Your Thoughts.............

Could be good, could be nothing. Caught at The Lodge, Sandy. Unfortunately pretty worn and not retained. I would be interested to know opinions on this..........

Sharp-angled Carpet

After being listed as 'probably extinct' and not seen in VC30 since 1987. It just shows you anything is possible. After this example, a second was caught in the north of the vice-county shortly afterwards. Well done Steve Blain!

The Lodge List for 09-06-11

Barred Red

A common species at The Lodge.

Grey Arches 

Caught in a Robinson Trap in front of the house.

50w Actinic/25w BLB Skinner-  TL19224788

•  0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 2 
•  1033 Tortrix viridana Green Oak Tortrix 4 
•  1092 Apotomis turbidana 1 
•  1212 Rhyacionia pinivorana Spotted Shoot Moth 1 
•  1334 Scoparia ambigualis 6 
•  1768 Thera obeliscata Grey Pine Carpet 1 
•  1893 Macaria liturata Tawny-barred Angle 2 
•  1902 Petrophora chlorosata Brown Silver-line 2 
•  1941 Alcis repandata Mottled Beauty 1 
•  1962 Hylaea fasciaria Barred Red 1 
•  2089 Agrotis exclamationis Heart and Dart 3
•  2118 Lycophotia porphyrea True Lover's Knot 2 
•  2205 Mythimna comma Shoulder-striped Wainscot 1 
•  2301 Dypterygia scabriuscula Bird's Wing 1 
•  2302 Rusina ferruginea Brown Rustic 4 
•  2381 Hoplodrina alsines Uncertain 1 
•  2422 Pseudoips prasinana Green Silver-lines 1

80w MV Bulkhead and vertical sheet-  TL19244784

• 0119 Opostega salaciella 1 
• 0776 Teleiopsis diffinis 1 
• 0796 Aroga velocella 2 
• 0799 Neofriseria singula 2 
• 1033 Tortrix viridana Green Oak Tortrix 1 
• 1334 Scoparia ambigualis 11 
• 1442 Pempeilla Palumbella 1 
• 1455 Dioryctria simplicella 1 
• 1768 Thera obeliscata Grey Pine Carpet 1 
• 1825 Eupithecia centaureata Lime-speck Pug 1 
• 1902 Petrophora chlorosata Brown Silver-line 2 
• 1944 Hypomecis punctinalis Pale Oak Beauty 1 
• 1955 Cabera pusaria Common White Wave 1 
• 1962 Hylaea fasciaria Barred Red 3 
• 2006 Pheosia gnoma Lesser Swallow Prominent 1
• 2014 Drymonia dodonaea Marbled Brown 1
• 2050 Eilema lurideola Common Footman 1 
• 2069 Tyria jacobaeae Cinnabar 1 
• 2089 Agrotis exclamationis Heart and Dart 3 
• 2118 Lycophotia porphyrea True Lover's Knot 4 
• 2301 Dypterygia scabriuscula Bird's Wing 1 
• 2302 Rusina ferruginea Brown Rustic 3
• 2321 Apamea monoglypha Dark Arches 2
• 2333 Apamea anceps Large Nutmeg 1 
• 2381 Hoplodrina alsines Uncertain 1

The Lodge- 09-06

This was the 1st coordinated moth trapping outing RSPB's The Lodge has ever had. 10 traps located at strategic points around the reserve, manned by different trappers. Contact was kept by phone and any interesting species were texted and made available for viewing and photos etc.

Steve Blain gave out the locations and myself and Trent got the Old Heath. We set up an 80w MV bulkhead light on a tripod and an Actinic Skinner in nearby mixed woodland. We are still waiting on 7 micros which have been sent to the recorder for further analysis, so a full list will appear soon.......

799 Neofriseria singula

Our 'plum' location really paid off; this is an RDB species and is probably a 1st for VC30, the one and only other record is from 1904! 2 of these landed on the veritcal sheet and were quickly potted up!

 1442 Pempelia palumbella

This heather specialist is a 2nd for VC30 after Col Campbell caught the 1st just last week in the same location!

 Bird's Wing

2 caught on the night.

 Shoulder-striped Wainscot

Just 1 caught in the Actinic Skinner.

 True Lover's Knot

A target species- no need to worry as we caught 6.

 Pale Oak Beauty

Just 1 on the vertical sheet.

Home Wood/ The Lodge

Just a few of the many micro species caught in Home Wood  on 29th May. After a hour or so we started to run out of pots! So a lot of the more common identifiable moths were let go before photos.......more pots on the way before the next trip.

 246 Tinea semifulvella

417 Argyresthia spinosella

601 Elachista albifrontella

1142 Epinotia tedella

On the 29th May we took a family trip to the RSPB's headquarters to show some relatives the new trails. A largely coniferous tree covered area has now been felled and heather has been planted in large areas. Hopefully in a few years time Nightjars and Woodlarks will make a triumphant return. Louie insisted on bringing the net so whilst backs were worked the Old Heath area.......

Common Heath

Brown Silver-line

415 Argyresthia retinella

148 Nemophora degeerella

There were at least 20 of these in a nettle patch at the edge of the woodland.

The Lodge, RSPB

A  walk round the RSPB's headquarters this morning was vey pleasant in the sunshine. On our way round we had quick look around the buildings. It was a bit windy last night, so numbers were a little low.

Yellow Horned

 Engrailed spp.

The full list-

• Yellow Horned- 3- Year Tick
• Dotted Border- 2
• Engrailed spp.- 2
• Small Quaker
• March Moth

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!

Orange Underwing- The Lodge

Went for a rehabilitation walk around RSPB The Lodge today with Karen. We were lucky enough to see 20+ of these flying around the tops of the Birches. The photo is courtesy of Paul Harris on UK Moths...
Also saw what I thought was a Brindled Beauty which flew by and then landed high up in a tree. I got a decent binocular view, but again no photo.

The Lodge......13/03

A few moths on a morning visit. Top is a Small Brindled Beauty found on the Osprey building. Bottom is 1 of 4 Dotted Border also seen on the Osprey. The only other moth was a Chestnut.
The other highlight was a Peregrine flying high over the quarry car park accompanied by 8 soaring Common Buzzards!

Lodge Micro?.........07/02

This Micro was almost overlooked. In my defence it was only about 10mm long. Having trawled UK Moths, I'm still none the wiser!

Looks likely to be #1053/54 Acleris cristana/hastiana, an extremely variable species of Tortricidae per David Manning.

The Lodge.......07/02

Another trip up to The Lodge this Sunday with the kids and a few moths to boot!

• Winter Moth x4
• Pale Brindled Beauty x2- including a monacharia (photo top)
• March Moth (middle)
• Grey Shouder-knot (bottom)
  
  
  

Xmas Moths at The Lodge...........Boxing Day

A stroll around The Lodge grounds on Sunday 27th proved good hunting for Winter flying moths. I think we did well to record 3 species, obviously these will be recorded for 26th.

The top photo is an extremely well marked Mottled Umber; our 1st ever!

Middle has to be a Northern Winter Moth, probably the 2nd we've found at The Lodge. This one showing the large, pure white hindwings and light overall colour very well.

The bottom photo is the smaller and darker Winter Moth, the comparison is striking once studied side by side........All in all a very productive visit.

(Northern?)Winter at The Lodge........14/11

After no activity what so ever in the Caldecote trap over the last 4 nights, a quick call into The Lodge (Sun 15th) for a walk round the trails was in order. A quick stop around the buildings produced;

• November Moth agg. -5
• Feathered Thorn
• Sprawler
• Northern Winter Moth?- photo

Unfortunately the flash has over exposed the shot and the fine lines across the wings aren't clearly visible! Never mind, maybe next time.

N.B.25/11 Having now caught a Winter Moth (21/11), this specimen seems to be much bigger and paler and has all the hallmarks of a Northern................

T.T.O.S on Tour at The Lodge..........07/11

And a very successful outing it was too! The photo at the top is a November Moth agg. One of 13 found around the buildings.
Next down is a Spruce Carpet found on the main building.

The last 2 photos are of a Sprawler, 1 of 2 found. Louie also found a deceased Yellow-line Quaker (example on previous post). Not a bad haul really as we were only at The Lodge to see the Firecrests!
The garden trap in Upper Caldecote produced just a Silver Y.