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

27th July 2011...Double Lobed brings up double century !

Overnight min. temp:- 12.8 deg
Weather:- Overcast, calm
The 200th macro for the year with a Double Lobed was a nice milestone to reach, only my second record, and just to be sure a Svenssons Copper Underwing made it 201.
Flame Shoulder and Setaceous Hebrew Character showed up after a long absence.
Other highlights were 2 x Spectacle, 1 x Campion, 1 x White Satin Moth, Pine Hawkmoth, Nutmeg, Peppered Moth, Scalloped Oak.
Carpets:- Least, Common, Garden and Red Twin-spot, Small Waved Umber, Yellow Shell


DOUBLE LOBED

 Svenssons Copper Underwing is a species I like to get "out of the way" early when they are fresh. The differences in the underside of the hindwing is documented in the "Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland", by Paul Waring and Martin Townsend, although sometimes this is not always easy to differentiate.
UK Moths website state that there is a difference in the labial palps, Svenssons has white tips, whereas Copper has all dark. This seems to bear up with the examples I have looked at from my garden.
Personally, I think the overall appearance is a good rough guide, Copper Underwing looks neater with richer colouring, Svenssons always looks a little scruffy.
Unscientific it may be but it usually proves correct on fresh specimens.
It proved too fiddly to put up any pics of the underwings.

COPPER UNDERWING



SVENSSONS COPPER UNDERWING



SVENSSONS COPPER UNDERWING showing white tips to labial palps

 Garden tally for 2011 :-
341 species, 201 macro and 140 micro
*** I have since had confirmation that Vitula biviella 1478b, caught on 20th July, has been accepted by the county recorder.
So the total is now 342 species...201 macro, 141 micro

26th July 2011...Gradual improvement

Overnight temp. 13.4 deg. Overcast and calm conditions.
61 Shuttle-shaped Darts was an all-time high, and at last Common Carpet has turned up.
Two more Small Ranunculus brought the years total to a very healthy 22.
Three Straw Underwings were the first this year and an Old Lady made two attempts to go in the trap unsuccessfully.It fluttered around like a bat before settling on the house wall long enough for me to get camera/large pot, but not long enough to put either to use, so no pic. I had 5 or 6 of these last year so I'm hoping another opportunity will soon arise.
Tonight looks good weatherwise so I'm hoping to get my 200th macro for the year...one to go !
On the micro front, a good selection, with a garden first for Aspilapteryx tringipennella.
The Catch (macro)
61 x Shuttle-shaped Dart
1 x Copper Underwing agg.
1 x Lime-speck Pug
1 x Toadflax Pug
1 x Double-striped Pug
1 x Wormwood Pug
6 x Common Rustic agg.
2 x Willow Beauty
4 x Least Carpet
4 x Ruby Tiger
4 x Riband Wave
6 x Cloaked Minor
2 x Brimstone Moth
4 x Yellow Shell

YELLOW SHELL

1 x Marbled Beauty
3 x Large Yellow Underwing
1 x Pine Hawkmoth
2 x Small Ranunculus
1 x Bright-line Brown-eye
1 x Dot Moth
2 x Lesser Yellow Underwing
1 x Dingy Footman
1 x Scarce Footman
3 x Turnip Moth
2 x Common Carpet FFY

COMMON CARPET

2 x Garden Carpet
1 x White Satin Moth
2 x Pale Mottled Willow
1 x Old Lady FFY
3 x Straw Underwing FFY



STRAW UNDERWING

4 x Clay 2 x Buff Ermine
1 x Nutmeg
1 x Grey Dagger agg.
1 x Poplar Grey
2 x Uncertain
2 x Swallow Prominent



SWALLOW PROMINENT

Micros
12 x Chrysoteuchia culmella
8 x Crambus pascuella
1 x Caloptria pinella
2 x Agapeta hamana
2 x Pleuroptya ruralis
3 x Hypsopygia costalis
2 x Cydia pomonella
1 x Acleris variegana
1 x Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

AMBLYPTILIA ACANTHADACTYLA

1 x Pterophorus pentadactyla
1 x Ypsolopha scabrella
1 x Acleris forsskaleana
1 x Aethes cnicana
1 x Gelechia senticetella
2 x Hofmannophila pseudospretella
1 x Aspilapteryx tringipennella  (garden first)

ASPILAPTERYX TRINGIPENNELLA

1 x Ditula angustiorana
1 x Platyedra subcinerea
1 x Spilonota ocellana.....not to be confused with Cydia servillana ! ( cheers Skev)
2011 Garden total now stands at 339 species, 199 macro, 140 micro with one ID pending.
The Wine Bet...
Dire ! I am trailing by about a dozen species

25th July 2011...

Minimun overnight temperature; 12.6 deg
A warm, calm night with a hint of humidity raised the catch numbers.
100 plus macros were recorded with the bulk (40) being Shuttle-shaped Darts.
c50 micros.
A year first Copper Underwing agg. and two year first micros were added but just one worn Heart and Dart in the trap, which dominated the catch before the S-s Dart invasion.
The Catch:-
Micros
1 x Cydia pomonella
3 x Hypsopygia costalis
4 x Endotricha flammealis
2 x Hofmannophila pseudospretella
1 x Agonopterix alstromeriana


AGONOPTERIX ALSTROMERIANA

4 x Agapeta hamana
9 x Chrysoteuchia culmella
5 x Crambus pascuella
2 x Yponomeuta evonymella
2 x Cnephasia agg.
1 x Pterophorus pentadactyla
1 x Epiblema foenella


EPIBLEMA FOENELLA

1 x Oegoconia spp.
2 x Bryotropha terrella
1 x Ypsolopha scabrella
1 x Catoptria pinella

CATOPTRIA PINELLA

1 x Yponomeuta malinellus
2 x Celypha striana
1 x Batia unitella
1 x Trachycera advenella FFY


TRACHYCERA ADVENELLA

1 x Pammene fasciana
2 x Pandemis cerasana
1 x Blastobasis lacticolella
1 x Aethes cnicana FFY


AETHES CNICANA

MACROS
4 x Cloaked Minor
2 x Lesser Yellow Underwing
3 x Scarce Footman
40 x Shuttle-shaped Dart
8 x Least Carpet
5 x Ruby Tiger
1 x Copper Underwing FFY


COPPER UNDERWING

3 x Marbled Beauty
1 x Poplar Grey
2 x Dwarf Cream Wave
1 x Common Footman
2 x Garden Carpet
6 x Common Rustic agg.
5 x Riband Wave
2 x Small Ranunculus


SMALL RANUNCULUS

1 x Nutmeg
4 x Yellow Shell
5 x Dark Arches
1 x Lime-speck Pug
1 x Willow Beauty
1 x Smoky Wainscot
1 x Dun-bar
1 x Large Yellow Underwing
1 x Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
2 x Single-dotted Wave
1 x Bright-line Brown-eye
3 x Uncertain
1 x Double Square-spot
1 x Double-striped Pug
1 x Dot Moth
TOTALS
To be added. Awaiting ID checks 

24th July 2011...Garden latest

Overnight minimum temp....8.8 deg
Still cold but the temp hung around at 13 deg until late evening and the moth count was higher.
Of the 90 macro moths caught, 30% of them were Shuttle-shaped Darts.
The Catch:-
34 x Shuttle-shaped Dart
2 x Willow Beauty
2 x Buff Ermine
2 x Brimstone Moth
5 x Scarce Footman (No Common Footman)
3 x Ruby Tiger
1 x Silver Y

SILVER Y

2 x Marbled Beauty
1 x Lesser Yellow Underwing
1 x Heart & Dart
3 x Dark Arches
7 x Riband Wave
3 x Cloaked Minor
1 x Early Thorn


EARLY THORN

 2 x Red Twin-spot Carpet
2 x Yellow Shell
1 x Grey Dagger agg.
1 x Mouse Moth
1 x Bright-line Brown-eye
1 x Brown-line Bright-eye
1 x Dusky Sallow

DUSKY SALLOW

1 x Scalloped Oak
2 x Double Square-spot
1 x Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
2 x Uncertain
1 x Smoky Wainscot
1 x Large Yellow Underwing
1 x Nut-tree Tussock


NUT-TREE TUSSOCK

 1 x Agapeta hamana
5 x Crambus pascuella
2 x Argyrotaenia ljungiana
3 x Hofmannophila pseudospretella
1 x Pyralis farinalis
3 x Pleuroptya ruralis
1 x Aphelia paleana
3 x Eudonia mercurella
1 x Cnephasia spp.
6 x Acentria ephemerella
1 x Acleris forsskaleana
2 x Yponomeuta evonymella
1 x Yponomeuta malinellus
1 x Coleophora hemerobiella NFG

COLEOPHORA HEMEROBIELLA

2 x Celypha striana
3 x Chrysoteuchia culmella
1 x Gelechia senticetella
1 x Bryotropha terrella
1 x Pyrausta aurata
Garden year tally:-
330 species, 195 macro, 135 micro

21st to 23rd July...Catch 22

Too cold for July and it showed as only 22 species were trapped last night (Saturday, 8 deg.) and 35 species on Thursday (21st, 8 deg.). Friday 22nd was too cold, wet and windy to bother.

Campion



Yellow-tail




Maple Prominent



Single-dotted Wave

There were one or two highlights but no new species.
2x Campion, one on Friday and another last night making 3 appearances for my signature moth this year.
A Maple Prominent was a second record this year.
A micro caught on 20th July, Pammene fasciana 1236, was confirmed by the county recorder, which is a new species for the garden list.



Pammene fasciana1236

 Species total for the garden stands at 329 with a couple of micros pending. The full list of macro/micro species are on the Pages at the top of the blog.

20th July 2011...Warmer night brings new County micro

EPINOTIA CAPRANA 1154 (County "first")

What a difference a few degrees makes during this relatively cold July weather.
The traps were full of moths and amongst them was a county first pictured above.
Fortunately it was a classic form of this variable moth and presented no ID problems but to be sure pics were sent to the recorder for confirmation.
What was it doing in my garden ? ......totally wrong habitat, unless my 1000mm x 750mm garden pond is pulling in marsh/fen species !

BLASTOBASIS ADUSTELLA 873 another new micro for The Dells garden

Hawkmoth species are doing well at The Dells, with EYED, POPLAR, PRIVET, LIME, HUMMINGBIRD, ELEPHANT and SMALL ELEPHANT to date, so I was pleased to add another in the form of, not one but TWO....PINE HAWKMOTH......

......Just as I thought I had dipped out on this species !
Other highlights of the 70 species were:-
3 x Small Ranunculus, bringing the total to 21 for the year
2 x Silver Y
2 x Spectacle
1 x Sallow Kitten
1 x Poplar Grey
1 x Elephant Hawkmoth
1 x Chilo Phragmitella
1 x Zeiraphera isertana
1 x Metzneria metzneriella
1 x Ypsolopha scabrella

Garden running total :-
328 species...195 macro, 133 micro

The wine bet is looking a little grim now.
The Captain has increased his lead into double figures and now the school holidays have started, his rugrats will be combing every blade of grass.
This is bad news indeed because I am leading with macros but since Keely and Louie were eagerly given their own nets by C T, I am around 20 micros behind.
The holiday period could be a bridge too far !

Doldrums

We seem to be stuck in a weather rut at the moment with night temperatures hanging around the 11 degrees mark and cool northerly winds.
Nothing much happening trapwise except a steady increase in Shuttle-shaped Dart numbers and a slackening off from Heart & Dart and Dark Arches which dominated the catch previously.
Only two new micros in the past 4 days, both new additions for the garden.
Cochylis atricapitana and CALAMOTROPHA PALUDELLA pictured below.


325 garden species, 194 macro and 131 micro this year to date.
The Wine Bet....... I will have to re-double my efforts and patrol the lights more than of late.
Captain Trappings has opened up a nine point lead with 334 species.

16th July 2011...The Dells Garden

Ithought twice about bothering to put the traps on due to the cool windy weather and the threat of rain.
The decision to run the traps paid off with a return of the TOADFLAX BROCADE, which is probably a second generation,
although I didn't manage to locate any larva during the end of May/early June.
There is only one record or this little beauty in VC30 up until 2010, but this one is my 7th for 2011.

Two more SMALL RANUNCULUS brought the year tally up to 17 which equals last years total. The species appears to be thriving and spreading, but time will tell. Only 16 species of macro and 7 micros were trapped in the cold , stiff breeze and it looks like being a cold wet week !

15th July 2011....Summer ?

The calm, sunny morning was short lived as the weather deteriorated as the day went on.
Traps on, but restricted by their crude covers so the catch was poor.
After the mornings Hummingbird Hawkmoth, a year first AGRIPHILA STRAMINELLA 1304 was an anticlimax. 15th July:-
1 x Hummingbird Hawkmoth @ 08.45 am on petunia
4 x Common Footman
3 x Scarce Footman
1 x L.Y.U'wing
16 x S.S.Dart
4 x Riband Wave
2 x Cloaked Minor
2 x Least Carpet
7 x Dark Arches
1 x Brimstone Moth
1 x Dot Moth
1 x Yellow Shell
2 x Buff Ermine
1 x Dun-bar
1 x Nutmeg
1 x Pyrausta aurata
3 x Eudonia mercurella
5 x Chrysoteuchia culmella
2 x Crambus pascuella
1 x Udea prunalis
1 x Crambus perlella
1 x Clepsis consimilana
3 x Hofmannophila pseudospretella
2 x Cydia pomonella
1 x Camararia ohridella
1 x Agriphila straminella
1 x Batia lunaris
2 x Cnephasia agg.
1 x Acleris variegana
1 x Argyrotaenia ljungiana
3 x Endotricha flammealis
Totals :-
323 species....194 macro, 129 micro

14th and morning of 15th July....Humming !

15th July 08.45 hours............I was in the garden this morning enjoying the sun, when for the first time in about 5/6 years , a Hummingbird Hawkmoth appeared out of the blue and proceeded to feed on my deep purple Petunias.
No time to rush in for my camera so I just watched as it fed on 3 of the blooms before disappearing into the ether.
The whole operation took about 20 seconds and as I was within arms length of it, some superb views were had of it feeding.
This was not a "garden first", I have had 6 of these moths previously over a period of 21 years but haven't seen one since 2005 ish when two turned up on the Buddleia........ long before I started recording the moths in the garden.

TRAILING PETUNIA among various other plants. The moth preferred them to the Buddleia.

14th July :- 10 degrees C !

Your average bug doesn't come a lot stranger than Ledra aurita. This one was in the skinner, another on the shed wall. No stranger to my garden lights, but I would hate to have to find one on a lichen covered Oak trunk.

Dingy Footman and Leopard Moth (below) added another two species to the garden macro list for the year. Heavy rain is the forecast tonight so the traps will go on but one is inside the shed entrance and the covers are ready for the other. 14th July:-

4 x Ruby Tiger

5 x Least Carpet

1 x Toadflax Pug

1 x Leopard Moth

5 x Common Footman

2 x Scarce Footman

1 x Dingy Footman

8 x Shuttle-shaped Dart

2 x Grey Dagger agg.

9 x Riband Wave

7 x Dark Arches

2 x Heart and Dart

1 x Broad-bordered Yellow U'wing

1 x Lesser Yellow U'wing

1 x Large Yellow U'wing

2 x Dwarf Cream Wave

1 x Poplar Grey

1 x Scalloped Hook-tip

1 x Yellow Shell

1 x Swallow-tailed Moth

7 x Uncertain/Rustic

1 x Scalloped Oak

1 x Mouse Moth

1 x Peppered Moth

2 x Cloaked Minor

1 x Lackey

1 x Red Twin-spot Carpet

1 x Marbled Beauty

1 x Nutmeg

2 x Buff Ermine

1 x Dot Moth

1 x Brimstone Moth

2 x Agapeta hamana

1 x Phycita roborella

2 x Eurrhypara hortulata

3 x Endotricha flammealis

2 x Cydia pomonella

2 x Cnephasia agg.

1 x Pyrausta aurata

2 x Phlyctaenia coronata

1 x Oegoconia agg

1 x Pleuroptya ruralis

1 x Catoptria pinella

1 x Parapoynx stratiotata

1 x Tinea trinotella

1 x Agonopterix spp

Totals to date:-

321 species....193 macro, 128 micro

13th July 2011...Release The Dells 4

A chilly night for the time of year, but although the trap yield was lower than usual, there was still some quality moths around.
Pre 2010, only 8 Small Ranunculus were recorded in VC30, but in 2010 I recorded 17 of them.
This year, so far, I have recorded 15 and even posted some to Skev up in Leicestershire (^_"
So it looks as though this "come back" species is thriving and spreading further north at a nice rate....time will tell, keep your eyes peeled Stewart in Northumberland !
Last night I recorded 4 SMALL RANUNCULUS 2165 , a record high.
A first record of SCALLOPED HOOK-TIP was a welcome sight in the trap. It's been a while since one of these turned up, RED TWIN-SPOT CARPET My third SANDY CARPET this year. The small town of SANDY in Bedfordshire is 3 miles away as the moth flies. A fresh batch of RUBY TIGER are out in force right now.

This is one of SIX caught last night.