Home Wood- 28/03

Trent and I set up an 80w MV Bulkhead light on a tripod with a vertical sheet (Location #1). We also left a battery powered Twin Actinic/BLB Skinner trap further down one of the rides at Location #4 which Trent collected in the morning. 

After a few really warm days, it seemed like a good night to trap. But as night fell the temperatures plummeted in the clear conditions and as a result numbers were surprisingly low. We were beginning to lose heart by about 9.30pm and started to pack up. However just as we did so this turned up, a new species for the survey and a second for me in less than a week!

Dotted Chestnut

One of five species new for the site.

663 Diurnea fagella

This top scored with twelve caught between the two traps including four melanic specimens.

 Brindled Pug

Disappointingly, only one caught.

 Engrailed

 Herald

New for the site.

Home Wood species list- 28-03-12- 61 of 19 species-

0663	Diurnea fagella		12	Including 4 melanic
1663	Alsophila aescularia	March Moth	2
1746	Anticlea badiata	Shoulder Stripe	1
1747	Anticlea derivata	Streamer	1
1852	Eupithecia abbreviata	Brindled Pug	1
1917	Selenia dentaria	Early Thorn	1	NFS
1930	Biston strataria	Oak Beauty	1
1947	Ectropis bistortata	Engrailed	4
2139	Cerastis rubricosa	Red Chestnut	2
2182	Orthosia cruda	Small Quaker	9
2187	Orthosia cerasi	Common Quaker	3
2188	Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	3
2189	Orthosia munda	Twin-spotted Quaker	2	NFS
2190	Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	5
2237	Lithophane ornitopus	Grey Shoulder-knot	1	NFS
2256	Eupsilia transversa	Satellite	8
2258	Conistra vaccinii	Chestnut	2
2260	Conistra rubiginea	Dotted Chestnut	1	NFS
2469	Scoliopteryx libatrix	Herald	1	NFS

.......22/03

After about three years of intensive trapping, catching new species is becoming more and more difficult. Though last night I caught my second new macro moth of the year. I suppose it was inevitable that I would eventually get one of these-

Dotted Chestnut

It's another scalp for the humble 15w BLB bulb on the shed at the bottom of the garden.

Twin-spotted Quaker

This time the 'spotless' form.

435 Zelleria hepariella

663 Diurnea fagella

649 Esperia Sulphurella

This day flying species was found today (23rd) and is NFY.

Upper Caldecote Garden- 22-03-2012- 46 of 15 species-

0435	Zelleria hepariella		1	NFY
0663	Diurnea fagella		1
0688	Agonopterix heracliana		1
1497	Amblyptilia acanthadactyla		2
1524	Emmelina monodactyla		6
1659	Achlya flavicornis	Yellow Horned	1
1862	Gymnoscelis rufifasciata	Double-striped Pug	1
1917	Selenia dentaria	Early Thorn	1
2182	Orthosia cruda	Small Quaker	10
2187	Orthosia cerasi	Common Quaker	9
2188	Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	5
2189	Orthosia munda	Twin-spotted Quaker	1
2190	Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	4
2243	Xylocampa areola	Early Grey	2
2260	Conistra rubiginea	Dotted Chestnut	1	Garden 1st

Micro Time......12/03

Another good night with a decent spread of species, including a couple of new micros. Temperatures yet again fell no lower than 8°C and the promised rain never materialised. Even the wind was kept largely at bay.

Acleris cristana 1054

A superb and variable species and I'm pretty sure that's what it is. The 2 raised scale tufts and falcated ends to the wings seem to be diagnostic. If so quite a rare moth in these parts.

To add to this-

"I have a paper "A Guide to Acleris cristana" which illustrates 119 known forms of the species. I have not seen your form, which is No.107 subapucina.The paper says it is one of the commoner white forms (has been recorded in Huntingdonshire)".

D. Manning, VC30 micro recorder.

Diurnea fagella 663

A year tick for this melanic form. 

The count-  38 of 9 species-

• Common Quaker- 16
• Hebrew Character- 8
• Clouded Drab- 4
• Agonopterix heracliana- 4
• Small Quaker- 2
• Early Grey- 1
• Oak Beauty- 1
• Diurnea fagella- 1 - Year tick
• Acleris cristiana- 1- Garden 1st

2 more to the good.....29/03

Diurnea Fagella

Double-striped Pug

Another 2 newbies for the trap on a fairly blowy evening. The Pug was only there for a matter of 10 minutes, luckily I got a photo before it left. Diurnea fagella is the 5th garden micro of the year so far. 13 0f 8 species-

1. Clouded Drab- 4
2. Hebrew Character- 3
3. Common Quaker- 1
4. Chestnut- 1
5. Early Grey- 1
6. Double-striped Pug- 1 Garden 1st
7. Diurnea fagella- 1 Garden 1st
8. Agonopterix heracliana- 1