Pug Sp. 26/06

This looks a little different to me both in size and shape. At first glance looks like a Common Pug, but rests with tail heavily curved up. At 24mm wingspan, it's a bit of a brute in Pug terms. What do you think?
I found this page on British Lepidoptera, the detail on the tornus area of the hind wing is diagnostic.

Plain Pug

...........NFG, 26th June 2014. Macro #350 for the garden.

NFG's bring up 300......

Hectic to say the least of late and as usual, miles behind with my records. Big totals and the World Cup have been to blame as I try to cram in every game. But all that said, 300 species are now in the bag- constituting 111 Micros and 189 Macros.
New moths are getting harder to find these days as my lists begin to stagnate. But two new macros, the first this year have revitalised my interest...........

Small Angle Shades

I've been waiting for this a very long time after a suspected one evaded my pot on a humid night back in 2010. NFG 20th June.

Marbled Coronet

 ........and I haven't even had Varied Coronet this year.............

Other notables have included Small Seraphim, Red-necked Footman, Round-winged Muslin and what looks like a ridiculously early Square-spot Rustic caught on 21st June!

Monster!, Monster!

The 13th June was a special night with 27 species new for year. A list of 100 species is a very good total by any stretch of the imagination. But this is the first time I've done it with just one trap. Also included was Bucculatrix cristatella (no 101) which was found during the day as a mine on Yarrow. To cap it off, I even recorded a new moth for the garden in the shape of this, otherwise known as a Yarrow Plume.

1504 Platyptilia pallidactyla

Upper Caldecote Garden- Twin 20w Synergetic Skinner- 266 of 101 species 13-06-2014

  Cnephasia species (Cnephasia sp.)  1
0265  Bucculatrix cristatella  1 Mine on Yarrow NFY
0449  Ash Bud Moth (Prays fraxinella)  1 NFY
0647  Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)  1
0719  Ethmia quadrillella  1 NFY
0905  Blastodacna hellerella  1 NFY
0925  Phtheochroa rugosana  1
0937  Agapeta hamana  1 NFY
0965  Cochylis hybridella  1
0977  Large Fruit-tree Tortrix (Archips podana)  1 NFY
0985  Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana)  1
0994  Clepsis consimilana  2
0998  Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  2
1001  Lozotaeniodes formosanus  1 NFY
1010  Red-barred Tortrix (Ditula angustiorana)  1
1011  Pseudargyrotoza conwagana  2
1032  Aleimma loeflingiana  1 NFY
1033  Green Oak Tortrix (Tortrix viridana)  1 NFY
1063  Celypha striana  1
1083  Marbled Orchard Tortrix (Hedya nubiferana)  1
1176  Epiblema trimaculana  1
1293  Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)  1 NFY
1294  Crambus pascuella  2 NFY
1301  Crambus lathoniellus  3
1302  Crambus perlella  3 NFY
1329  Donacaula forficella  1 NFY
1333  Scoparia pyralella  1
1334  Scoparia ambigualis  2
1338  Dipleurina lacustrata  2 NFY
1344  Eudonia mercurella  2
1345  Brown China-mark (Elophila nymphaeata)  1 NFY
1361  Pyrausta aurata  1
1390  Udea prunalis  1
1392  Udea olivalis  1
1413  Gold Triangle (Hypsopygia costalis)  2 NFY
1415  Orthopygia glaucinalis  1
1428  Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella)  4
1436  Conobathra repandana  1 NFY
1452  Phycita roborella  1 NFY
1470  Euzophera pinguis  1 NFY
1474  Ephestia parasitella  4
1481  Homoeosoma sinuella  1
1504  Platyptilia pallidactyla  1 NFG
1669  Common Emerald (Hemithea aestivaria)  1 NFY
1682  Blood-vein (Timandra comae)  1
1690  Small Blood-vein (Scopula imitaria)  1 NFY
1711  Treble Brown Spot (Idaea trigeminata)  1
1713  Riband Wave (Idaea aversata)  3
1728  Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata)  1
1817  Foxglove Pug (Eupithecia pulchellata)  3
1819  Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata)  1
1825  Lime-speck Pug (Eupithecia centaureata)  2
1827  Freyer's Pug (Eupithecia intricata)  3
1834  Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)  5
1837  Grey Pug (Eupithecia subfuscata)  5
1860  Green Pug (Pasiphila rectangulata)  4
1862  Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)  1
1887  Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata)  3
1902  Brown Silver-line (Petrophora chlorosata)  1 NFY
1906  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  1
1931  Peppered Moth (Biston betularia)  2
1937  Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria)  6
1941  Mottled Beauty (Alcis repandata)  2
1954  Bordered White (Bupalus piniaria)  1 NFY
1955  Common White Wave (Cabera pusaria)  1
1956  Common Wave (Cabera exanthemata)  1 NFY
1958  Clouded Silver (Lomographa temerata)  5
1961  Light Emerald (Campaea margaritata)  1
1979  Lime Hawk-moth (Mimas tiliae)  1 NFY
1980  Eyed Hawk-moth (Smerinthus ocellata)  1
1991  Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor)  1
1994  Buff-tip (Phalera bucephala)  2 NFY
2009  Maple Prominent (Ptilodon cucullina)  1
2043  Orange Footman (Eilema sororcula)  1
2050  Common Footman (Eilema lurideola)  7
2061  Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum)  3
2069  Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae)  1
2087  Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum)  2
2088  Heart and Club (Agrotis clavis)  5
2089  Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis)  30
2092  Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)  1
2098  Flame (Axylia putris)  23
2102  Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta)  3
2107  Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)  6
2126  Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum)  5
2128  Double Square-spot (Xestia triangulum)  1
2147  Shears (Hada nana)  2
2199  Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens)  2
2279  Sycamore (Acronicta aceris)  2
2284x  Grey Dagger / Dark Dagger (Acronicta tridens/psi)  4
2302  Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea)  5
2321  Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha)  6
2333  Large Nutmeg (Apamea anceps)  2
2337x  Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.)  13
2381  Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines)  7
2387  Mottled Rustic (Caradrina morpheus)  4
2418  Cream-bordered Green Pea (Earias clorana)  1
2422  Green Silver-lines (Pseudoips prasinana)  1
2441  Silver Y (Autographa gamma)  1
2450  Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita)  1
2489  Fan-foot (Zanclognatha tarsipennalis)  4

Scoparia sp.

I always have trouble with this group! Is it even possible to separate Scoparia ambigualis from similar species without a gen det?

1333 Scoparia pyralella 

Thanks for the confirmation all

Mystery Pug- 22-04........

..........I'm totally stumped here. Wingspan is 20mm and so is the size of an average Common Pug I suppose. It really is fairly non-descript other than the hatching along the leading edge. It appears to have very little wear, so very washed out and grey in appearance. I have retained the moth as I really don't know where to start? Has anyone got any ideas.

Ochreous Pug

Thanks for the help on this one. I have only seen a few Ochreous Pugs before and only the brown form. Once I had it in a pot, it started to rest in a more familiar wedge position with its wings lowered.

Another good night............

............in the best year I've had so far. 86 species by 22nd April is eight days earlier than my previous best in 2011. The highlight,(for me anyway) was finding not one, but two Least Black Arches. Having only trapped it on one occasion before on 29th April 2010. A full list below-

Least Black Arches

NFY- Two caught on 22nd April

Brindled Beauty

 NFY- 21 April, possible re-trap on 22nd.

 Pale Prominent

NFY- 22nd April

Upper Caldecote Garden- 22/04/2014- 2 traps- 37 of 20 species-

0925  Phtheochroa rugosana  1 NFY
1136  Epinotia immundana  1 NFY
1832  Currant Pug (Eupithecia assimilata)  1
1852  Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata)  1
1853  Oak-tree Pug (Eupithecia dodoneata)  4
1883  Yellow-barred Brindle (Acasis viretata)  1
1888  Scorched Carpet (Ligdia adustata)  1
1927  Brindled Beauty (Lycia hirtaria)  1
2006  Lesser Swallow Prominent (Pheosia gnoma)  1
2011  Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina)  1 NFY
2063  Muslin Moth (Diaphora mendica)  1
2078  Least Black Arches (Nola confusalis)  2 NFY
2092  Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)  6
2154  Cabbage Moth (Mamestra brassicae)  1
2186  Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis)  4
2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  1
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  6
2289  Knot Grass (Acronicta rumicis)  1 NFY
2423  Oak Nycteoline (Nycteola revayana)  1
2425  Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli)  1

Mystery Micro, help needed 22-04

I can't recall seeing this before, has anyone got any ideas? About 8mm long.................

Thanks for the help Dave and Ben, it is indeed 1136 Epinotia immundana

Mullein.........16/04

After a couple of cold nights, a slight upturn in temperature encouraged me to stick the lights on. A low of 6°C and a late rising moon leant itself to a little more variety, though numbers were still comparatively low.

Mullein 

NFY

Nut-tree Tussock

A record 4 caught.

Upper Caldecote Garden 16-04-2014 - 23 of 13 species-

0697  Agonopterix arenella  1
0998  Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  1
1852  Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata)  1
1862  Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)  1
1936  Waved Umber (Menophra abruptaria)  1
2063  Muslin Moth (Diaphora mendica)  2
2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  2
2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  1
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  6
2221  Mullein (Shargacucullia verbasci)  1 NFY
2243  Early Grey (Xylocampa areola)  1
2306  Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa)  1 NFY
2425  Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli)  4

Recent Highlights...........

.....................these are some of last week's riches. This week the weather has turned cold, so the traps will remain off line for a couple of days at least.

1054 Acleris cristana

NFY on 7th April

649 Esperia sulphurella

672 Parsnip Moth Depressaria heraclei

Waved Umber

NFY- 9th April

130 Incurvaria masculella

Chinese Character

 NFY- 10th April

 Red Twin-spot Carpet

 NFY- 12th April

Tawny Pinion 6/4

...........Pretty rare these days. This is the third garden record of this moth after catching two in 2011. Previous to that, not seen in VC30 since 2006.

Tawny Pinion 

Garden Traps March Summary

38 species were caught on 15 trap nights in March. See how your totals compare with mine................The clear winner as with every year is Common Quaker with a high count of 44 on 30th. There will be a lot more in April!

Common Quaker

An unsurprising winner.

Garden Trap totals for March 2014- 720 of 38 species.

2187 Orthosia cerasi Common Quaker 278
2188 Orthosia incerta Clouded Drab 116
2190 Orthosia gothica Hebrew Character 86
2182 Orthosia cruda Small Quaker 58
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 55
2243 Xylocampa areola Early Grey 29
1862 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Double-striped Pug 15
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 12
1917 Selenia dentaria Early Thorn 9
1663 Alsophila aescularia March Moth 5
2423 Nycteola revayana Oak Nycteoline 5
2258 Conistra vaccinii Chestnut 5
2237 Lithophane ornitopus Grey Shoulder-knot  4
1930 Biston strataria Oak Beauty 4
2189 Orthosia munda Twin-spotted Quaker 4
2179 Panolis flammea Pine Beauty 3
1747 Anticlea derivata Streamer 3
1760 Chloroclysta siterata Red-green Carpet 3
1288 Alucita hexadactyla Twenty-plume Moth 2
2260 Conistra rubiginea Dotted Chestnut 2
1852 Eupithecia abbreviata Brindled Pug 2
1659 Achlya flavicornis Yellow Horned 2
1934 Agriopis marginaria Dotted Border 2
2139 Cerastis rubricosa Red Chestnut 2
0974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana 1
0240 Tinea pellionella Case-bearing Clothes Moth 1
0263 Lyonetia clerkella Apple Leaf Miner 1
0483 Epermenia chaerophyllella  1
2256 Eupsilia transversa Satellite 1
0695 Agonopterix alstromeriana  1
1643 Saturnia pavonia Emperor Moth 1
0892 Mompha subbistrigella 1
0682 Depressaria chaerophylli 1- NFG
0998 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 1
2063 Diaphora mendica Muslin Moth 1
1947 Ectropis bistortata Engrailed 1
2469 Scoliopteryx libatrix Herald 1
0697 Agonopterix arenella  1

Dotted Duos............

Aren't the traps busy lately? I've had my best ever start to a campaign with 42 species by the end of March. I haven't recorded many micros so far, but have done incredibly well for macros.
I will post a few lists if I get a chance to catch up on my records. So just as a taster, I will offer these..........

Dotted Chestnut

 Finding one is great. But finding two is pretty unbelievable! Recorded for the third year running in the garden. NFY 31st March

 Dotted Border

 Well, it took a while. But just as I was beginning to give up hope- two turned up 31st March.

The Return of the King!............

......................well, Queen really.
My earliest ever Emperor record on 29th March. For the second year in a row one was just found in the Synergetic Skinner trap shortly after nightfall. The earliest recorded in VC30 is 23rd March.

Emperor

Photo taken by Louie

March- so far.........

Well, what a contrast to last year's weather. The start of March really did seem to herald the start of the moffing season. At present I am 7 species in front of this time last year with a few notable absences still to get. I also managed to drop a battery powered trap off in Home Wood on the 14th, unfortunately I picked a less favourable night which is reflected in the list further down the post. Also a list for 16th- the best night of the year so far..........

Oak Beauty

NFY- 6th March, 3 recorded so far

Small Quaker

NFY 6th March

Grey Shoulder-knot

NFY- 3 caught 8th March and another 17th March.

Yellow Horned

NFY- 9th March, 2 caught so far.

Engrailed

NFY- 12th March, not recorded in 2013.

974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana

NFY- 12th March, 2 recorded so far. This is one of the most striking tortrix species and in VC30 at least, one of the commonest.

Home Wood

A little disappointing really. The 14th wasn't great by any means. A strong, cold westerly breeze blowing straight along the woodland rides seemed to have affected the catch.

Shoulder Stripe

Only one caught. Also surprisingly no Dotted Border, a moth that in previous years has been extremely common.

Home Wood- 14-03- Battery powered Actinic/BLB Skinner- 19 of 8 species-

0663  Diurnea fagella  1- NFY

1663  March Moth (Alsophila aescularia)  2

1746  Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata)  1- NFY

1947  Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata)  1

2182  Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda)  6

2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  2

2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  2

2258  Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii)  4

Back in the garden

Twin-spotted Quaker

NFY- 15th March, 2 caught so far

 Early Thorn

NFY- 16th March, 2 records so far.

 Oak Nycteolene

NFY- 16th March. An incredible 3 recorded in one night. Only the 5th, 6th and 7th garden records.

 Pine Beauty

 NFY- 16th March, 2 recorded so far.

Upper Caldecote garden- 16-03-2014- 3 traps- 69 of 13 species

0688  Agonopterix heracliana  1

0998  Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  1- NFY

1524  Emmelina monodactyla  3

1663  March Moth (Alsophila aescularia)  3

1862  Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)  1- NFY

1917  Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria)  1- NFY

2179  Pine Beauty (Panolis flammea)  1- NFY

2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  30

2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  10

2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  11

2243  Early Grey (Xylocampa areola)  3

2258  Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii)  1

2423  Oak Nycteoline (Nycteola revayana)  3- NFY