LCD

After another short break, testing some new electrics gave me an excuse to put a trap at either end of the garden.
Amongst the usual orthosias, a bevy of NFYs. Early Thorn, Engrailed, Light Brown Apple Moth, Oak Nycteolene and a fairly poorly marked Lead-coloured Drab.

Lead-coloured Drab

Oak Nycteolene

Engrailed

Upper Caldecote Garden- 2 traps- 07-04-2015- 66 of 13 species

0998  Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  2 NFY

1524  Emmelina monodactyla  8

1862  Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)  6

1917  Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria)  1 NFY

1947  Engrailed (Ectropis crepuscularia) 1 NFY

2182  Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda)  6

2185  Lead-coloured Drab (Orthosia populeti)  1 NFY

2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  19

2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  9

2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  8

2237  Grey Shoulder-knot (Lithophane ornitopus)  1

2243  Early Grey (Xylocampa areola)  4

2423  Oak Nycteoline (Nycteola revayana)  1 NFY

The State of Drabs.....

...............has been an interesting talking point recently as we reach the peak of the Lead-coloured Drab flight period. There has been some confusion about what is the most reliable ID feature etc. So last night I caught yet another one and decided to photograph it next to a similarly coloured Clouded Drab. So why not have a go at identifying them? There is no prize but I thought it would be an interesting social experiment. I will write a post with all the differences as I see them.........(which may be useful, maybe not!). PS The competition is not open to anyone called Ben Sale!

I think everyone was pretty much on the money....................

     Clouded Drab                                         Lead-coloured Drab

Garden Update. 23-24/03

Ok, so it's not a Dotted Chestnut; and I'm not expecting anything as good any time soon. Nevertheless, another new macro to crush Trent's spirits still further and I fancy he may already have one eye on the 'offy'.

So not as many highlights, but a nice selection all the same. 

An imminent trip to Home Wood is on the cards, hopefully on Wednesday night- this should boost the list......and the work load! 

Red Chestnut

NFY, 23rd March

Clouded Drabs

Showing the variation in this common species. They can range from light brown to a very dark purple.

Lead-coloured Drab

Yes, I know I've posted this a couple of times before, but this is a male don't you know! Check out those feathered antennae........

Upper Caldecote Garden 23-03-2012- 49 of 12 species-

1288	Alucita hexadactyla	Twenty-plume Moth	1	NFY
1524	Emmelina monodactyla		3
1834	Eupithecia vulgata	Common Pug	1
1917	Selenia dentaria	Early Thorn	1
2139	Cerastis rubricosa	Red Chestnut	1	NFY
2182	Orthosia cruda	Small Quaker	15
2185	Orthosia populeti	Lead-coloured Drab	1
2187	Orthosia cerasi	Common Quaker	10
2188	Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	10
2190	Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	2
2243	Xylocampa areola	Early Grey	3
2258	Conistra vaccinii	Chestnut	1

Upper Caldecote Garden 24-03-2012- 37 of 7 species-

1524	Emmelina monodactyla		3
1934	Agriopis marginaria	Dotted Border	1
2182	Orthosia cruda	Small Quaker	10
2187	Orthosia cerasi	Common Quaker	4
2188	Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	11
2190	Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	5
2243	Xylocampa areola	Early Grey	3

A score...........

..............and three days before the same total last year, with a few more available. After missing out last year it was good to finally catch up with one of these-

Pine Beauty

This was found on the shed wall under the 15w BLB bulb.

 Lead-coloured Drab

More or less a carbon copy of the female trapped on 12th.

Upper Caldecote Garden- 17-03-2012- 21 of 7 species-

1497	Amblyptilia acanthadactyla		1
1934	Agriopis marginaria	Dotted Border	1
2179	Panolis flammea	Pine Beauty	1	NFY
2182	Orthosia cruda	Small Quaker	5
2185	Orthosia populeti	Lead-coloured Drab	1
2187	Orthosia cerasi	Common Quaker	6
2188	Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	2
2190	Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	5

Nothing but Orthosias! 12/03

........Now I haven't checked, but I'm sure this is the first time I've recorded five Orthosia species without catching anything else. Later in the year I will probably catch Powdered Quaker, but that's usually about it. I have trapped Twin-spotted Quaker just once; in 2010 and have yet to record it in Home Wood so far. Obviously the highlight of the evening was the Lead-coloured Drab as I only caught one last year. March has been very productive with at least one new macro moth on five consecutive nights..........

Lead-coloured Drab

It is fairly easy to overlook this species as they can look an awful lot like the similar Clouded Drab. Especially if the markings are faint or worn. The example above is fairly well marked, so some easy comparisons can be made. Generally size is a good indicator, Lead-coloured Drab is usually smaller. The wing tips are also much less pointed. Also look at the reniform Stigmata (kidney mark), this is proportionately slightly larger on the wing and usually looks darker and more contrasting compared to Clouded Drab. If you have a male Lead-coloured Drab, the task is made easy by the bipectinated (feathered) antennae, which are not present in Clouded Drab. However, the above specimen is a female, so lacks this particular field mark.

Upper Caldecote Garden 12-03-2012- 12 of 5 species-

2182	Orthosia cruda	Small Quaker	2
2185	Orthosia populeti	Lead-coloured Drab	1	NFY
2187	Orthosia cerasi	Common Quaker	2
2188	Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	1
2190	Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	6

Home Wood Catch Report- 21/03/2011

This was the 1st manned trip to the wood and conditions couldn't have been better. A still, overcast night with the temperature hovering around 12°C. In fact when I got home at 10.30pm it was still an extremely mild 10.6°C.

We elected to use a  100w FUL Actinic Skinner in Location #1 and a set up comprising of 2x 80w MV lights and a sheet in Location#2. Location map available- HERE, there is also a Home Wood page on the right under 'Lists & Info'. Please scroll to the bottom of this post for the results-

Red-green Carpet

Only 1 caught using MV.

 Shoulder-stripe / Brindled Pug

The variable Shoulder-stripe was one of the most numerous (top).

 Lead-coloured Drab

Just 1 of this target species, attracted to Actinic light.

 Streamer

4 in total

 Small Brindled Beauty

Numbers lower than last time out- 4 in total

 Acleris cristana 1054

1 of 2 caught by MV light- location #2

 Acleris furrugana/notana 1044/45

1 caught by MV light

 Acleris literana 1061

Undoubtedly the star of the show- caught by MV light- location #2

The traps were on from 7.00pm until 9.40pm , Observers M. Burgess, L. Burgess

The results- 134 of 26 species-   key- 100w FUL Actinic (loc.#1),  2x80w MV & sheet (loc.#2)

• 2187 Common Quaker- (10 - 8) = 18 Site 1st
• 2188 Clouded Drab- (5 - 0) = 5
• 2182 Small Quaker- (8 - 0) = 8 Site 1st
• 1947 Engrailed- (6 - 5) = 11
• 1930 Oak Beauty- (6 - 4) = 10 Site 1st
• 1925 Small Brindled Beauty- (0 - 4) = 4
• 1747 Streamer- (2 - 2) = 4 Site tick
• 1746 Shoulder-stripe- (10 - 6) = 16 Site 1st
• 1852 Brindled Pug- (1 - 1) = 2 Site 1st
• 2258 Chestnut- (5 - 2) = 7 Site 1st
• 2139 Red Chestnut- (5 - 2) = 7 Site 1st
• 2256 Satellite- (4 - 3) = 7 Site 1st
• 2190 Hebrew Character- (4 - 3) = 7
• 1663 March Moth- (5 - 3) = 8
• 2185 Lead-coloured Drab- (1 - 0) = 1 Site 1st
• 1659 Yellow Horned- (0 - 1) = 1 Site 1st
• 2243 Early Grey- (0 - 2) = 2 Site 1st
• 1760 Red-green Carpet- (0 - 1) = 1 Site 1st
• 2259 Dark Chestnut- (1 - 0) = 1 Site 1st

Micros-

• 663 Diurnea fagella- (2 - 4) = 6 Site 1st
• 1524 Emmelina monodactyla- (1 - 0) = 1 Site 1st
• 1025 Tortricodes alternella- (0 - 1) = 1
• 688 Agonopterix heracliana- (0 - 2) = 2 Site 1st
• 1054 Acleris cristana- (0 - 2) = 2 Site 1st
• 1044/5 Acleris furrugana/notana- (0 - 1) = 1 Site 1st
• 1061 Acleris literana- ( 0 - 1) = 1 Site 1st

Notable absences were Pine Beauty and Twin-spotted Quaker, both of which I thought we'd get.

The Score......20/03

In contrast to last night, a cracker ensued with another new macro- making it 20 for the year so far. Right on cue and just 2 days before last years 1st record.

Lead-coloured Drab

Luckily this is a very well marked individual. It is a female, as only males have the heavily 'feathered' antennae. This can sometimes make ID a bit tricky and last year I only counted the males so missed at least 1 female type that I recorded as Clouded Drab. Therefore, last year's total was 4 records, no doubt heavily bolstered by the fact there is a Poplar plantation 1 mile to the North of my location.

 Red Chestnut

A slightly daggy individual- but it's good to get a photo.

Results 24 of 9 Species-

• Common Quaker- 7
• Clouded Drab- 6
• Hebrew Character- 3
• Red Chestnut- 2
• A. heracliana- 2
• E. monodactyla- 1
• Early Grey- 1
• Lead-coloured Drab- 1 -Year tick
• March Moth- 1

Little Grey Jobs.......26/03

Lead-coloured DrabCommon Quaker

Subject to acceptance, it looks like another Lead-coloured Drab. I did at first think there were 2, but the bottom photo I'm pretty sure shows another poorly marked Common Quaker. The 'border' on the lowermost cross line is broader and the top kidney mark is large and closer to the lower. The list is as follows-

1. Clouded Drab- 6
2. Hebrew Character- 4
3. Common Quaker- 3
4. Lead-coloured Drab- 1
5. Dotted Border- 1

Under leaden Skies......24/03

Early GreyLead-coloured Drab
Small Quaker

March Moth

Grey was the order of the day,(or the night) with a bumper crop of 25 of 9 species on a very mild evening. Temperatures hovered around 11-12°C helped no doubt by the heavily overcast, rainy weather.

Highlights were my 1st Early Greys and another different Lead-coloured Drab. The list is as follows-

1. Common Quaker- 6
2. Clouded Drab- 5
3. Early Grey- 4- New for the garden
4. Agonopterix heracliana- 3
5. Hebrew Character- 2
6. March Moth- 2
7. Small Quaker- 1
8. Emmelina monodactyla- 1
9. Lead-coloured Drab- 1- 2nd Record!

I had 2 traps out last night and once again the 30w twin out performed the portable 12v trap.

Lead, astray!.....22/03

According to the books, the Lead-coloured Drab feeds predominately on Aspen...........I wasn't aware there was any in the area, so I can only assume he must be lost! The photo below shows the diagnostic 'feathered' antennae, which without any doubt distinguishes this from the similar Clouded Drab. It is also slightly smaller and more round in the wing tip. All the same, I almost emptied him along with the others!

Other than this revelation just 2 Clouded Drab, 3 Hebrew Character and a Common Quaker on a cold, clear night.