WINE RACE 2016 .. MATTc380 .. TRENT 353 .. BEN 347 ...... Garden species:- Macros 357, Micros 365, Total 722

Thursday 22 October 2015

More moths from the garden traps

Carpet moths are are a regular feature around the light traps at this time of year and there has been a nice variety of late, usually on the walls near the traps.
Red-green Carpet is a common visitor along with Common Marbled, Spruce and Garden Carpet.
An Autumn Green Carpet was caught just 5 miles away from my garden, a moth thought to be extinct in the Bedfordshire VC30 county having not been seen since 1975.
Another uncommon Carpet moth in my area is the Juniper Carpet which is benefiting from the many juniper cultivars growing in gardens and one that I am keeping an eye out for.
I have recorded 2 or 3 in the past 6 years.

Red-green Carpet - Chloroclysta siterata
Spruce Carpet - Thera britannica
Garden Carpet - Xanthorhoe fluctuata
And a selection of variable Common Marbled Carpet's



A Feathered Thorn was added to the year list ....
Feathered Thorn - Colotois pennaria
.... and a surprise Beautiful Hook-tip was even later than my previous County latest !
My late record has been topped by Matt Burgess who caught one a few days later.
This 2nd generation is noticeably smaller than the July/Aug batch.
The creature from 9th Oct had a forewing length of just 10 mm, while the one below had a 12 mm FW
Beautiful Hook-tip - Laspeyria flexula - 18th Oct. 2015

Monday 12 October 2015

From the garden moth-trap

Chilly chilly it's evening time.
Ray Davies.
Cold easterlies are affecting us right now and the air has a distinct chilly feel to it.
Some more autumn moths of late:-
First record of Stigmella hybnerella in garden ...
BF99 Stigmella hybnerella, mine on Hawthorn. 7th Oct '15
BF34 Ectoedemia occultella, mine on Birch, 12th Oct. '15
BF2375 - Large Wainscot - 12th Oct. '15
BF2263 - Red-line Quaker - 10th Oct. '15
A year first Brick ...
BF2262 - Brick - 11th Oct. '15
BF2258 - Chestnut - 11th Oct. '15
BF2240 - Blair's Shoulder-knot - 11th Oct. '15
BF263 - Lyonetia clerkella, 10th Oct. '15
BF2473 - Beautiful Hook-tip - 9th Oct '15 ... Latest County record for VC30
BF2245 Green-brindled Crescent f. capucina - 9th Oct. '15

Monday 5 October 2015

Oct 4th 2015, Garden Traps report

Two more "newbies" for 2015
Brown-spot Pinion and Pink-barred Sallow. These common species are quite rare in my garden and I missed out on both of them last year.
Brown-spot Pinion
Pink-barred Sallow
A Common Wainscot, Common Marbled Carpet,two Large Ranunculus and two Spruce Carpet were also present along with the usual Lunar Underwing's, Black Rustic's, Blair's Shoulder-knot and the late Summer/early Autumn hangers on.
Common Wainscot
A well camouflaged Large Ranunculus
Spruce Carpet
On the lookout for a Merveille du Jour now and a garden first Autumnal Rustic would be a nice find

Saturday 3 October 2015

Garden Moths latest ... 2/10/15

The big super-moon has been a hindrance of late, add clear skies and it's a recipe for low moth counts.
Two moth species were added to the garden year list, Red-green Carpet and Yellow-line Quaker.
Red-green Carpet is normally seen in smaller numbers in the Spring around these parts but this years Spring was very poor compared to recent years.

BF 1760 - Red-green Carpet

BF 2264 - Yellow-line Quaker
Also a White-point amongst the end of Summer stragglers ...
BF 2194 - White-point

Friday 2 October 2015

More Autumn moths ...

Some more autumnal additions to the garden year list ...
Deep-brown Dart
Black Rustic
Frosted Orange
Mallow

Sallow
Ectoedemia occultella ... Leaf mine on Birch