7th April 2015 ... Double-striped Pug invasion

7th April 2015
Warm, cloudy, calm.
4.6 deg C minimum.
A much better night than the previous which saw a morning frost.
Temperatures stayed above double figures until well after midnight when the sky cleared.
The warm sunny day certainly prompted a big hatch of Double-striped Pugs, but no Brindled Pug amongst them.
32 were potted up for release this morning, but the true figure was probably 50 or more.

Double-striped Pug

P.S.
The same Double-striped Pug two hours later.....

The catch:-
0483 Epermenia chaerophyllella, 1, year first
0649 Esperia sulphurella, 2, year first
0998 Epiphyas postvittana, 2
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 9
1728 Garden Carpet, 1, year first
1862 Double-striped Pug, 32
1917 Early Thorn, 1, year first
2139 Red Chestnut, 1, year first
2182 Small Quaker, 1
2187 Common Quaker, 5
2188 Clouded Drab, 5
2190 Hebrew Character, 3
2243 Early Grey, 5

Epermenia chaerophyllella

Esperia sulphurella

Garden Carpet

Red Chestnut

Early Thorn

Early Thorn

16th April 2014 ... Garden traps and garden taps

A bit of late afternoon netting in the garden produced a few micros
Anthophila fabriciana, the common Nettle-tap was found for the first time in 2013, with one individual turning up whilst sweep netting Ox-eye Daisies in the front garden for Dichrorampha species, so to net 3 of them flying around the back garden was pleasing.
In the same session, 2 x Argyrotaenia ljungiana, 3 x Esperia sulphurella, 1 rather worn Epermenia chaerophyllella, and a Light Brown Apple Moth were also caught along with 4 x Mompha subbistrigella on the inside of the garden shed window.

Below ... One of three Nettle-taps caught.and  Argyrotaenia ljungiana

Anthophila fabriciana, ... Nettle-tap

Argyrotaenia ljungiana

The evening and night saw temperatures up a little at 4.9deg C but with a bright 95% waning moon.
As well as 3 individuals being netted in the afternoon, a single Esperia sulphurella was attracted to the trap lights during the night ...

Esperia sulphurella

The Catch
0385 ... Anthophila fabriciana, x 3, ... year first
0483 ... Epermenia chaerophyllella, x 1
0649 ... Esperia sulphurella, x 3 (+1)
0697 ... Agonopterix arenella, x 1, ... year first

Agonopterix arenella

0892 ... Mompha subbistrigella, x 4
0974 ... Argyrotaenia ljungiana, x 2, ... year first
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana, x 1 (+3)
1342 ... Eudonia angustea, x 1
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla, x 1
1862 ... Double-striped Pug, x 2
2063 ... Muslin Moth, x 1
2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart, x 3
2139 ... Red Chestnut, x 1

Cerastis rubicosa, ... Red Chestnut

Red Chestnut, ... Cerastis rubicosa

2188 ... Clouded Drab, x 3
2190 ... Hebrew Character, x 1
2243 ... Early Grey, x 4

9th April 2014 .... Garden Moth traps latest

Two Esperia sulphurella were seen flying around the Bird-cherry logs in the afternoon sun, adding one more to the garden species tally ....

649 ... Esperia sulphurella

A warm evening. with cloud cover. 13 deg C until 22.30 hrs. dropping to  7 deg as the skies cleared with a bright waxing moon on view.
Highlight of the night.
PALE PINION

Lithophane hepatica, ... Pale Pinion

The catch:-
0483 ... Epermenia chaerophyllella, x 1
0649 ... Esperia sulphurella, x 2, ... year first
0688 ... Agonopterix heracliana ???, x 1, (retained for gen det)
Very difficult species, this one will be sent for ID as I suspect A. scopariella, which has been recorded previously at The Dells on a similar hunch. A. heracliana is still the bookies favourite tho ...

0695 ... Agonopterix alstromeriana, x 3
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana, x 3
1288 ... Alucita hexadactyla, x 3
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla, x 7
1862 ... Double-striped Pug, x 14
1906 ... Brimstone Moth, x 2
1917 ... Early Thorn, x 1
2182 ... Small Quaker, x 2
2187 ... Common Quaker, x 6
2188 ... Clouded Drab, x 3
2190 ... Hebrew Character, x 3
2236 ... Pale Pinion, x 1, ... year first
2243 ... Early Grey, x 7
2306 ... Angle Shades, x 1
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow, x 1

4th May 2013 ... Old moths for new

The garden traps were still turning up early spring Orthosias alongside Muslin Moth, Grey Dagger X, Cabbage Moth and Garden Carpet.
Last year we had an unusually warm March, compared with this year, when we equalled the second ever coldest March since records began in 1910.
Last March my garden produced 567 moths, this March I recorded just 11.
April 2012 ... 196 moths
April 2013 ... 590 moths


LAST NIGHTS CATCH ....
0648 ... Endrosis sarcitrella ... White-shouldered House-moth ... 1
0649 ... Esperia sulphurella ... Sulphur Tubic ... 1, YF

649 ... Esperia sulphurella

1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla ... Common Plume ... 2
1728 ... Xanthorhoe fluctuata ... Garden Carpet ... 1, YF

1728 ... Garden Carpet ... Xanthorhoe fluctuata

2063 ... Diaphora mendica ... Muslin Moth  ... 2
2145 ... Dicestra trifolii ... Nutmeg YF

2145... Nutmeg

2187 ... Orthosia cerasi ... Common Quaker ... 3
2190 ... Orthosia gothica ... Hebrew Character ... 2
2243 ... Xylocampa areola ... Early Grey ... 2
2283/4  Acronicta tridens/psi ... Dark/Grey Dagger agg. ... 1, YF

Dark/Grey Dagger agg.

30th April 2012 ... Garden Nature notes

Sunshine at last !
Decided to cast a few clouts in the garden before the May blossom is out.
I'm preparing a large bed for a mass of summer flowers...insect friendly of course.
A few bits and bobs were photographed during several rest periods

Esperia sulphurella

 Several E. sulphurella were seen flying around the compost heap, which is mainly shredded prunings and branches.
Two Argyrotaenia ljungiana were also netted and checked.

Apple Blossom

 The "Golden Hornet" crab-apple blossom opened today, amazing what a bit of sunshine will do.

Wasp, not sure which species.

Tawny Miner Bee

Lots of Ladybirds around, most were the familiar 7-spot, but 3 other species were present...........

2-spot Ladybird

Cream-spot Ladybird

Pine Ladybird

7-spot Ladybird

13th April 2012 ..Trap results.. 14th.. Unidentified garden plant and Esperia sulphurella

Overnight min. temp. 2.3 deg. Cold light northerly breeze.
Very poor trap results, only 5 moths of 3 species.

2190 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 2

2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 2
2306 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa  1


 Tonight looks to be another poor night but I may put a trap on for a couple of hours.

Today saw quite a few Esperia sulphurella in the garden sunshine, with one specimen conveniently posing on my van...

649 Esperia sulphurella

???

Anyone recognise this plant ?  I've never seen this one before in the garden and it's nothing I have planted. It looks a bit like a cabbage.

A 50pence piece placed on the leaf for size comparison... and excuse the camera strap !

I will have to let it grow and see what develops

19th April 2011..One swallow doth not a summer make

Shakespeare, I think.....Very low numbers last night with the bright full moon in full view.......I almost didn't bother with the traps but as usual on they went....A first Swallow Prominent justified the change of mind.....Three (at least) Esperia sulphurella in the garden during the day boosted my micro list by one.

SWALLOW PROMINENT 2007

ARGYROTAENIA LJUNGIANA 974 .....a common micro

ESPERIA SULPHURELLA 649

LEAST BLACK ARCHES 2078.....from previous evening, fairly common in The Dells garden but difficult in some areas. Last nights catch:-

Just 6 moths caught in the two traps and 5 on the walls.

2 x Shuttle-shaped Dart

2 x Early Grey

2 x Double-striped Pug

1 x Emmelina monodactyla

1 x Brimstone Moth

1 x Argyrotaenia ljungiana

1 x Swallow Prominent *year first

3 x Esperia sulphurella *year first

TOTALS:-

849 moths recorded (676 macro, 173 micro)

58/59 species (41 macro, 17/18 micro) one ID pending, today the frozen specimen is being collected by the county micro recorder.

19th May...Let's go MICRO !

The warmer weather got the micros out in force last night, a good selection visited the traps and I can now ID a lot more than before with a little help from Mr Manning of course !

Eudonia angustea

Tinea trinotella

White-shouldered House-moth
Emmelina monodactyla on take-off

Brown House-moth

Esperia sulphurella

Dichorampha acuminatana

Argyrotaenia ljuniana

Epiblema cynosbatella

Phtheochroa rugosana (lovely moth but cant pronounce its name !) I hope the ID is OK

.................................

MACRO LIST FOR LAST NIGHT TO FOLLOW

15th May 2010 Trap results

Not one but two RUSTIC SHOULDER-KNOT were found in the skinner this morning alongside a trapful of Shuttle-shaped Darts
............................................
............................................
Rustic Shoulder -knot

FOXGLOVE PUG on the illuminated blind

A "David Manning" micro (email pending)

Eudonia angustea

Thank you Mr Manning !

one of two Esperia sulphurella Results:-

19 x Shuttle-shaped Dart

4 x Brimstone

3 x White-shouldered House Moth

2 x Brown House-moth

2 x Esperia sulphurella

2 x Rustic Shoulder-knot

2 x Common Pug

2 x Pale Mottled Willow

1 x Light-brown Apple-moth

1 x Foxglove Pug

1 x Double-striped Pug

plus 1 x "David Manning" moth (an unidentified micro)

1 x Hebrew Character