19th & 20th April 2011 The Dells update

My Agonopterix species was Gen inspected by the county recorder and he confirms that it is indeed AGONOPTERIX SCOPARIELLA. from 28/03/11....that's 3 new Agonopterix species added this week to the garden records. The GLORIOUS weather continues and moths are turning up unseasonably early across the land, so would I if I was a moth. The traps are slowly getting busier and the Shuttle-shaped Darts numbers are steadily growing. Traps will be chock full of Large Yellow Underwings before we know it !

SALLOW KITTEN...20/04/11.....first for year FOXGLOVE PUG 1817......20/04/11.... first for 2011 SWALLOW PROMINENT 2007...third one so far SMALL WAVED UMBER 1781..20/04/11...2 of these last night 20/04/11...1st appearance for FLAME SHOULDER x2 19/04/11 ...A very dark example of GREY/DARK DAGGER agg. County recorder is interested in this and will examine it. Bets are on GREY DAGGER 2284, either way it's the earliest record for the county which seems to be the trend around GB this year ESPERIA SULPHURELLA 649.....seen on 19th & 20th by day and also attracted to the traps at night.Thanks Ben for pointing out that I have labelled this incorrectly...it is indeed INCURVIA MASCULELLA....my garden is full of E. sulphurella at the moment 19/04/11....AGONOPTERIX PROPINQUELLA 696....a new addition 19/04/11...AGONOPTERIX ARENELLA 697.....another new micro for the Dells 19/04/11 TINEA TRINOTELLA 247...FFY Waiting for the micro recorder to confirm ID but I think this could be EPINOTIA IMMUNDANA 1136 ID now confirmed by recorder and also by "Eagle-eyed" Ben Sale, thanks Ben The next 3 individual moths are unidentified, but I caught some of these last year and it caused a bit of a stir...The word was, if I catch some again this year, and the suspected ID is correct...it could be BIG news. Well here they are again...the micro recorder has some live examples and the result is expected over the next two weeks.....stay tuned. (or it could be a big anticlimax !) In the meantime I thought I would post some pics.

19/04/11 ..................? 20/04/11.............?? 20/04/11...........??? TOTALS for 19th

6 x Esperia sulphurella (Daytime)
6 x Shuttle-shaped Dart

4 x Double-striped Pug
3 x Hebrew Character
3 x Pale Mottled Willow
2 x Agonopterix arenella *Garden first
2 x Tinea trinotella *Year first
2 x Early Grey
Brimstone Moth
Clouded Drab
Common Quaker
Argyrotaenia ljungiana
Emmelina monodactyla
Nut-tree Tussock
Grey/Dark Dagger agg
Agonopterix propinquella *garden first
Swallow Prominant
Small Quaker
Powdered Quaker
Oak-tree Pug
Epinotia immundana (to be confirmed) ID confirmed
1 x micro (probably a very small Brown House-moth) to be ID'd ID confirmed as Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Brown House-moth)
Incurvia masculella * garden first...during the day

TOTALS for 20/04/11:-
Esperia sulphurella (any amount by day)
8 x Shuttle-shaped Dart (here we go again !)
6 x Early Grey
2 x Hebrew Character
2 x Common Quaker
2 x Brimstone Moth
2 x Flame Shoulder *year first
2 x Grey/Dark Dagger
2 x Emmelina monodactyla
2 x Small Waved Umber
Ruby Tiger
Sallow Kitten *year first
Swallow Prominent
Garden Carpet
Powdered Quaker
Tinea trinotella
Small Quaker
Epiphyas postvittana
5 x Double-striped Pug
1 x Common Pug
1 x Foxglove Pug *year first

plus the 3 no. mystery moths

The Dells garden year tally now stands at 45 macro and 22/23 micro (mystery moth ID pending)
I have decided not to continue adding up the total moth numbers, just the species.