Another Oak Eggar Larva

I found this Oak Eggar larva in no mans land on the paving slabs ...

... so I gave it a helping hand by placing it on a raspberry leaf at the back of the garden where it immediately started happily munching away.

I have high hopes of some adults in the trap around July time as this is the second larva found in the garden.
Despite their name, Oak is not the main foodplant. I have evidence of them feeding on Bramble, Hawthorn and this one chomping Raspberry leaves.
Last night was a bit wild and woolly weatherwise, with 50 mph gusts, unusual for May.
Undeterred, I put the traps on and was quite amazed to find 13 moths this morning, including a year first Scalloped Hazel which escaped the camera.
Garden Carpet
Scalloped Hazel, year first
Common Pug
Least Black Arches
Small Waved Umber
Shuttle-shaped Dart x 6
Hebrew Character
Below:
Least Black Arches

23rd April 2015 ... The shape of things to come ...

... Shuttle-shaped Dart that is.
I am usually inundated with them in late April and I'll bet they will run into double figures tonight as the wind finally stops chilling us from the N/E and changes to a South-westerly, to give us a warm night at last.
Below:
Shuttle-shaped Darts in the trap this morning waiting to be released from the butter carton.
I'll probably need a bigger carton tomorrow morning.

2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart

I almost missed this one due to its tiny size and its colour, making it difficult to see in the egg boxes.
When I first started mothing in 2009, I sent one of these to the micro moth recorder for identification, not realising it was indeed a macro moth.
Another year tick ...

2078 Least Black Arches

23rd April
0697 Agonopterix arenella, 1
0998 Epiphyas postvittana, 1
1428 Aphomia sociella, 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 2
1728 Garden Carpet, 1
2078 Least Black Arches, 1, year first
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart, 5
2187 Common Quaker, 1
2243 Early Grey, 2

Song Thrush at its morning perch on the top my neighbours large conifer enjoying the early morning rays ...

17th April 2014 ... Garden moths latest, Least Black Arches

Cold, clear nights prevail but the bright moon didn't show until midnightish.
Down to 3.6 deg C , coldest at 6.00 am.
Highlight of the Night :-
LEAST BLACK ARCHES

The Catch :-
0648 ... Esperia sulphurella, x 1, + 2 during the daytime
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana, x 1
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla, x 1
1781 ... Small Waved Umber, x 1
1936 ... Waved Umber, x 1
2063 ... Muslin Moth, x 2
2078 ... Least Black Arches, x 1 ... year first

Nola confusalis, ... Least Black Arches

2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart, x 4
2154 ... Cabbage Moth, x 1 ... year first

Mamestra brassicae, ... Cabbage Moth

2182 ... Small Quaker, x 1
2186 ... Powdered Quaker, x 1
2188 ... Clouded Drab, x 1
2190 ... Hebrew Character, x 1
2243 ... Early Grey, x 2
2306 ... Angle Shades, x 2
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow, x 1

7th May 2013 ... Another new macro .........

The weather has been kind these last few days with a nice variety of moths turning up, including this new species for the garden ... LUNAR MARBLED BROWN

2015 ... Lunar Marbled Brown ...Drymonia dodoneae

3 more quality moths were added to the year list ....
BUTTONED SNOUT ....

2480 ... Buttoned Snout ... Hypena rostralis

PALE TUSSOCK ...

2028 ... Pale Tussock ... Calliteara pudibunda

LEAST BLACK ARCHES ...

2078 ... Least Black Arches ...Nola confusalis

22nd May 2012 ... Bumper evening

Overnight min. temp. 10.4 deg ... warm and calm.
Hands up anyone who didn't get a year first last night....
As expected, this was the best night of the year so far with around 40 species in and around the traps.
Trap results :-
1728 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata 5
1769 Spruce Carpet Thera britannica 1, year first (Below)

1781 Small Waved Umber Horisme vitalbata 1

1825 Lime-speck Pug Eupithecia centaureata 1, year first
1834 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata 3
1862 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 2
1906 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata 2
1920 Scalloped Hazel Odontopera bidentata 4
1937 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria 1, year first (Below)

1997 Sallow Kitten Furcula furcula 1, year first (Below)

2063 Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica 2

2078 Least Black Arches Nola confusalis 2, (Below)

2087 Turnip Moth Agrotis segetum 3
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta 8
2145 The Nutmeg Discestra trifolii 1, year first (Below)

2154 Cabbage Moth Mamestra brassicae 2

2160 Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea 1, year first (Below)

2190 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 1
2283/4 Dark/Grey Dagger Acronicta tridens/psi 1
2306 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa 3

2333 Large Nutmeg Apamea anceps 1, year first (Below)

2389 Pale Mottled Willow Paradrina clavipalpis 5

2480 Buttoned Snout Hypena rostralis 1, year first (Below)

Micro moths :-
229 Monopis obviella 2
247 Tinea trinotella 3, year first (Below)

409a Argyresthia trifasciata 2, year first
647 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella 1
648 White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella 3
672 Parsnip Moth Depressaria heraclei 2, year first (Below)
NB ... Wrong pic. this one is Hofmannophila pseudospretella
the Brown House Moth

779 Bryotropha affinis 3
808 Platyedra subcinerea 4
947 Aethes smeathmanniana 1, year first (Below)

974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana 2
998 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 5
1342 Eudonia angustea 2
1428 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 6
plus 2 for the recorder to determine

28th - 30th July...The Dells garden update

The topsy-turvy temperatures continue, and as can be seen by the stats below, there seems to be an exact mathematical equasion between temperatures and moth numbers.
One thing is for sure....7.1 degrees is chilly for the third week in July !
..........................................................................................................
30th July
min temp 9.6 deg
Species count ... 39
Moth count .......108
Most = Shuttle-shaped Dart, 44
...............................................
29th July                                                
min temp 7.1 deg                                    
Species count...27                                  
Moth count......100                                
Most = Shuttle-shaped Dart, 49              
................................................
28th July
min temp 12.9 deg
Species count...59
Moth count.......195
Most = Shuttle-shaped Dart, 75
.................................................
Obviously the best night for a while was the 28th. It was warm and humid and The Dells traps/walls were very busy.
Nothing new on 29th/30th so I will list the haul on the 28th as this was the best night of the year so far.
Micros
2 x Pleuroptya ruralis (Mother of Pearl)
2 x Yponomeuta evonymella (Bird-cherry Ermine)
1 x Dichomeris marginella (Juniper Webber) FFY



DICHOMERIS MARGINELLA 862

 1 x Parapoynx stratiotata (Ringed China-mark)
2 x Cydia pomonella (Codling Moth)
5 x Endotricha flammealis
2 x Cnephasia sp.
1 x Coleophorus sp.
3 x Ditula angustiorana (Red-barred Tortrix)
1 x Pandemis heparana (Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix)
2 x Lozotaeniodes formosanus FFY

LOZOTAENIODES FORMOSANUS 1001

5 x Chrysoteuchia culmella (Common Grass Veneer)
3 x Crambus pascuella
1 x Yponomeuta cagnagella (Spindle Ermine)
1 x Agriphila straminella
1 x Blastobasis adustella
3 x Eudonia mercurella
1 x Zeiraphera isertana
1 x Eudemis profundana NFG

EUDEMIS PROFUNDANA 1113

2 x Argyrotaenia ljungiana
1 x Bryotropha terrella
1 x Eucosma cana
2 x Plutella xylostella (Diamond-back Moth)
1 x Batia unitella
1 x Depressaria sp (Gen det result imminent)
1 x Dichrorampha acuminatana FFY

DICHRORAMPHA ACUMINATANA 1279

Macro
5 x Riband Wave
4 x Cloaked Minor
75 x Shuttle-shaped Dart
1 x The Rustic
3 x Scarce Footman
2 x Straw Underwing
1 x Tawney Speckled Pug f. fulvata,  NFG

TAWNEY SPECKLED PUG f. FULVATA 1838

2 x Grey Dagger agg. a doo doo doo, push pineapple, open a vein !
It always reminds me of that appalling song every time I type Dagger agg.
2 x Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
3 x Large Yellow Underwing
3 x Lesser Yellow Underwing
2 x Yellow Shell
3 x Least Carpet
4 x Common Rustic agg
1 x Dwarf Cream Wave
1 x Common Footman
6 x Ruby Tiger
1 x Black Arches NFG

BLACK ARCHES

3 x Dark Arches
1 x Red Twin-spot Carpet
3 x Willow Beauty
1 x Small Ranunculus
1 x Leopard Moth



LEOPARD MOTH

1 x Common Carpet
1 x Flame Shoulder
2 x Buff Ermine
3 x Uncertain
2 x Clay
1 x Single-dotted Wave
1 x Poplar Grey
4 x Turnip Moth
1 x Shaded Broad-bar FFY

SHADED BROAD-BAR

Totals to date :-
351 species.....204 macro, 147 micro

19th April 2011..One swallow doth not a summer make

Shakespeare, I think.....Very low numbers last night with the bright full moon in full view.......I almost didn't bother with the traps but as usual on they went....A first Swallow Prominent justified the change of mind.....Three (at least) Esperia sulphurella in the garden during the day boosted my micro list by one.

SWALLOW PROMINENT 2007

ARGYROTAENIA LJUNGIANA 974 .....a common micro

ESPERIA SULPHURELLA 649

LEAST BLACK ARCHES 2078.....from previous evening, fairly common in The Dells garden but difficult in some areas. Last nights catch:-

Just 6 moths caught in the two traps and 5 on the walls.

2 x Shuttle-shaped Dart

2 x Early Grey

2 x Double-striped Pug

1 x Emmelina monodactyla

1 x Brimstone Moth

1 x Argyrotaenia ljungiana

1 x Swallow Prominent *year first

3 x Esperia sulphurella *year first

TOTALS:-

849 moths recorded (676 macro, 173 micro)

58/59 species (41 macro, 17/18 micro) one ID pending, today the frozen specimen is being collected by the county micro recorder.

11th April 2011...Underneath the Arches

I nearly left the traps off last night given the strong wind. Amazingly, two E. monos were found near the traps, how these flimsy plumes manage to fly in these conditions is beyond me. Tucked up in a crevice above my shed light fixture was this Least Black Arches, a month earlier than last year, and difficult to get the camera in for a shot. These are regular visitors, the large Lime tree nearby is the probable reason as it is a known foodplant. ................................................................ LEAST BLACK ARCHES 2078

POWDERED QUAKER 2186

I found this Bee Fly this morning in the shed. It was still half asleep so I placed it on a Dandelion for the shot. Normally they are feeding on my Aubretias............BEE FLY..Bombylius major Last night:-

4 x Hebrew Character

2 x Emmelina monodactyla

2 x Double-striped Pug

1 x Early Grey

1 x Powdered Quaker

1 x Least Black Arches (year first)

Totals:-

720 moths (569 macros, 151 micros)

37/38 species (25 macro, 12/13 micro) one ID pending

4th June.. Charge of the Light Brocade

June kicks off with some interesting moths, 4 garden firsts and 3 FFY's.
CINNABAR MOTH

COMMON MARBLED CARPET

LARGE YELLOW UNDERWING

LEAST BLACK ARCHES

BUTTONED SNOUT to be confirmed.........Thanks Andy & Melissa for confirmation

PRIVET HAWKMOTH

LIGHT BROCADE

ORANGE FOOTMAN

WILLOW BEAUTY

FIGURE of 80 A great nights trapping in the garden, with 30 macros plus PUGS. The Buttoned Snout needs confirmation and some micros need identifying. Last nights results:-

22 x Heart & Dart highest count

10 x S.S.Dart

5 x Large Nutmeg

4 x Lime Hawkmoth
4 x Marbled Minor agg.

4 x Rustic Shoulder-knot

3 x Treble Lines

2 x Willow Beauty FFY

2 x Brimstone Moth

2 x Pale Mottled Willow

2 x Light Emerald

2 x Buff Ermine

2 x Cinnabar Moth

2 x Bright-line Brown-eye

Buttoned Snout Garden first (if confirmed) Thanks Andy & Melissa for confirmation

Garden Carpet

Privet Hawkmoth Garden first

Light Brocade Garden first

Large Yellow Underwing FFY

Flame Shoulder

Common Marbled Carpet

Least Black Arches

Clouded Silver

Small Waved Umber

Waved Umber

Vine's Rustic

Orange Footman 2nd for year

Common Swift

Common Wainscot FFY

Figure of 80 Garden first

PLUS SEVERAL PUGS !

Micros:-

4 x Bee Moth

3 x Codling Moth

8 x L.B.Apple Moth

2 x Brown Housemoth

2 x Epiblema cynosbatella

more unidentified..................

19th May MACROs

The glorious weather continues and another garden first in the shape of a Waved Umber appeared by the trap. Also a mystery-moth.
............................................
............................................
The mystery moth turned out to be an unusual SHUTTLE-SHAPED DART (thanks Andy for all your help on this one...tricky !)

LEAST BLACK ARCHES two found on illuminated roller-blind

CABBAGE MOTH clearly showing the tell-tale spur on the front leg

KNOT GRASS

WAVED UMBER a garden first for The Dells and I bet it would be hard to spot on the trunk of a Silver Birch

Results:-

21 x S.S.Dart

4 x Brimstone Moth

2 x Least Black Arches

2 x Currant Pug

4 x Common Pug

2 x Double-striped Pug

2 x Mottled Pug

1 x Waved Umber

1 x Small Waved Umber

1 x Muslin Moth

1 x Dark/Grey Dagger

1 x Bright-line Brown-eye

1 x Cabbage Moth

1 x Knot Grass