15th VC30 record- tenanted leaf mine
49.129 Cochylidia rupicola 1- 10/07- 3rd VC30 record 
48.002 Prochoreutis myllerana 1- 18/07- 5th VC30 record- Gen det AMB 
15.093 Phyllocnistis xenia 1- 21/07- 5th VC30 record 
49.295 Notocelia roborana 1- 23/07- Gen det AMB
15.085 Phyllonorycter joannisi 1- 30/07 
49.256 Epinotia cinereana 1- 31/07- 1st for VC30- Gen det AMB 
62.053 Ancylosis oblitella 1- 31/07- 2nd VC30 record- Gen det AMB
35.094 Aroga velocella 1- 06/08 
39.005 Chrysoclista linneella 1- 11/08- 16th VC30 record 
39.004 Dystebenna stephensi 1- 11/08- 2nd VC30 record 
63.005 Pyrausta despicata 1- 11/08 
22.003 Prays ruficeps 1- 18/08- 1st for VC30- ID, AMB
35.118 Scrobipalpa ocellatella Beet Moth 1- 15/09- Joint 1st VC30 record- Gen det AMB
15.004 Caloptilia elongella 1- 09/11- Gen det AMB

Pammene agnotana

Bohemannia pulverosella

Elachista gangabella

Eana incanana

Argyresthia curvella

Archips crataegana  Brown Oak Tortrix

Synaphe punctalis

Coleophora conspicuella

Year review 2020 Part 2

 Micros continued......

Eriocrania sparrmannella

Cochylidia rupicola

Prochoreutis myllerana

Phyllocnistis xenia

Notocelia roborana

Phyllonorycter joannisi

Epinotia cinereana

Ancylosis oblitella

Year review 2020 Part 3

Micros continued.......

Aroga velocella

Chrysoclista linneella

Dystebenna stephensi

Pyrausta despicata

Prays ruficeps

Scrobipalpa ocellatella Beet Moth


Caloptilia elongella

Year review 2020 Part 4

Macros- 

There were five new Macros added to the list in 2020. Now just three away from the milestone of 400 species, it will be intriguing to see what can be added in 2021. There are very few common species left, but Kent Black Arches, Small Phoenix and Convolvulus Hawk-moth have all been caught in the area in recent years? 

72.083 Euclidia glyphica  Burnet Companion 1- 07/08
72.011 Lymantria dispar  Gypsy Moth 2-11/08  6 VC30 records before 2020- attracted to pheromone
65.003 Watsonalla cultraria  Barred Hook-tip 1- 13/09
73.093 Caradrina kadenii  Clancy's Rustic 1- 22/09 2nd VC30 record
73.300 Mythimna l-album  L-album Wainscot 1- 05/10 3rd VC30 record


Burnet Companion

Gypsy Moth

Barred Hook-tip

Clancy's Rustic

L-album Wainscot