14th April 2015 ... Garden Moth traps latest

22 deg at dusk dropping to 9 deg at dawn.
Light breeze, clear with a fresh feel.
Much better night temperatures at last but not for long unfortunately.
An early Bee Moth couldn't match last years record of March 16th, the earliest ever in VC30.

Aphomia sociella

Agonopterix arenella and Endrosis sarcitrella were year first micro's.

Agonopterix arenella

Endrosis sarcitrella

Double-striped Pug numbers have reached plague proportions with 35 potted up and released on the Biggleswade to Kings Cross line.
Another Red Chestnut turned up and a Powdered Quaker made its 2015 debut as did Chestnut.

Powdered Quaker

Chestnut

14th April :-
0483 Epermenia chaerophyllella, (Golden Lance-wing) 1
0648 Endrosis sarcitrella, (White-shouldered House Moth) 1, year first
0697 Agonopterix arenella, (Brindled Flat-body) 1, year first
0998 Epiphyas postvittana, (Light Brown Apple Moth) 3
1428 Aphomia sociella . (Bee Moth), 1, year first
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, (Common Plume) 6
1862 Double-striped Pug, 35
1917 Early Thorn, 1
2063 Muslin Moth, 3
2139 Red Chestnut, 1
2186 Powdered Quaker, 1, year first
2187 Common Quaker, 2
2188 Clouded Drab, 3
2256 Satellite, 1
2258 Chestnut, 1, year first

3rd April 2014 ... Warm start to Spring brings early arrivals

Min overnight temperature, 11 deg C, cloudy. Wind change from East to Sou'west.
Many early arrivals, including Yellow-barred Brindle, V-pug and Varied Coronet which is exceptionally early.
28 species were recorded

0284 ... Caloptilia rufipennella, x 1
0483 ... Epermenia chaerophyllella, x 2
0648 ... Endrosis sarcitrella, x 1, ... year first

Endrosis sarcitrella, White-shouldered House-moth

0688 ... Agonopterix heracliana, x 1
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana, x 2
1047 ... Acleris schalleriana, x 1
1288 ... Alucita hexadactyla, x 2
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla, x 8
1862 ... Double-striped Pug, x 17
1858 ... V-pug, x 1, ... year first

Chloroclystis v-ata, V-pug

1883 ... Yellow-barred Brindle, x 1, ... year first

Acasis viretata, Yellow-barred Brindle

1917 ... Early Thorn, x 1
2063 ... Muslin Moth, x 1
2064 ... Ruby Tiger, x 1, ... year first

2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart, x 1, ... year first

Agrotis puta, Shuttle-shaped Dart

2139 ... Red Chestnut, x 1
2170 ... Varied Coronet, x 1, ... year first

Hadena compta, Varied Coronet

2182 ... Small Quaker, x 5
2185 ... Lead-coloured Drab, x 1, ... year first

Eupithecia plumbeolata, Lead-coloured Drab (male)

2186 ... Powdered Quaker, x 1, ... year first

Orthosia gracilis, Powdered Quaker

2187 ... Common Quaker, x 25
2188 ... Clouded Drab, x 2
2189 ... Twin-spotted Quaker, x 1
2190 ... Hebrew Character, x 6
2243 ... Early Grey, x 6
2256 ... Satellite, x 1
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow, x 2

1st May 2013 ... Ticking along

Still waiting for a couple of warm, humid nights, but the year tally is slowly moving along with two more macro's to add from the garden traps last night.

The Catch ...
0648 ... Endrosis sarcitrella ... White-shouldered House-moth ... 1
0688 ... Agonopterix heracliana ... Common Flatbody ... 1
1497 ... Amblyptilia acanthadactyla ... Beautiful Plume ... 1
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla ... Common Plume ... 7
1862 ... Gymnoscelis rufifasciata ... Double-striped Pug ... 1
2063 ... Diaphora mendica ... Muslin Moth ... 2, YF

2063 ... Muslin Moth ... Diaphora mendica

2182 ... Orthosia cruda ... Small Quaker ...1
2186 ... Orthosia gracilis ... Powdered Quaker ... 1, YF

2186 ... Powdered Quaker ... Orthosia gracilis

2187 ... Orthosia cerasi ... Common Quaker ... 1
2243 ... Xylocampa areola ... Early Grey ... 1

Butterflies seem to be doing ok in the garden with Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange-tip, Brimstone, Small and Large White and Holly Blue all noted.

Holly Blue ... Celastrina argiolus

Orange-tip ... Anthocharis cardamines

16th April 2012... Something new at last !

Overnight min. temp 4.6 deg. Wind, strengthening with rain (wet traps). 
The traps have been switched on tonight so I'm hoping the heavy rain that the weatherman has promised doesn't come earlier than the forecast. (See above !)
Temperatures are predicted at 4 deg minimum so maybe a few moths will be about tonight.
A daytime Argyrotaenia ljungiana was on the patio window this afternoon, and an Early Grey and Angle Shades were on the house wall beside the patio door, very odd for 4.15 pm....

A year first Argyrotaenia ljungiana 974

Tonights trap results to follow, including the afternoon moths.
The expected rain came a little earlier than forecast so the traps had to be emptied. moths and water.
It was a good exercise though with two new macros turning up before the weather set in.

0649 Esperia sulphurella 1 

1920 Scalloped Hazel Odontopera bidentata 1 year first

2186 Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis 1 year first

2190 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 1

2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 2

0974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana 1 year first

2306 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa 1

1920 Scalloped Hazel, Odontopera bidentata  

2186 Powdered Quaker, Orthosia gracilis

28th April 2011...Royal Wedding

It would have been appropriate to blog a few Royal related moths today, I checked the traps this morning but nothing doing.
How about a Coronet with a few Emeralds, Some White Ermine with a Royal Mantle would have been nice.
The royal coach flanked by Common Footmen, and lots of Waves from the Many Lined streets.
In the evening a possible sighting of a Small Rivulet and a Maidens Blush.
That's enough of that......Last night was windy and wet but I still managed to trap 41 moths of 10 species, with 2 new ticks for The Dells garden.
ENARMONIA FORMOSANA 1216 Cherry-bark Moth

A regular visitor to the lights and a stunner !

GREY PINE CARPET 1768, a year first

POWDERED QUAKER 2186....regular, almost nightly at this time of year.

COMMON PUG 1834 Totals :-

28 x Shuttle-shaped Dart

4 x Pale Mottled Willow

2 x Turnip Moth

Small Waved Umber

Hebrew Character

Powdered Quaker

Grey Pine Carpet *year first

Common Pug

Flame Shoulder

Enarmonia formosana *year first

The garden total now stands at 95 species, with 60 macros and 35 micros. (see pages, top left of blog for macro/micro lists)

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

2nd April 2011 ... Lead-coloured Drab (Mis-ID)

Cooler last night but the 40 mph gusting winds over the last two nights had settled down. A new macro for the year list appeared in Skinner#2, Lead-coloured Drab, which is uncommon in my garden having only recorded a single last year. .............................................................................. LEAD-COLOURED DRAB 2185 Thanks Matt and Ben for pointing out my mistake. this is in fact a light CLOUDED DRAB 2188

LEAD-COLOURED & CLOUDED DRAB. Which is now CLOUDED DRAB & CLOUDED DRAB, it certainly demonstrates the size and colour variations.

POWDERED QUAKER 2186

EARLY THORN 1917 Tally:-

5 x Common Quaker

5 x Early Grey

4 x Hebrew Character

3 x Clouded Drab (4)

2 x Powdered Quaker

2 x Double-striped Pug

1 x Diurnea fagella

1 x Emmelina monodactyla

546 moths of 29/30 species (1 awaiting ID) (totals corrected following balls-up)

425 macros of 19 species

122 micros of 10/11 species

28th March 2011....Possible A. scopariella

A new macro for the year turned up last night, a rather tatty Powdered Quaker. The big news was the micro I caught on the wall near the trap. At first I thought it was just another Agonopterix heracliana but its general behaviour prompted me to look a little closer as it had a different reaction to captivity than the host of heracliana I have caught. After flicking through UK moths I came to the conclusion that it was A. scopariella as it had the classic transverse twin black spots at a quarter distance from the thorax and the two white spots mid-way down the wing. Pics were sent to the VC 30 micro recorder, David Manning, who agrees that it ticks all the boxes but has some doubts about the wing shape. So the unfortunate creature is now in deep freeze awaiting collection for a more detailed examination. If it turns out to be scopariella it will be only the third one recorded in VC30 .......................................................................... POWDERED QUAKER 2186 AGONOPTERIX SCOPARIELLA ? awaiting confirmation but I am very keen on this one..........COMMENTS/OPINIONS very welcome Garden Tally :- 6 x Common Quaker 3 x Hebrew Character 2 x E. monodactyla 2 x Double-striped Pug 1 x Powdered Quaker * FFY 1 x Satellite 1 x Clouded Drab 1 x Small Quaker 1 x Diurnea fagella 1 x Agonopterix scopariella TBC Totals:- 445 moths (331 mac, 114 mic) of 29/30 species (19 macro, 10/11 micro)

20th May The list is slowly growing

I think this one is a type of Tortrix...........
Thanks Pab for the ID and
thanks David for confirmation of SYNDEMIS MUSCULANA

COMMON CARPET a garden first

LARGE NUTMEG (thanks Andy for confirming the ID) another garden first

RUSTIC SHOULDER KNOT

POWDERED QUAKER........late ? Results:-

15 x S.S.Dart

2 x Muslin Moth

2 x Brimstone Moth

2 x D.S. Pug

2 x Mottled Pug

2 x Common Pug

1 x Currant Pug

1 x Rustic Shoulder-knot

1 x Flame Shoulder

1 x Least Black Arches

1 x Garden Carpet

1 x Common Carpet (garden first)

1 x Small waved Umber

1 x Pale Mottled Willow

1 x Large Nutmeg (garden fisrt)

THE MICROs

1 x Pyrausta aurata...first for year

3 x E. monodactyla

2 x Argyrotaenia ljungiana

1 x Codling Moth

3 x Light Brown Apple Moth

AND A FEW FOR MR. MANNING !!!

4th May.....Another cold and Drab night

CLOUDED DRAB

Temperatures were down to 5 deg. C , but high enough for a few moths to take to the wing. This Clouded Drab (top) is the first for a while but no Common Quakers which appear to have ended their season at The Dells.

The traps and surrounding walls lured 12 moths of 9 species and the first 4 pics below show an unidentified micro from the skinner trap. The photos are not good quality having been taken in the dark with flash. But maybe good enough for an ID. The problem with these little blighters is they have usually escaped by the morning when a better shot on my limited camera would be possible. If anyone has a spare couple of £££GRAND£££ or so, I promise the pics will improve !!

The nights haul:-

4 x Shuttle-shaped Darts

1 x Common Pug (possibly !)

1 x Powdered Quaker

1 x Pale Mottled Willow

1 x Early Grey

1 x Cabbage Moth

1 x Clouded Drab

1 x Garden Carpet

1 x "D.Manning" ( my euphemism for an unidentified micro, I'm sure he won't mind )

4 pics of the unidentified micro, approx 7mm long :-

Identified as Scrobipalpa acuminatella thanks to David Manning

SCROBIPALPA ACUMINATELLA
Scrobipalpa acuminatella

Scrobipalpa acuminatella

I am going to stick my neck out and say this tiny pug is a COMMON PUG. It is a little less than 20mm across but as always, the ID is open to debate !

PALE MOTTLED WILLOW

POWDERED QUAKER

CABBAGE MOTH

GARDEN CARPET

Mr and Mrs S.S.Dart