7th April 2015 ... Double-striped Pug invasion

7th April 2015
Warm, cloudy, calm.
4.6 deg C minimum.
A much better night than the previous which saw a morning frost.
Temperatures stayed above double figures until well after midnight when the sky cleared.
The warm sunny day certainly prompted a big hatch of Double-striped Pugs, but no Brindled Pug amongst them.
32 were potted up for release this morning, but the true figure was probably 50 or more.

Double-striped Pug

P.S.
The same Double-striped Pug two hours later.....

The catch:-
0483 Epermenia chaerophyllella, 1, year first
0649 Esperia sulphurella, 2, year first
0998 Epiphyas postvittana, 2
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 9
1728 Garden Carpet, 1, year first
1862 Double-striped Pug, 32
1917 Early Thorn, 1, year first
2139 Red Chestnut, 1, year first
2182 Small Quaker, 1
2187 Common Quaker, 5
2188 Clouded Drab, 5
2190 Hebrew Character, 3
2243 Early Grey, 5

Epermenia chaerophyllella

Esperia sulphurella

Garden Carpet

Red Chestnut

Early Thorn

Early Thorn

28th March 2014 ... Garden Moths at last

After a week of cold weather it was back to the garden moth traps.
Minimum overnight temperature was 6+ degrees and the next few nights look very good as it gets warmer.
14 moths of 6 species were recorded
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla x 1
1862 ... Double-striped Pug x 3
1917 ... Early Thorn x 2
2187 ... Common Quaker x 2
2190 ... Hebrew Character x 1
2243 ... Early Grey x 5

Hebrew Character on Bird-cherry 

Early Thorn

29th March
Todays sunshine has seen the garden explode with insect activity.
Brimstone, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies, Bee Flies, Shield Bugs, Lily Beetles (unfortunately) and Ladybirds including Two-spot, Seven-spot and the uncommon 4-spot Pine Ladybird.
At 4mm in length the tiny Pine Ladybird is easily identified with a close inspection.
There are some ladybird forms that can resemble Pine,but the ID clinchers are as follows ....The two spots at the rear are "Full stops" and the two spots at the front are "Commas".
It also has a rim at the edge of the wing case which likens it to a small brimmed bowler hat when viewed from above.

Above
Pine Ladybirds
Below
Small Tortoiseshell catching some rays on my garden wall ...

17th March ... Grey areas

10 Early Grey and a Grey Shoulder-knot were amongst a decent tally last night.
2 x Early Thorn made a nice change from Orthosia species
Common Wasp has been recorded in the trap on 16th and 17th so I'm turning over the egg boxes with a little more caution as I check contents.
A Comma was added to the butterfly year on Sunday.

Grey Shoulder-knot

Early Thorn

Agonopterix alstromeriana

Agonopterix alstromeriana x 1
Epiphyas postvittana x 1
Emmelina monodactyla x 4
Double-striped Pug x 1
Early Thorn x 2
Common Quaker x 16
Clouded Drab x 3
Hebrew Character x 1
Grey Shoulder-knot x 1
Early Grey x 10

15th July 2013 ... Cherry Picking

The hot spell continues, the moth numbers have increased and a sudden busy spell at work means that I haven't had time to count and process everything in the traps.
Millions of Brown moths, too many.
Some notables .... 5 Clay was a high count and Lime, Elephant, Privet and Eyed made up the Hawk-moth catch.
Dingy Shears, Small Ranunculus, Sandy Carpet, Maple and Swallow Prominent were nice finds along with Early Thorn, Shaded Broad-bar and 5 huge Swallow-tailed Moths all standing out amongst the Brown horde.
SO, here are some pics of the moths that I "cherry picked", most are new for the year, but some are well worth a mention....
0873 ... Blastobasis adustella ... Dingy Dowd ... YF

873 ... Blastobasis adustella

1723 ... Ruddy Carpet ... YF

1723 ... Ruddy Carpet ... Catarhoe rubidata

2421 ... Scarce Silver-lines ...

2421 ... Scarce Silver-lines ... Bena bicolorana

1371 ... Sitochroa verticalis ... Lesser Pearl ... YF

1371 ... Sitochroa verticalis

1425 ... Galleria mellonella ... Wax Moth ... YF

1425 ... Galleria mellonella

1941 ... Mottled Beauty ... YF

1941 ... Mottled Beauty ... Alcis repandata

1020 ... Cnephasia stephensiana ... Grey Tortrix ... YF

1020 ... Cnephasia stephensiana 

2318 ... Dun-bar ... 2 ... YF

2318 ... The Dun-bar ... Cosmia trapezina

2473 ... Beautiful Hook-tip ... YF

2473 ... Beautiful Hook-tip ...  Laspeyria flexula

2466 ... The Blackneck ... YF

2466 ... The Blackneck ... Lygephila pastinum

1917 ... Early Thorn

1917 ... Early Thorn ... Selenia dentaria

16th April 2013 ... Early Thorn, Red Slender (Small)

Minimum overnight low ... 6.9 deg C
Still warm albeit windy, which possibly helps my garden tally with a few blow-ins.
Another good night in and around the traps with 33 moths of 13 species.
Caloptilia rufipennella was a good spot on the trap.
I'm wondering about the vernacular I've seen used for this moth ... Small Red Slender.
I'm all for a simple common vernacular, at least you wouldn't hear numerous pronunciations of Latin  for the majority of micro moths. (and wonder who is right).
Ideally there should be both Latin and vernacular in common usage, as in the macro moths. You can't go wrong with Small Red Slender, although it does imply that there is a bigger Red Slender on the loose, so why not just Red Slender ? Or is there a Red Slender that I haven't noticed ?
I'm sure I've said nothing here that hasn't been discussed several times in the past so here is last nights catch....

0284 .. Small Red Slender, Caloptilia rufipennella. (1) YF (pictured below)

284 ...  Caloptilia rufipennella

0663 .. March Tubic, Diurnea fagella. (2)
0688 .. Common Flat-body, Agonopterix heracliana. (1)
0695 .. Brown-spot Flat-body, Agonopterix alstromeriana. (1) YF (below)

695 .. Agonopterix alstromeriana

1497 .. Beautiful Plume, Amblyptilia acanthadactyla (1) YF (below)

1497 .. Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

1524 .. Common Plume, Emmelina monodactyla. (11)
1862 .. Double-striped Pug, Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (5)
1917 .. Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria. (1) YF (below)

1917 .. Early Thorn ... Selenia dentaria

2139 .. Red Chestnut, Cerastis rubricosa, (1)
2187 .. Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi. (5)
2188 .. Clouded Drab, Orthosia incerta. (1)
2190 .. Hebrew Character, Orthosia gothica. (2)
2243 .. Early Grey, Xylocampa areola. (1)

5th Sept 2012 ... Waiting

A wee bit chilly last night at 6 deg.
Nothing to add to the garden list.
Best moth last night was a second generation Early Thorn ...

The usual Large Yellow Underwings, Flounced Rustic, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic and Pale Mottled Willow.

3 x Angle Shades and a Spectacle.
Burnished Brass on 4th Aug.
Very few micro moths, except Agriphila geniculea
It's amazing that anything at all can fly through the garden which is now innundated with Garden Spiders ....

Garden Spider

The next couple of days look real good for Bedfordshire weatherwise so Matt and I are going to drop a trap in Home Wood maybe saturday night.

15th July 2012 ... Garden Traps Report

11 deg, Breezy
Just the one new micro for the year....
Batia unitella (Below)

642 Batia unitella

2 ... 0424 ... Yponomeuta evonymella
1 ... 0642 ... Batia unitella
1 ... 0787 ... Bryotropha terrella
1 ... 0874 ... Blastobasis lacticolella
1 ... 0964 ... Cochylis dubitana
1 ... 1010 ... Ditula angustiorana
2 ... 1063 ... Celypha striana
5 ... 1293 ... Chrysoteuchia culmella
3 ... 1294 ... Crambus pascuella
3 ... 1334 ... Scoparia ambigualis
1 ... 1338 ... Dipleurina lacustrata
3 ... 1344 ... Eudonia mercurella
1 ... 1376 ... Eurrhypara hortulata
1 ... 1390 ... Udea prunalis
1 ... 1413 ... Hypsopygia costalis
1 ... 1417 ... Pyralis farinalis
5 ... 1424 ... Endotricha flammealis
1 ... 1428 ... Aphomia sociella
4 ... 1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla
2 ... 1699 ... Least Carpet
3 ... 1713 ... Riband Wave
3 ... 1728 ... Garden Carpet
1 ... 1714 ... Yellow Shell
3 ... 1834 ... Common Pug (prob)
1 ... 1862 ... Double-striped Pug (Below)

1 ... 1906 ... Brimstone Moth
1 ... 1917 ... Early Thorn (Below)

1 ... 1921 ... Scalloped Oak
2 ... 1922 ... Swallow-tailed Moth
4 ... 1937 ... Willow Beauty
4 ... 2047 ... Scarce Footman
15...2050 ... Common Footman
1 ... 2077 ... Short-cloaked Moth
1 ... 2088 ... Heart & Club
2 ... 2098 ... Flame
1 ... 2126 ... Setaceous Hebrew Character
1 ... 2161 ... Bright-line Brown-eye
1 ... 2192 ... Brown-line Bright-eye
2 ... 2193 ... Clay
1 ... 2284x...Grey Dagger agg
15...2321 ... Dark Arches
2 ... 2322 ... Light Arches
2 ... 2341 ... Cloaked Minor
3 ... 2343x...Common Rustic agg  (Below)

14...2381 ... Uncertain
1 ... 2441 ... Silver Y

6th April 2011... Garden Traps

Overnight min. temp. 7.1 deg C ... Light rain most of the evening.
Much warmer last night so I gave the traps a run for the first time since last Monday night.
There are still Redwings passing over the garden at night, sounding like they need oiling, and the bat numbers have increased from 2 to 4.

Traps :- ... 19 moths of 9 species
0695 Agonopterix alstromeriana 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1862 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 2
1917 Early Thorn Selenia dentaria 1
2182 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 1
2188 Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta 5
2190 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 3
2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 3
2306 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa 2



Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria




Angle Shades, Phlogophora meticulosa ...Early Grey, Xylocampa areola



29th March 2012...Triumph Herald, not unleaded

Overnight min. temp. 4.6 deg. calm, clear.

It's been a superb week weather-wise in Bedfordshire, but the huge drops in temperature at night have not been ideal for the moth traps.
Having said that, it was a little warmer last night.                                               A year first Herald turn up, and after checking (and doubting) a number of Clouded Drabs, a Lead-coloured has finally appeared, along with a small Agonopterix which will need ID.
Traps :-
1862 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 11
1917 Early Thorn Selenia dentaria 3 
2182 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 6
2185 Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti 1, year first
2187 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 2 
2188 Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta 1 
2190 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 1
2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 4 
2469 The Herald Scoliopteryx libatrix 1, year first
  998 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 2
1288 Twenty-plume Moth Alucita hexadactyla 2
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 8
**** Agonopterix spp for ID



The Herald, Scoliopteryx libatrix



Lead-coloured Drab, Orthosia populeti



Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria 



15th March 2011... Best night so far..(despite ID mistakes)

15th March... 6.8 deg..Medium level cloud cover, warmer,
Blog entry changed due to mis-ID's
Thanks Andy B for the corrections.

Conditions were perfect last night and when my 2nd ever Twin-spotted Quaker turned up early in the evening the omens looked good.....
31 moths of 17 species,

Garden trap results:-
o647... Hofmannophila pseudospretella 1... year first
0663... Diurnea fagella, 3 ... 2 x Male, 1 x Female
0688... Agonopterix heracliana 1
? 0892... Mompha subbistrigella 1... year first whatever it is (to be checked)



Mompha subbistrigella ?  (to be confirmed)

1524... Emmelina monodactyla
1862... Double-striped Pug, 2... Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
1917... Early Thorn, 1...year first... Selenia dentaria

Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria

2182... Small Quaker, 5...Orthosia cruda
2187... Common Quaker, 5...Orthosia cruda
2188... Clouded Drab, 2 ... Orthosia incerta
2189... Twin-spotted Quaker, 1 ... Orthosia incerta



Twin-spotted Quaker, Orthosia incerta

 2190... Hebrew Character, 2 ... Orthosia gothica
2237... Grey Shoulder-knot, 1 ...Lithophane ornitopus



Grey Shoulder-knot, Lithophane ornitopus

 2243... Early Grey, 2 ... Xylocampa areola
2256... Satellite, 1 ... Eupsilia transversa
2258... Chestnut, 1 ...  Conistra vaccinii
1053... Acleris hastiana ... garden first ( originally ID'd as Oak Nycteoline by Mr Magoo here)

ABOVE... Acleris hastiana

                              BELOW...Female Diurnea fagella  * ID, Andy Banthorpe

The previous two nights were very average....

14th March...1.1 deg. calm, cold..clear with fog forming later
8 moths of 4 species........

2182 Small Quaker ..........................Orthosia cruda
2187 Common Quaker x 3 .............Orthosia cerasi
2190 Hebrew Character x 3.............Orthosia gothica
2243 Early Grey ..............................Xylocampa areola
.............................................................................................

13th March...5.4 deg min, calm, low-level cloud
14 moths of 6 species........

0688 Agonopterix heracliana
1524 Emmelina monodactyla
2187 Common Quaker x 5.................Orthosia cerasi
2188 Clouded Drab ...........................Orthosia incerta
2190 Hebrew Character x 5...............Orthosia gothica
2243 Early Grey.................................Xylocampa areola