Garden Moths catch-up

It's been a very slow year with moth numbers well down on last year.
Here are a few since late Aug.

Treble-bar

Dusky THorn

Maiden's Blush

Dotted Rustic

Epinotia ramella f. costana

Lunar Underwing

Depressaria badiella

Clover Case-bearer - Coleophora alcyonipennella

Old Lady, sugaring

Large Ranunculus

Latest garden moths

Large Yellow Underwing numbers have dropped to double figures over the last few days due to cooler nights and a full moon in the clear sky.
Still plenty of Square-spot Rustic and Flounced Rustic
On the 8th Sept the first Lunar Underwing turned up, soon to become the most numerous moths in the traps.

Lunar Underwing

The Agonopterix below is a little worn but it looks like A. nervosa. (tbc)

Agonopterix nervosa

 A steady stream of autumn Small Blood-vein, lots of fresh Garden Carpet and the smaller 2nd or 3rd generation Brimstone Moths and Willow Beauty are coming through.
Other 2nd generation singles include Oak Hook-tip, Treble-bar, Small Square-spot, Common Marbled Carpet and Campion.

Oak Hook-tip

Treble-bar

Small Square-spot

Common Marbled Carpet

Campion

Orange Sallow added a splash of colour in the trap, second record this year

Orange Sallow

22nd Sept 2013 ... Deep Joy

A Deep-brown Dart was added to the year list.
This is a scarce moth in my garden with only one or two previous records.
The previous evening (21st) a Small Magpie, Eurrhypara hortulata, was a very late record, the flight period normally ends in July.
 22nd Sept. warm 12.3 deg C
0985 ... Cacoecimorpha pronubana, Carnation Tortrix x 4
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana, Light Brown Apple Moth x 5
1048 ... Acleris variegana, Garden Rose Tortrix
1309 ... Agriphila geniculea x 2
1413 ... Hypsopygia costalis, Gold Triangle
1707 ... Small Dusty Wave
1728 ... Garden Carpet x 3
1906 ... Brimstone Moth
1937 ... Willow Beauty x 5
1961 ... Light Emerald x 2
2087 ... Turnip Moth x 6
2107 ... Large Yellow Underwing x 38
2109 ... Lesser Yellow Underwing x 11
2110 ... Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing x 2
2126 ... Setaceous Hebrew Character x 18
2134 ... Square-spot Rustic x 7
2154 ... Cabbage Moth
2231 ... Deep-brown Dart, YF

2231 ... Deep-brown Dart ... female

2232 ... Black Rustic x 5
2252 ... Large Ranunculus
2267 ... Beaded Chestnut, X ... Lunar Underwing ... cheers Andy G.

2270 ... Lunar Underwing

Only had to wait a couple of nights for a real one (above) Beaded Chestnut

2270 ... Lunar Underwing x 20
2289 ... Pale Mottled Willow x 6
2297x . Copper Underwing agg x 3
2306 ... Angle Shades
2353 ... Flounced Rustic x 2
2364 ... Frosted Orange

2364 ... Frosted Orange

2384 ... Vines Rustic x 9
2474 ... Straw Dot

14th Sept 2013 ... Forever Autumn

The clear night sky sent temperatures down to 5 deg C  and it looks like being a wet and windy week ahead.
Just a few late summer stragglers in the traps with some real autumn moths ....
0015 ... Orange Swift
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana, Light Brown Apple Moth x 2
1309 ... Agriphila geniculea x 2
2107 ... Large Yellow Underwing x 12
2109 ... Lesser Yellow Underwing
2126 ... Setaceous Hebrew Character x 4
2134 ... Square-spot Rustic
2154 ... Cabbage Moth
2232 ... Black Rustic
2252 ... Large Ranunculus ... YF

2270 ... Lunar Underwing ... x 2, YF

2304 ... Vine's Rustic
2306 ... Angle Shades
2353 ... Flounced Rustic
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow x 2

29th Sept. 2012 .. Garden traps

Down to 5 deg last night with an early rising full moon which is lighting up the garden and casting clear shadows, so not ideal conditions for the traps.
Where are the Shuttle-shaped Darts ?
This time last year I was recording them in double figures up to mid October, although daytime temperatures in October last year were hitting 30 degs, !
Lunar Underwing is now the bulk of the catch with 18 recorded and 3 Large Ranunculus also ignored the bright moon and made it to the trap lights.

  1 .. 0647 .. Hofmannophila pseudospretella
  1 .. 0648 .. Endrosis sarcitrella
  1 .. 0674 .. Depressaria badiella
  1 .. 0998 .. Epiphyas postvittana
  2 .. 1048 .. Acleris variegana
  1 .. 1342 .. Eudonia angustea
  3 .. 1524 .. Emmelina monodactyla
  2 .. 1728 .. Garden Carpet
  1 .. 1916 .. Light Emerald
  4 .. 1937 .. Willow Beauty
  4 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
  6 .. 2109 .. Lesser Yellow Underwing
  1 .. 2110 .. Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
  3 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
  3 .. 2252 .. Large Ranunculus
18 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing

2270 Lunar Underwing, Omphaloscelis lunosa 

  2 .. 2384 .. Vine's Rustic

22nd Sept 2012 ... Garden traps and Correction

It looks like we are going to have some rough weather for the next few nights so the traps have been covered and battened down (no room in the shed).
Last nights temp fell to 5.9 deg and the moth count was well down but a Brown-spot Pinion was added to the year list. No it wasn't .... last autumn was a long time ago... a pale Lunar Underwing was trapped NOT a B-s P
I KNEW that didn't look quite right ! 
Thanks for the correction Andy, Matt, Andy. (I hadn't added it to my total you may have noticed)
No gain on Matt Captain Trappings total tho, in fact I'm now 13 behind, and what's more,in between gorging Chinese food and quaffing copious amounts of a nice Aussie red with friends at the Captains domicile he checked his trap and found....a Brown-spot Pinion. A real one !

Lunar Underwing

  1 .. 0674 .. Depressaria badiella
  1 .. 1048 .. Acleris variegana
  3 .. 1524 .. Emmelina monodactyla
  2 .. 1728 .. Garden Carpet
  1 .. 1776 .. Green Carpet
  1 .. 1916 .. Light Emerald
  2 .. 1937 .. Willow Beauty
  1 .. 2087 .. Turnip Moth
  2 .. 2092 .. Shuttle-shaped Dart
18 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
14 .. 2109 .. Lesser Yellow Underwing
13 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
  3 .. 2134 .. Square-spot Rustic
  4 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing
  1 .. 2297 .. Copper Underwing
  1 .. 2353 .. Flounced Rustic
  2 .. 2384 .. Vine's Rustic
  1 .. 2389 .. Pale Mottled Willow
  1 .. 2441 .. Silver Y

16th September 2012 ... Sedums and traps results

I have a well established Sedum in the garden which is a superb source of nectar for a variety of insects at a time when the Buddleia and Lavenders are past their best.
During the day it is covered with bees, hoverflies and butterflies and at night it hosts an array of nocturnal feeders.
There are hundreds of varieties, and with careful selection, you can have them flowering from July through to October.
Here is a link to the Royal Horticultural society sedum variety trials.
http://www.rhs.org.uk/getattachment/3f6b5c23-913c-4289-9b59-07854da6e280/Herbaceous-Sedums.aspx

 Height and spread...2 ft/600mm. Sedum spectabile "Autumn Joy". This is a two year old plant growing under one of my apple trees

Emmelina monodactyla (Common Plume) and Amblyptilia acanthadactyla (Beautiful Plume) were found feeding last night, along with Lesser and Large Yellow Underwings

On the minus side, Vine Weevils are also partial to a sip of Sedum nectar.
A big plus is the bees during the day

I will certainly be planting more of these with the aim of broadening the flowering season.......

Last nights traps :-
  1 .. 0263 .. Apple Leaf Miner,Lyonetia clerkella, dark form
  1 .. 0647 .. Brown House Moth, Hofmannophila pseudospretella
  2 .. 0648 .. White-shouldered House Moth, Endrosis sarcitrella
  2 .. 0998 .. Light Brown Apple Moth, Epiphyas postvittana
  2 .. 1048 .. Garden Rose Tortrix, Acleris variegana

  1 .. 1497 .. Beautiful Plume, Amblyptilia acanthadactyla
20+. 1524 .. Common Plume, Emmelina monodactyla

  2 .. 0015 .. Orange Swift
  2 .. 1728 .. Garden Carpet
  1 .. 1764 .. Common Marbled Carpet
  1 .. 1816 .. Toadflax Pug
  1 .. 1862 .. Double-striped Pug
  1 .. 1906 .. Brimstone Moth
  1 .. 1914 .. Dusky Thorn

  3 .. 1916 .. Light Emerald
  4 .. 1937 .. Willow Berauty
70 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
16 .. 2109 .. Lesser Yellow Underwing
  1 .. 2110 .. Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
36 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
  4 .. 2134 .. Square-spot Rustic
  3 .. 2199 .. Common Wainscot
  1 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing, year first

  1 .. 2293 .. Marbled Beauty
  1 .. 2306 .. Angle Shades
  4 .. 2353 .. Flounced Rustic
  8 .. 2384 .. Vine's Rustic
  6 .. 2389 .. Pale Mottled Willow
  1 .. 2477 .. Snout

15th Sept 2011... Brrrrr !

Min overnight temp 6.6 deg, calm, clear, bright moon.
A bit on the nippy side last night and low counts for traps.
Plenty of Flounced Rustics around but Large Yellow Underwings are on the decline now.
A year first Lunar Underwing added one more to the year list.

LUNAR UNDERWING

Almost there, just two to go for the 400 target with plenty of autumn species to come .
2011 garden tally:-
398 species....227 macro, 171 micro
I am thinking of waving the white flag on the wine bet as I am about 25 species behind Capt. Trappings and struggling to keep up let alone make any ground.
Maybe some intense leaf mining might help a little but I don't have the range of indiginous trees & shrubs as C.T. who wisely planted a 30mt native hedgerow a few years back and has accrued a big tally of micro moths this year.
(But not yet (:0))

23rd Sept.....New moth for The Dells

MOUSE MOTH . . . . .Not the new moth, just a late addition.

Had the Skinner and the Funnel trap out last night. Weather was warm and overcast with a hint of a breeze which would have been perfect had the clouds not disappeared to reveal a big bright moon. Having said that, two Large Ranunculus were trapped, one in the Skinner and one in the Funnel Trap. This is the first time I have had them actually in the traps as they usually sit on the walls nearby. Highlight of the evening was a new tick ...................................

..............................................BRINDLED GREEN

LUNAR UNDERWING is now becoming abundant with 9 in the traps

RIBAND WAVE on the shed door

WILLOW BEAUTY appeared in numbers with 16 around the traps

SMALL BLOOD-VEIN looking worse for wear The nights haul:-

16 x Willow Beauty

12 x Large Yellow Underwing

12 x Pale Mottled Willow

9 x Lunar Underwing

5 x Shuttle-shaped Dart

4 x Turnip Moth

3 x Lesser Yellow Underwing

2 x Square-spot Rustic

2 x Garden Carpet

2 x Large Ranunculus

Black Rustic

Light Emerald

Snall Blood-vein

Riband Wave

Mouse Moth

Brindled Green

10th Sept...Better late than never

RUSTIC ???????????
UNCERTAIN ????????????

Got back from a work trip to Wales at 0230hours and set two skinner traps, so this record should be 11th. A windy night plus the late trapping didnt raise hopes but at least I got my first Lunar Underwing of the year. Large Yellow Underwings were plentiful along with Rustic/Uncertain types.
......................................................
RUSTIC ???

Thanks Ben, this particular moth is in fact a LESSER YELLOW UNDERWING.....The RUSTIC type which should have appeared here has now been added at the top of the page

LUNAR UNDERWING first of the year

LUNAR TICKS

Lunar Underwings variable colours (posted 18.50)

Trap results 25/9/09

Nice weather, calm, but slim pickings. A garden first was a Mallow on the wall near the trap. Also 2 x Willow Beauty, 3 x Large Yellow Underwing, 1 x Lesser Yellow Underwing, 1 x Shuttle-Shaped Dart, 1 x Pale Mottled Willow and a pale form of the Lunar Underwing (pictured)