.......and still they come

Overnight conditions were mild but extremely wet. Just one trap out, though it was under the overhanging shed roof. 8 species is exceptional for this time of year, also nice to see there is still some migrants around.

 Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis

December Moth

After keeping this female in a pot for a day, it layed eggs which will hopefully hatch in the next few weeks. They are common in my garden, probably on account of the mature Hawthorn on two of the boundaries. Apparently, they also feed on Oak and Birch.

Upper Caldecote Garden- 22-11-2014- 1x Twin T12 Synergetic Skinner, 8 of 8 species

0464  Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella)  1
1395  Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis)  1
1524  Emmelina monodactyla  1
1631  December Moth (Poecilocampa populi)  1 NFY
1799  Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata)  1
2240  Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri)  1
2259  Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula)  1
2263  Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota)  1

#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.

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

Garden & Woods- 21/12

For a while it was looking as if there would be no further chance for any more Mothing this year. But after a two week spell of cold, wet and windy weather, things improved. It was still a heady 10°C at 6.00pm last night, which is a massive difference from the 2°C just two nights previous.

I put on three lights last night; my usual trap, a 36w BLB tube and further down the garden, a 25w BLB compact lamp.

December Moth

I also took a last opportunity this year of putting a battery powered Actinic/UV Skinner in Home Wood. On arrival just after dark, I could see plenty of Winter Moths in the car headlights. It would have been a good idea to net some to check for Northern Winters. I may try this after Christmas as you seem to see more fluttering around early in the evening compared to the relatively small number recovered from the trap in the morning. I counted a good 30+ flying at night, but only found 4 in the trap.

Result for Upper Caldecote- 4 of 3 species-

• 1631 Poecilocampa populi December Moth 1 
• 1799 Operophtera brumata Winter Moth 2 
• 2256 Eupsilia transversa Satellite 1

Result for Home Wood- c63 of 4 species-

• 1631 Poecilocampa populi December Moth 26 
• 1799 Operophtera brumata Winter Moth c30 (4 in the trap) 
• 1935 Erannis defoliaria Mottled Umber 6 
• 2258 Conistra vaccinii Chestnut 1

Home & Away 17/11

Despite the threat of a possible cold snap, the mild nights persist. This was certainly the case last night, though possibly hampered by a heavy dew.

The Garden trap claimed another NFY, as a December Moth obliged. In fact just two moths were caught, the other, an unusually late Dark Arches. Incredibly, two other VC30 moth-ers also caught one on the same night. Could this be a coincidence, or a possible foreign influx?.......

December Moth

 Dark Arches

I also persuaded Trent to go on another foray into Home Wood. This time we tried the 80w MV with sheet again, as not to many people bother at this time of year. We used this for about 1 1/2 hours, but left the battery trap over night. Trent collected it in the morning, there is a combined list at the bottom of the post.

 Winter Moth

461 Ypsolopha ustella

It was good to get another three new species for the survey. I will probably try one more time this year, possibly in mid December in the hopes of finding Northern Winter Moth.

The result- combined from location#1 & 4-

• 0461 Ypsolopha ustella 1 NFS 
• 1631 Poecilocampa populi December Moth 6 NFS 
• 1799 Operophtera brumata Winter Moth 6 NFS 
• 1923 Colotois pennaria Feathered Thorn 4 
• 1933 Agriopis aurantiaria Scarce Umber 2 
• 1935 Erannis defoliaria Mottled Umber 2 
• 2227 Asteroscopus sphinx Sprawler 16 
• 2258 Conistra vaccinii Chestnut 2

Get 'em while you can!.....10/12

Before it gets unbearably cold again next week I decided to look around The Lodge (The RSPB's headquarters) for Winter flying moths. High on the priority list was the Mottled Umber, which I found 3 of. All clinging to the sides of the many buildings on the complex. The one pictured was on the Avocet building on a window.

Mottled Umber

 

As the temperature was stable all night at 6°C I also put out a 30w Actinic/UV at home. This resulted in my 2nd December Moth as well as another Winter Moth. I've put 2 traps out tonight in the hopes of finding a Mottled Umber for the garden.

 December Moth

This could be about it for a little while as we're back in the freezer again next week!

The Pay Off...........

.............and finally, after wind, rain and more unsavoury conditions the 240th macro for the year rears it's furry head! This is one of just a few target species left (see last post).

December Moth

The Winter Garden.........20/11

Well, we're slowly picking 'em off with the addition of Winter Moth (top) to the garden list. Also a second appearance of a December Moth (above) on the shed door. Finally a Silver Y was found hiding in the trap; quite a good haul for this time of year.
The only other moth recently was the reappearance of the same Scarce Umber on 18/11.

December Moth.........8/11

The trap claims another debutant! No wonder he's got his own fur coat on, its a cold night out there. Found in the trap just after 8.00pm and its down to just 6°C already!