31st March 2012... Garden Traps

Overnight min. temp. 4.6 deg. calm, clear, cloud early a.m.
Temperatures are edging their way back down to average March this week and a cloud cover at night should halt the big drops we have seen lately. and cover the bright waxing moon.
Last nights trap results were mediocre.
A very worn Twin-spotted Quaker was found struggling in a spider web.
The first Rosemary Beetle (Chrysolina americana) of the year was found near one of the traps....


Rosemary Beetle (Chrysolina americana).

Traps tally:-
1862 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 5
2182 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 5
2187 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 5
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker Orthosia munda 1
2190 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 1
2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 3
1342 Eudonia angustea 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 4


29th March 2012...Triumph Herald, not unleaded

Overnight min. temp. 4.6 deg. calm, clear.

It's been a superb week weather-wise in Bedfordshire, but the huge drops in temperature at night have not been ideal for the moth traps.
Having said that, it was a little warmer last night.                                               A year first Herald turn up, and after checking (and doubting) a number of Clouded Drabs, a Lead-coloured has finally appeared, along with a small Agonopterix which will need ID.
Traps :-
1862 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 11
1917 Early Thorn Selenia dentaria 3 
2182 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 6
2185 Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti 1, year first
2187 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 2 
2188 Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta 1 
2190 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 1
2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 4 
2469 The Herald Scoliopteryx libatrix 1, year first
  998 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 2
1288 Twenty-plume Moth Alucita hexadactyla 2
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 8
**** Agonopterix spp for ID



The Herald, Scoliopteryx libatrix



Lead-coloured Drab, Orthosia populeti



Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria 



28th March 2011... Garden Traps

Overnight min. temp. 3.9 deg. Calm, clear
Capt Trappings and yours truly ran an M/V Sheet in Home Wood for a couple of hours last night and added 4 or 5 new species for the site.
We also left a battery actinic overnight with disappointing results.
Species list and photos will soon appear on Matts blog...
http://www.trappingsofsuccess.blogspot.co.uk/
One late comer to the sheet was a pulse-raiser
.........................................................................
Back at the Dingly Dells the traps were luring the usual fare with the exception of Twin-spotted Quaker.
Trap list:-
0483... Epermenia chaerophyllella 1
0998... Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 1
1497... Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1524... Emmelina monodactyla 4
2182... Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 6
2187... Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 1
2188... Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta 5
2189... Twin-spotted Quaker Orthosia munda 1
2190... Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 1
2243... Early Grey Xylocampa areola 5



Emmelina monodactyla




Twin-spotted Quaker, Orthosia munda



Twin-spotted Quaker, Orthosia munda

 

27th March 2011 ... Garden Traps

Overnight min. temp. 2.3 deg. calm, clear,
43 moths of 11 species
0483... Epermenia chaerophyllella 1
0998...Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 4
1288... Twenty-plume Moth Alucita hexadactyla 1, year first
1524... Emmelina monodactyla 7
1862... Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 6
2139... Red Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa 1, year first
2182... Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 4
2187... Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 2
2188... Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta 6
2190... Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 4
2243... Early Grey Xylocampa areola 7

1288 Alucita hexadactyla

2139 Red Chestnut, Cerastis rubricosa

26th March 2011 ... garden lull

Overnight min. temp. 1.6 deg. calm, clear. waxing 1/4 moon.
These crystal clear nights with no breeze are unproductive for my garden traps.
I get much better results with a W or SW breeze/light wind blowing this time of year, at least until late summer/autumn when a SE or Easterly can produce the odd surprise.
Venus is still glowing in the sky like an aircraft landing light and is very close to the moon at present, but sets mid evening. It will attain its maximum magnitude at the start of May. Quite a remarkable sight in the clear skies at present, I can't remember seeing it so bright before, but it will disappear at the end of May.
19 moths of 10 species....
Trap results :-
0633... Diurnea fagella 1 male
0998... Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 3
1524... Emmelina monodactyla 1
2182... Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 2
1862... Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 4
2187... Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 3
2188... Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta 1
2190... Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 2
2243...Early Grey Xylocampa areola 1
Plus an Agonopterix species to be identified...
I think it may be 692 Agonopterix subpropinquella, it's certainly not Agonopterix heracliana .
Not the best of pics but it was a bit lively and I wanted a shot of it in its natural position.
The pics of the frozen creature just don't look right shape-wise.




Agonopterix spp



25th March 2012..... Latin !

(no, not the moth !)...Overnight min. temp. 1.1 deg.  calm, clear, cold
Not much about so :-
Ever wondered what the Latin names really mean ?
Try it literally translated word for word and you come up with some very strange meanings indeed, just by adding a few spaces here and there.
Take a common micro.....Epiphyas postvittana, the Light Brown Apple Moth.
postvittana ? after vittana..... vittana ?
No direct translation for vittana, but break the word down to "vitt a na" and you get a literal translation of "the nature of life"
So postvittana literally translated means "after the nature of life"
Or does it ?
Break down postvittana to "post vit tana" and it then translates to "after he has been so".
OK let's try some more......
Go to Google Translate, set it to "Latin to English"
Then type the moths latin name but add a few spaces here and there.
Some of the translations are beyond belief
All of the below were translated, typed in as shown.....

Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi
"Orthos ia cerasi" = "Supports that feeling cherry"

Codling Moth, Cydia pomonella
"Cyd ia po mo nella" = "Cyd could have that feeling of movement Nell"

Heart and Dart, Agrotis clavis
"Agro tis cla vis" = "The field is out of power"

Oak Beauty, Biston strataria
"Bis tons trata ria" = "Twice the source of rights and kicks"..........

 probably the most sought after moth at present.......
Dotted Chestnut, Conistra rubiginea
"Con istra rubi gin ea" = "the servants of the sick in a bush".

Bearing all of that in mind, here are last nights trap results.
22 moths of 9 species :-

1 Eu doni a angus te a ....."Your gift to you from the narrow".
3 Emm eli nam on od act yla ....."For a performance for an act of charity on Isla".
4 Epiphyas postvittana ...see above text
3 Double-striped Pug,  Gymnos celis rufi fasci ata ... "WRESTLING heaven given red bra".
2 Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi ... see above text
2 Early Grey, Xy locam pa ar e ola...."Xy is the official father of Ola".
2 Small Quaker, Ort hos ia cru da.... "Ort legs give them that feeling".
3 Hebrew Character, Ortho sia gothic a ... "Supports a gothic church".
2 Clouded Drab, Ortho sia incer ta............"Supports the Church of uncertainty as well".

You couldn't make it up !

Eudonia angustea

24th March 2011... Garden traps

Overnight min. temp. 2.7 deg. calm, clear
No regular patrol of walls/traps last night due to a dinner date (I do have a life sometimes) so numbers down.
Nothing new :-
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 2
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 5
1862 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 2
2182 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 4
2187 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 8
2188 Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta 4
2190 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 1
2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 1
2306 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa 1

Angle Shades, Phlogophora meticulosa

23rd March 2012... The Dells garden

Overnight min. temp. 3.8 deg
The warm sun in the garden today produced 2 Esperia sulphurella and an unfortunate common lizard which the cat caught and brought into the house.
It had shed its tail during the encounter, and remarkably lived to see another sunny day....................



Common or Viviparous Lizard,  Zootoca vivipara

 A couple of minutes after placing it in the sun on the front patio paving slabs, it scuttled off  without its tail, which will regrow.

MOTHS :-
Temperatures remained above 8 deg C until midnight and the highest count of moths to date were recorded in and around the garden traps....49 moths of 12 species.
Esperia sulphurella and Brindled Pug were added to the year list plus a Mompha type to be ID'd..................

0649...Esperia sulphurella 2, year first
0695...Agonopterix alstromeriana 1
1524...Emmelina monodactyla 14
1852...Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata 1, year first



Brindled Pug, Eupithecia abbreviata

 1862...Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 4
1917...Early Thorn Selenia dentaria 1
2182...Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 4
2187...Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 12
2188...Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta 6
2190...Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 2
2243...Early Grey Xylocampa areola 3

Not sure of this one.....
I thought maybe Mompha propinquella  at first, but Epermenia chaerophyllella is also similar...........
Comments are always welcome.

Now officially confirmed as Epermenia chaerophyllella.... Thanks Skev ! That is new for the garden and brings me ever closer to that 500 species total. 

22nd March 2012 ... These or thosias

Overnight min. temp. 3.8 deg. calm and clear, but foggy at dawn.
It was still 7 deg at midnight so the catch was disappointing.
Apart from the usual, just 1 Twin-spotted Quaker, and that was on the patio door. Just 21 moths of 8 species :-

0998...Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 1
1524...Emmelina monodactyla 3
1862...Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 3
2182...Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 2
2187...Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 5
2188...Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta 2
2189...Twin-spotted Quaker Orthosia munda 1
2190...Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 4
* For information, click on the moth species above... Linked to UK Moths.

Twin-spotted Quaker, Orthosia munda



A five card trick of Orthosia moths...Top left clockwise..Common Quaker, O. cerasi... Clouded Drab, O. incerta... Twin-spotted Quaker, O. munda...Small Quaker, O. cruda...Hebrew Character, O. gothica

The wine bet is on a downward spiral at present. 5 behind and soon to be more after Captain Matt Trappings blogs today. Well worth a look it's rumoured.
http://www.thetrappingsofsuccess/ 

21st March 2011... New Angle

Overnight min. temp. 1.6 deg. calm clear
It got a bit chilly by morning, but late evening temperatures are holding up at around 6/7 degrees.
I saw a programme on TV about moths and there was a theory that not only are they affected by the moon, but maybe the stars too and use them to navigate while on migration.
If that is the case, then they can't avoid being affected by the planet Venus, which is glowing in the early evening sky like an arc lamp right now.
Venus will reach its peak magnitude at the beginning of May, so it is gradually getting brighter ! It will be out of sight by the end of May tho.
An interesting fact about Venus.....it rotates so slowly, that its day is longer than its year.
Meanwhile, back to the moths..........
Last nights garden traps... 29 moths of 12 species :-
0688...Agonopterix heracliana 1
0998...Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 1
1497...Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1524...Emmelina monodactyla 5
1862...Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 2
2182...Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 1
2187...Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 8



Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi

2188...Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta 2
2190...Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 3
2243...Early Grey Xylocampa areola 2
2256...The Satellite Eupsilia transversa 1
2306...Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa 2 ...  year first

Angle Shades, Phlogophora meticulosa

 

20th March 2012... Two micros to ID

Overnight min. temp. 4.3 deg. calm, clear
The Spring equinox has now passed and the days will now be longer than the nights.
No surprises on the macro front last night but two micros may prove to be "garden firsts" when ID is confirmed.
If so, it will leave me just 3 short of 500 garden species......
Tally:-
0435 ... Zelleria hepariella 1 ... Garden first
0647 ... Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella 1            0663 ... Diurnea fagella 2
1044/45 ... Acleris ferrugana/notana 1 ... Garden first (whichever)
1497 ... Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 2
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla 4
2182 ... Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 4
2187 ... Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 7
2190 ... Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 3
2243 ... Early Grey Xylocampa areola 3
........................................................................................

The two micros to be correctly ID'd
My attempt at these is :-
0435 ... Zelleria hepariella
1044 ... Acleris ferrugana ......so it will be notana !

The top two pics show the Zelleria ? in it's near normal pose, which was difficult as the creature is frozen.
But it is a "head-downer" not a "sit-up-and-beg".
ID now confirmed...thanks to David Manning, Bedfordshire micro moth recorder, and Dave from east Kent.
AND 1044 Acleris ferrugana was correct on a 50/50...gen det D, Manning



435 Zelleria hepariella


The next two pics show the possible  Acleris ferrugana/notana

19th March 2011...The Dells garden

overnight min. temp. 2.9 deg. calm, clear.
Not much about last night but today is the first day of Spring and tonights conditions look good,
The forecast for Bedfordshire.....  light westerly breeze, 4 to 6 mph, with a minimum temperature of 6 degs at around 03.00 hrs.

Last nights trap results:-
1862...Double-striped Pug 1 ... Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
2182...Small Quaker 1 ... Orthosia cruda
2187...Common Quaker 4 ... Orthosia cerasi
2188...Clouded Drab 1 ... Orthosia incerta
2190...Hebrew Character 3 ... Orthosia gothica
2243...Early Grey 1 ... Xylocampa areola

0663...Diurnea fagella 1 male plus resident female, in cop.
1524...Emmelina monodactyla 1

19th March 2011, Diurnea fagella, love will find a way...

She spent a night in my fridge, while I scoured the  flightless females in the Moths Fieldguide, eventually thinking it was a deformed Buttoned Snout or something as nothing was even close. I had no idea it was a female Diurnea fagella at the time until Andy Banthorpe saw it on the blog and recognised it.
So I put it back where I found it, near an old piece of plywood leaning against the shed wall.
She duly climbed back up the ply and sat there for 3 nights until earlier tonight, when  a handsome male turned up.
Mills and Boon couldn't have scripted it.

Diurnea fagella in cop.

18th March 2011...garden traps

Overnight min. temp. Minus 0.1 deg. calm, clear,
It was hardly worth the effort as temperatures plunged.
The next few days look OK though.

4 moths of 3 species :-
2187 Common Quaker 2 ... Orthosia cerasi
2190 Hebrew Character ... Orthosia gothica
2243 Early Grey ... Xylocampa areola

March Moth is proving to be difficult this year, so this coming week could be my last chance to record it in the garden.
Past records show :-
2010 ... Zero
2011 ... 7... with individuals caught on the 12th Feb, 23rd Feb, 11th March, 13th March, 22nd March, 23rd March and 3rd April.

18th March 2012....Chelsea hound Foxes

Torres sends Foxes back down their holes
F.A. CUP quarter-final
Chelsea 5 v Leicester City 2

Chelsea will now face the winners of  Four by Twos v Bolton Wanderers in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium

The Foxes only started playing from the 30th minute but put up a spirited display in the second half.
Chelsea were too strong especially in the first half hour, and to be fair they should have had at least 4 goals before the break.
But this was a good confidence booster for out of form Fernando Torres, who scored 2 and laid on two more.

 

Bring on the Chickens !! (If they can beat Bolton)





17th March 2011... The usual

Overnight min. temp. 2.6 deg. calm. low-level cloud, brief shower.
Garden trap results....
Same old...18 moths of 7 species
1524 Common Plume 1 ... Emmelina monodactyla
2182 Small Quaker 1 ... Orthosia cruda
2187 Common Quaker 7 ... Orthosia cerasi
2188 Clouded Drab 4 ... Orthosia incerta
2190 Hebrew Character 3 ... Orthosia gothica
2243 Early Grey 1 ... Xylocampa areola
2256 Satellite 1 ... Eupsilia transversa

Below.... 2 of the 4 Clouded Drab, showing size and colour variation.

Clouded Drab, Orthosia incerta

Below....The other 2

Clouded Drab, Orthosia incerta



* The wine bet took a downward turn as Captain Trappings took great pleasure in e-mailing me a picture of a superb Pine Beauty last night, putting him 3 species ahead.
In 2011,  I recorded Pine Beauty on the same date (17/3)

16th March 2012... Landmarks/targets

Overnight min. temp. 6.6 deg. low-level cloud, chilly breeze.

I quite enjoy setting targets and passing landmarks, I find it to be an "aside" interest to the hobby, not that it is that important.
One landmark that I will reach soon is 500 species of moth for the garden. Not bad for under 3 years of mothing, (intense mothing) in a garden a little over 150 sq mts, in the middle of a town. This I hope to do by the end of April....confident.
Another landmark/target to reach this year is 300 species of macro moth. So 11 more "garden first" macros' required.... Not confident. but the target was 13  at the start of March, so who knows ?
Then there is the 250th micro species for the garden....difficult.
This requires 44 new micros'.
BUT the ultimate target is to beat Captain Trappings garden macro count and win a quality bottle of Red. This will be Very difficult and will require a record total of around 250 species to be in with a shout... tough call.

Last nights traps, 27 moths of 9 species:-
2182...Small Quaker, 2 ... Orthosia cruda
2187...Common Quaker, 8 ... Orthosia cerasi
2188...Clouded Drab, 2 ... Orthosia incerta
2190...Hebrew Character, 6 ... Orthosia gothica
1917...Early Thorn, 1 ... Selenia dentaria
2243...Early Grey, 2 ... Xylocampa areola
2256...Satellite, 2 ... Eupsilia transversa
0663...Diurnea fagella, 2
1524...Emmelina monodactyla, 2

15th March 2011... Best night so far..(despite ID mistakes)

15th March... 6.8 deg..Medium level cloud cover, warmer,
Blog entry changed due to mis-ID's
Thanks Andy B for the corrections.

Conditions were perfect last night and when my 2nd ever Twin-spotted Quaker turned up early in the evening the omens looked good.....
31 moths of 17 species,

Garden trap results:-
o647... Hofmannophila pseudospretella 1... year first
0663... Diurnea fagella, 3 ... 2 x Male, 1 x Female
0688... Agonopterix heracliana 1
? 0892... Mompha subbistrigella 1... year first whatever it is (to be checked)



Mompha subbistrigella ?  (to be confirmed)

1524... Emmelina monodactyla
1862... Double-striped Pug, 2... Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
1917... Early Thorn, 1...year first... Selenia dentaria

Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria

2182... Small Quaker, 5...Orthosia cruda
2187... Common Quaker, 5...Orthosia cruda
2188... Clouded Drab, 2 ... Orthosia incerta
2189... Twin-spotted Quaker, 1 ... Orthosia incerta



Twin-spotted Quaker, Orthosia incerta

 2190... Hebrew Character, 2 ... Orthosia gothica
2237... Grey Shoulder-knot, 1 ...Lithophane ornitopus



Grey Shoulder-knot, Lithophane ornitopus

 2243... Early Grey, 2 ... Xylocampa areola
2256... Satellite, 1 ... Eupsilia transversa
2258... Chestnut, 1 ...  Conistra vaccinii
1053... Acleris hastiana ... garden first ( originally ID'd as Oak Nycteoline by Mr Magoo here)

ABOVE... Acleris hastiana

                              BELOW...Female Diurnea fagella  * ID, Andy Banthorpe

The previous two nights were very average....

14th March...1.1 deg. calm, cold..clear with fog forming later
8 moths of 4 species........

2182 Small Quaker ..........................Orthosia cruda
2187 Common Quaker x 3 .............Orthosia cerasi
2190 Hebrew Character x 3.............Orthosia gothica
2243 Early Grey ..............................Xylocampa areola
.............................................................................................

13th March...5.4 deg min, calm, low-level cloud
14 moths of 6 species........

0688 Agonopterix heracliana
1524 Emmelina monodactyla
2187 Common Quaker x 5.................Orthosia cerasi
2188 Clouded Drab ...........................Orthosia incerta
2190 Hebrew Character x 5...............Orthosia gothica
2243 Early Grey.................................Xylocampa areola

12th March 2012... Garden traps

Overnight min. temp, 5.5 deg, calm, low-level cloud, damp mist late evening.
18 moths of 7 species, all Orthosia, apart from 3 early evening micros.

0688...Agonopterix heracliana, 1
1524...Emmelina monodactyla, 1
1497...Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 1
2182...Small Quaker... Orthosia cruda, 1
2187...Common Quaker... Orthosia cerasi, 8
2188...Clouded Drab... Orthosia incerta, 2
2190...Hebrew Character... Orthosia gothica, 4

11th March 2012 ... Garden trap results

Overnight min. temp. 3.9 deg. calm, clear, then mist/fog
The hopes of a hat-trick of garden firsts on three consecutive nights were soon put aside as the mist started to fall at around 10pm onwards. resulting in thick fog by dawn.
Up until then I had recorded 19 moths of  9 species.
The first Brimstone butterfly of the year was seen in the garden yesterday.

Traps :-
7 x 2187 Common Quaker......Orthosia cerasi
2 x 2188 Clouded Drab...........Orthosia incerta
2 x 2190 Hebrew Character....Orthosia gothica
1 x 2258 Chestnut...................Conistra vaccinii
1 x 2256 Satellite....................Eupsilia transversa
1 x 2243 Early Grey................Xylocampa areola
3 x 1524  Emmelina monodactyla
1 x 0688 Agonopterix heracliana
1 x 0663 Diurnea fagella (below)

Diurnea fagella



Diurnea fagella

 

10th March 2012...New garden macro

Overnight min. temp. 3.8 deg, calm, mostly clear, bright moon 85%, waning.
.......................
No early evening trap patrols due to dinner outing with friends, and following a nice meal and a few pints of Old Hookey I woke up on the lounge at 4.00am.
An early morning trap check revealed a new macro species for The Dells garden in the concocted Homebase Funnel Trap...............

1 x Homebase Plastic "Storage Solutions" Container ..... £5.00
2 x Large Plastic Funnels from e-bay.................................£6.00
PL 2-pin Actinic lamps/lampholders/Ballast etc...............£25.00
1 Garden first Yellow Horned..........................................Priceless !



Homebase Funnel Trap in action





YELLOW HORNED, Achlya flavicornis

Last nights catch:-
1 x 0663...Diurnea fagella
1 x 0688...Agonopterix heracliana
3 x 1524...Emmelina monodactyla
1 x 1659...Yellow Horned, garden first, Achlya flavicornis
5 x 2187...Common Quaker................... Orthosia cerasi
1 x 2243...Early Grey.............................. Xylocampa areola





9th March 2012...Reasons to be cheerful

Overnight min. temp. 5.9 deg.  clear, 90% waning moon, chilly breeze.
An excellent night for the garden traps with a year first Oak Beauty followed by a garden first Twin-spotted Quaker.
17 moths of 6 species :-

1930 ... Oak Beauty, year first,..........................Biston strataria
2189 ... Twin-spotted Quaker, garden first, .... Orthosia munda
2190 ... Hebrew Character, x 2 ........................ Orthosia gothica
0688 ... Agonopterix heracliana x 4
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla x 6



OAK BEAUTY, Biston strataria





TWIN-SPOTTED QUAKER, Orthosia munda