Proms............ 18-05

An improved catch last night and for the first time in a week, no sign of a biting wind at night. Prominents were the order of the night with three different species caught. Also of note was a Lychnis, a moth that I very seldom catch.

Iron Prominent

Pale Prominent

Common Pug

Lychnis

Waved Umber

974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana

697 Agonopterix arenella

Upper Caldecote Garden- 3 traps- 37 of 18 species-

0697  Agonopterix arenella  1
0808  Platyedra subcinerea  1
0974  Argyrotaenia ljungiana  4
1524  Emmelina monodactyla  3
1724  Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia)  3
1728  Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata)  3
1834  Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)  3
1906  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  3
1936  Waved Umber (Menophra abruptaria)  2
2000  Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedarius)  1 NFY
2003  Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac)  1
2011  Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina)  1 NFY
2092  Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)  5
2173  Lychnis (Hadena bicruris)  1 NFY
2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  1
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  2
2284x  Grey Dagger / Dark Dagger (Acronicta tridens/psi)  1
2450  Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita)  1

At last............

..........some warmer weather and some new moths. After a week of not bothering due to cold nights and blustery winds, the lights went back on on 8th March. Six new species in three nights, the best of which was last night. Thirteen species on 10th was very unseasonal indeed.........at least for my garden. Could be another good one tonight.

Clouded Drab

 Common Pug

My earliest record- 8th March 2012

 Small Quaker

Three recorded so far. NFY, 9th March 2012.

Early Grey

NFY, 10th March 2012.

 Early Thorn

NFY, 10th March 2012.

 1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

NFY, 10th March 2012.

Upper Caldecote Garden- 10-03-2012- 31 of 13 species-

0688	Agonopterix heracliana		4
0998	Epiphyas postvittana	Light Brown Apple Moth	1
1497	Amblyptilia acanthadactyla		1	NFY
1524	Emmelina monodactyla		5
1663	Alsophila aescularia	March Moth	2
1917	Selenia dentaria	Early Thorn	1	NFY
1934	Agriopis marginaria	Dotted Border	1
2182	Orthosia cruda	Small Quaker	2
2187	Orthosia cerasi	Common Quaker	6
2188	Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	1
2190	Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	4
2243	Xylocampa areola	Early Grey	3	NFY
2259	Conistra ligula	Dark Chestnut	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.

The Pug Parade..........

Now everybody loves Pug identification like a hole in the head. So I've decided to get them all out of the way together. Some have been confirmed by VC30, others not. So I've stuck my neck out and had a try............just hope a few are actually right!

White-spotted Pug

This was seen in my garden on 14th May and is by far the largest I've had with a wingspan of 27mm and very large white wing spots, a light tipped abdomen and a large white patch in the middle of the thorax.

Dwarf Pug

A few of these were caught in Chicksands Wood on 15th May. Despite the name they aren't that small! Note the heavy markings and angle at which the wings are held.

Ochreous Pug

Another species caught in Chicksands Wood, it's a pine feeder.

Mottled Pug

I've had 2 of these in the garden, of which this is by far the best photo. In the books it describes the black area as being 'broken up'. It also has a defused black line running across the base of the abdomen.

Common Pug

Now my commonest pug species, the very obvious line around the trailing edges of the wings seems to be a good field mark.

Double-striped Pug

Earliest to be on the wing and fairly obvious once you've squinted hard enough to see 'em.........

Let's hope my theories are water tight!

Pugs & Powder.....22/04

Common Pug Powdered Quaker Hebrew Character Pyrausta aurata

Yet again not a great deal around in cold nightly conditions, even though during the day the weather has been glorious. The minefield that is Pugs has reared it's ugly head above my garden trap, as this 1 was found clinging to the underside of the roof overhang. It has a wingspan of 22mm and is similar in size to the melanic Brindled Pug I trapped last week.....any ideas?

Thanks to Melissa and Ben for your ID- Common Pug it is!*!

1. Hebrew Character- 2
2. Powdered Quaker
3. Esperia sulphurella- Day flying Garden 1st
4. Common Pug- Garden 1st

Today I had my 1st Pyrausta aurata of the year. These turn up in force and love herbs, especially Spearmint and Oregano!

STOP PRESS! I also had a Swift over my house! 22/04 is the earliest record I've ever had!

.............10/04

Powdered Quaker Streamer Brindled Pug?

Another pretty decent night for variety although the Streamer and Brindled Beauty are possibly the same ones as last night's. The kids were given the duty of taking the BB 'as far away from the trap as possible' this obviously must have meant a few feet away! The Streamer flew into next door's garden yesterday and has probably returned, at least I got another chance for a picture.

Later this morning (11th) we looked around RSPB The Lodge and found what I think are Brindled Pugs, 3 in total. The Powdered Quaker is another debutant and was found on the shed. The full list, 22 of 9 species is as follows-

1. Common Quaker- 7
2. Clouded Drab- 4
3. Hebrew Character- 3
4. Emmelina monodactyla- 3 High Count
5. Small Quaker
6. Agonopterix heracliana
7. Brindled Beauty
8. Streamer
9. Powdered Quaker- Garden 1st