4th Feb 2016 ... Garden Moths

A warmer, calmer night saw the garden traps on for the first time since storms Gertrude and Henry raged through. (no immediate signs of Imogen yet)
8.7 deg. C was the minimum temperature with light SW winds.
Three species were added to the year list including the unusual shaped tortrix Tortricodes alternella, which is long and narrow compared to other tortrix's and easily recognised.
3 x 0688 Agonopterix heracliana, year first
3 x 0998 Epiphyas postvittana
1 x 1025 Tortricodes alternella, year first
1 x 1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, year first
2 x 1524 Emmelina monodactyla
3 x 1862 Double-striped Pug

688 Agonopterix heracliana

 

1025 Tortricodes alternella

25th and 27th Jan 2015 ... Is that U Stella ?

It was just about warm enough last night to warrant putting on a couple of traps.
2 moths was a poor return, an expected Light Brown Apple Moth but a species that I dipped out on last year was stirred out of hibernation by the warmer weather  ... Ypsolopha ustella

461 .. Ypsolopha ustella

27th Jan
Last chance to bag a few more moths before the next cold spell with temperatures at 6 deg rising to 8 deg through the night, although the real-feel was more like 4.
One Lone Ranger in the traps ...

688 .. Agonopterix heracliana

17th Feb 2014 ... Garden traps

Much warmer with the cloud cover and no sign of the large moon which inhibits moth flight.
Just 4 moths of 3 species were recorded, a tad disappointing....
Agonopterix heracliana was new for the year bringing the garden species total to 7

1 x 0688 Agonopterix heracliana ... YF
1 x 1524 Emmelina monodactyla
2 x 2259 Dark Chestnut

688 Agonopterix heracliana

2259 Dark Chestnut

17th April 2013 .. Getting the wind up

I put the traps on last night even though the wind was gusting at 40 plus mph.
That's number 8 on the Beauforte Scale, which is gale force !
As the wind showed no sign of abating, I went out at 21.00 to switch off the traps but decided to leave them on after finding a few moths clinging on the traps for dear life.
It's incredible how anything managed to fly in those conditions but 14 moths of 8 species were recorded ..

0688 .. Agonopterix heracliana ... Common Flat-body ... 3

0688 .. Agonopterix heracliana

0998 .. Epiphyas postvittana ... Light Brown Apple Moth ... 1

0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana

1047 .. Acleris sparsana ... Ashy Button ... 1

1047 ... Acleris schalleriana

1524 .. Emmelina monodactyla ... Common Plume ... 4

1524 .. Emmelina monodactyla

2139 ... Cerastis rubricosa ... Red Chestnut ... 1

2139 ... Cerastis rubricosa 

2187 ... Orthosia cerasi ... Common Quaker ... 1
2190 ... Orthosia gothica ... Hebrew Character ... 2
2243 ... Xylocampa areola ... Early Grey ... 1

Back to the vernacular names ....
The above pics show  some examples of micro vernaculars, one well established, one coming into acceptance and two that are liked, ignored or even rediculed.
Personally, I like the idea of these micro vernacular names coming into common usage as long as the Latin name is used alongside.
There is something quaint about using the vernacular.
If these odd names for the micro moths eg Bells, Groundlings, Smudges, Buttons etc were standard, as they appear to be in certain publications, then why not use them ? Some county moth sites do, and for future generations the names would just trip off the tongue.
But as Mark Skevington points out in his blog, use it or not, it is imperative that the Latin generic/specific names are always used first and foremost, and I whole heartedly agree with that, vernacular names are flights of fancy, think about some of the macro moth names.... but we all use and like them.
There is a certain permanence in these vernacular names when accepted as common usage, for example, the taxonomic Latin names could possibly change several times over a period of time but an Epiphyas postvittana with a few taxonomic name changes would still  remain a Light Brown Apple Moth  and there would be no pronunciation difficulties.
Epiblema uddmanniana is now Notocelia uddmanniana, on the UK Moths site it is still Epiblema but Bramble Shoot Moth is a reassuring constant.
I would also like to see our European neighbours doing the same...using the Latin but adding their own vernacular as a point of international interest and amusement...  for Light Brown Apple Moth ?
Hellbraun Apfel Motte has a certain Teutonic ring to it
Lichtbruin appelmot for the cloggers
Not sure what the French would call theirs ... Brun Clair Pomme Papillon de Nuit... (shrug) .
any cunning linguists out there ?

5th/6th/7th/8th Oct. 2012 .. TREBLE-isoBAR

5th Oct.
6.9 deg. min. temp. Heavy rain from dusk till dawn.
Here are the trap results from possibly the only active traps in Bedfordshire last night !
26 moths of 14 species, Treble-bar was unexpected

1 .. 0648 .. Endrosis sarcitrella
1 .. 0688 .. Agonopterix heracliana

1 .. 0998 .. Epiphyas postvittana
2 .. 1342 .. Eudonia angustea

2 .. 1524 .. Emmelina monodactyla
1 .. 1728 .. Garden Carpet
1 .. 1867 .. Treble-bar

2 .. 1927 .. Willow Beauty
1 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
2 .. 2109 .. Lesser Yellow Underwing
3 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
1 .. 2232 .. Black Rustic
4 .. 2240 .. Blair's Shoulder-knot
4 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing
1 .. 2384 .. Vine's Rustic

6th Oct....................................................................................
A different night altogether from the last two. No rain.
Clear skies, bright half moon and not a hint of breeze.
Temperatures fell to 3.3 deg which slowed down any activity, the highlight being a year first Beaded Chestnut in the trap....

2 .. 0998 .. Epiphyas postvittana
2 .. 1728 .. Garden Carpet
2 .. 1937 .. Willow Beauty
1 .. 2092 .. Shuttle-shaped Dart
2 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
3 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
2 .. 2240 .. Blair's Shoulder-knot
1 .. 2267 .. Beaded Chestnut, year first

6 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing
2 .. 2274 .. Sallow
1 .. 2441 .. Silver Y

7th Oct... 5.6 deg. min. calm with low level cloud.................................
1 .. 0648 .. Endrosis sarcitrella
1 .. 1288 .. Alucita hexadactyla
2 .. 1342 .. Eudonia angustea
3 .. 1524 .. Emmelina monodactyla
1 .. 1728 .. Garden Carpet
2 .. 1937 .. Willow Beauty
1 .. 2092 .. Shuttle-shaped Dart
5 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
5 .. 2109 .. Lesser Yellow Underwing
2 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
3 .. 2232 .. Black Rustic
4 .. 2240 .. Blair's Shoulder-knot
1 .. 2263 .. Red-line Quaker, year first

5 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing
1 .. 2389 .. Pale Mottled Willow


8th Oct...........................................................................................
Warm until skies cleared after midnight.
A good variety of moths were trapped including a garden first Rhomboid Tortrix, which was almost overlooked among the L.B.Apple Moths, and two Barred Sallow to add another tick to the struggling year list.
2 x Brimstone Moths were unexpected this late in the year.

1 .. 0464 .. Plutella xylostella .. Diamond-back Moth

1 .. 0648 .. Endrosis sarcitrella .. White-shouldered House Moth
4 .. 0998 .. Epiphyas postvittana .. Light Brown Apple Moth
1 .. 1042 .. Acleris rhombana .. Rhomboid Tortrix, garden first

2 .. 1342 .. Eudonia angustea
3 .. 1728 .. Garden Carpet
1 .. 1745 .. Mallow
1 .. 1764 .. Common Marbled Carpet
2 .. 1906 .. Brimstone Moth
4 .. 1937 .. Willow Beauty
1 .. 2092 .. Shuttle-shaped Dart
4 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
9 .. 2109 .. Lesser Yellow Underwing
7 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
1 .. 2232 .. Black Rustic
2 .. 2240 .. Blair's Shoulder-knot
1 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing
2 .. 2272 .. Barred Sallow, year first

1 .. 2274 .. Sallow
1 .. 2306 .. Angle Shades
1 .. 2389 .. Pale Mottled Willow

NB: First Redwings for the year heard overhead

8th March 2012 ... Garden update...First D-s Pug

Overnight min. temp. 5.2 deg. Bright full moon mostly cloud covered
A good catch with 18 moths of ten species.
The spiders in my garden were a good sign that the moths would be flying.... all out early evening spinning new webs, but I may re-locate some of them as they soon learn to congregate near the traps.
The first Double-striped Pug was expected along with a steady increase of Orthosia spp. plus two year first micros.
The next 3 or 4 nights look to be ideal in Bedfordshire as long as the rain holds off.
  
1862 Double-striped Pug ... year first .. Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
2182 Small Quaker...................................Orthosia cruda
2187 Common Quaker x 5.......................Orthosia cerasi
2190 Hebrew Character............................Orthosia gothica
2243 Early Grey........................................Xylocampa areola
2258 Chestnut...........................................Conistra vaccinii
0668 Agonopterix heracliana  x 5
0663 Diurnea fagella ... year first
1342 Eudonia angustea ... year first
1524 Emmelina monodactyla

Eudonia angustea




Double-striped Pug ...Gymnoscelis rufifasciata

 


Diurnea fagella




Agonopterix heracliana



18th Feb 2012... Satellite, half & half

Sub - zero temperatures are back for a day or two.
The trap went on for the early evening and a Satellite was attracted to the adjacent wall.
The interesting thing about this particular Satellite were the markings, which were half orange and half white.
The two "satellites" were, 1 orange and 1 white, and the main blotch was a combination of orange/white.
I haven't seen this "hybrid" form before....... click to enlarge.
                                     

SATELLITE



Agonopterix heracliana

Trap results:-
15th Feb ... Min. temp = 4.8 deg ... Dark Chestnut
16th Feb ... Min. temp = 5.7 deg ... Agonopterix heracliana x 2
17th Feb ... Min. temp = 6.6 deg ... Agonopterix heracliana x 5
18th Feb ... Min. temp = minus 0.4 deg ..Satellite

10th Jan 2012

Garden traps :-
1 x Agonopterix heracliana FFY




Agonopterix heracliana

 2 x Epiphyas postvittana

Epiphyas postvittana

2 x Dark Chestnut

Dark Chestnut

Well 3 actually, the third is the one from the previous evening not yet released.
(Are you paying attention Stewart ?) (:0))
Garden traps...
4 species.....3 micro, 1 macro

21st Dec... Hi-ho Silver

Overnight min temp...6.2 deg. overcast, little breeze.
At 8pm the temperature was still above 10 degrees, Ideal conditions.             My target was a December Moth and I thought I had come up trumps until I got a little closer to a Silver Y on the wall near the trap, maybe tonight then.
4 species recorded :-
An Emmelina monodactyla completed a record for every month of 2011

Emmelina monodactyla

 Agonopterix heracliana was only the second micro recorded in December to date

Agonopterix heracliana

Two macros .... Angle Shades....common in my garden, and one of my favourites. The shape and the pattern of the various shades of brown are amazing, also they are easy to photograph.

Angle Shades

 A very late Silver Y

Silver Y

11th March 2011 ...A beautiful pair

The garden was affected by last nights early evening stiff breeze which calmed down at about 21.00 hrs. Most of my garden moths are trapped in the first hour or so after dusk so the early evening produced very little.
A solitary A. heracliana braved the wind at around 18.45 with two Common Quakers clinging on to the walls near the lights.
As soon as the wind dropped, at around 9pm , the situation improved when a March Moth put in an appearance followed by an Oak Beauty.
The trap turned up another Oak Beauty this morning which makes 7 for the year to date.
Oak Beauty is a garden "first" this year so to have 7 of them turn up has pleasantly surprised me.
.......................................................................
A brace of...OAK BEAUTY 1930

MARCH MOTH 1663

EARLY GREY 22436 x Common Quaker

2 x Oak Beauty

1 x March Moth

1 x Early Grey

1 x Hebrew Character

1 x Agonopterix heracliana

This years garden total:-

107 moths of 20 species (14 macro, 6 micro )

After a recount ! 62 macro and 45 micro....

Of the 45 micros, A. heracliana accounted for 30, Tortricodes alternella weighed in with 9. Also Ypsolopha ustella x 2, Emmelina monodactyla x 2, with one each of Amblyptilia acanthadactyla and Epiphyas postvittana.

Of the 62 macros to date, half of them have been Common Quaker, with surprisingly, 7 x Oak Beauty and only 4 x Hebrew Character. The rest is made up of 3's, 2's and 1's of various species.

........................................................................................

For anyone following the little side bet between myself and Matt (http://thetrappingsofsuccess blog) for the most species caught in one year....

As far as I know, Matt bagged a Red Chestnut last night, which on my reckoning, makes the score 22 t0 20, putting me two behind.

Embarrassingly, I still haven't paid for last years defeat, the bet being an "excellent" bottle of red.

The local wine shop in Biggleswade closed down and the supermarkets around here only stock "good" wine scaling down to "barely drinkable".

A foray further afield or an email to Mr Laithwaite is required, but if I wait long enough, we might be quits !

10th March 2011...heracliana dilemma

Last night I caught 9 Agonopterix spp, all were caught within the hour following dusk.
Little variation was found between 8 of them, but there was a larger, darker one amongst them.
UK Moths quotes heracliana as having a 21mm wingspan, which fits the bill for the moth pictured top.
It then gives the wingspan of A. ciliella as 19-24mm.
The next picture shows another Agonopterix with a wingspan approaching 23mm.
SO, do I record it as ciliella (our micro expert would probably not accept this) or do I kill it and check the hindwing, or just record 9 heraclianas ?
If I kill it, would I be doing this for the right reason ? Maybe it would help me to win the coveted bottle of vino back from Matt Trappings. Decisions............
...........................................................................
...........................................................................
Last night was a better night for a while, with temps staying above 6deg for most of the evening and the stiff breeze abating.
No new species, which was slightly disappointing, but tomorrow is another night !
Last nights bag was:-
9 x Agonopterix heracliana !
5 x Common Quaker
1 x Hebrew Character
1 x Small Quaker
1 x Oak Beauty
.........................................................................
AGONOPTERIX HERACLIANA 688

another A. HERACLIANA (well it is now!)

SMALL QUAKER 2182

The superb OAK BEAUTY, 1930, my 4th this year to date Totals to date:-

96 moths of 20 species (14 macro, 6 micro)

Micronite

A warm but wet evening slowed things down after last nights excitement. I even relinquished my brief early lead over the Ratface species count, of Upper Caldecote "Ratface" trap fame.
The micros were about in the early evening though.
No new species however, but hope springs eternal.....
................................................................................................................................
Agonopterix heracliana

Three x Tortricodes alternella

That's all folks !

Oh, What a Beauty !

At last ! Higher temperatures without the howling wind of previous nights.
All the garden traps went on along with the wall/shed lights and regular patrols were the order of the evening.
The lowest temperature was 5.5 deg C for a short period but it shot back up to 8deg shortly after when a cloud cover moved in.
Two Agonopterix heracliana were caught in the early evening, followed by a garden "first" Oak Beauty on the shed flourescent fitting.
A Satellite appeared on the shed wall followed by a new garden micro, Tortricodes alternella to end a long drought.
........................................................................................................................................
one of two AGONOPTERIX HERACLIANA 688

A common micro but a Dells garden first for this.......

TORTRICODES ALTERNELLA 1025

688 Tortricodes alternella

This is the first "white eyed" Satellite record for the garden, the past captures have all been the form with orange "eyes".

........................................................................................................................................

THE SATELLITE 2256

Last nights Piece de Resistance was undoubtedly this stunning Oak Beauty.

A new record for The Dells garden and a very welcome one.

UK Moths give the flight time as March, so the warm evening stirred this little beauty into action a little early.

........................................................................................................................................

OAK BEAUTY 1930
Totals to date :-

4 Macro

4 Micro

10 moths in total

22nd - 29th Oct....Update.

A mixture of temperatures ranging from below zero to 11 deg.C this week, with windy conditions and rain on 3 nights. Last night was calmer and very mild until the cloud cover disappeared.
29th Oct...
2 x Willow Beauty
2 x Lesser Yellow U'wing
2 x Red-line Quaker
2 x Angle Shades
1 x Satellite
1 x Shuttle-shaped Dart
1 x Blair's Shoulder=knot
...................................................................................................................................
ANGLE SHADES

LESSER YELLOW UNDERWING

RED-LINE QUAKER

28th Oct......Mild, windy, dry.

One each of:-

Willow Beauty

Blairs Sh-knot

Yellow=line Quaker.

Barred Sallow

Red-green Carpet

.....................................................................................

Light Brown Apple Moth

A faded Beaded Chestnut

BARRED SALLOW

RED-GREEN CARPET

RED-LINE QUAKER

27th Oct...cool, dry and breezy

Large Wainscot.....Blair's Shoulder-knot.....Red-line Quaker.....Satellite.....Willow Beauty

..................................................................................................................................

LARGE WAINSCOT

SATELLITE
26th Oct.....wet and windy....2 x Large Wainscot....1 x Blair's Shoulder-knot

25th Oct....Cold.....Pale Mottled Willow.....1 x Red-line and 1 x Yellow-line Quaker

24th Oct....Cold........1 x Yellow-line Quaker

23rd Oct ZERO 22nd Oct.......1 x Willow Beauty...2 x Lesser Yellow U'wing...2 x Blair's Shoulder-knot...

1 x Large Wainscot...1 x Yellow-line Quaker... 1 x Spruce Carpet and a probable Agonopterix heracliana.................................................................................................................

WILLOW BEAUTY

Agonopterix heracliana ??????
SPRUCE CARPET