20th June 2014 ... Micro blitz

A much warmer night dropping to 11 deg just before dawn.
I decided to hang around the traps and pot up a batch of micro moths before they all disappeared by morning, and last nights conditions were ideal.
421 Argyresthia bonnetella turned out to be a site first although I'm sure I've had this before but forgot to add it to the records.
1079 Piniphila bifasciana is definitely new for site though and confirmed.
The macro moths disappointed, not by numbers, but nothing new for the year.
5 Swallow-tailed moths were dancing around the traps like handkerchiefs in the wind, quite a sight.
The grey Acronicta family was well represented with 4 Sycamore, 3 Poplar Grey, 2 Grey Dagger agg. and 1 Miller.
4 Privet Hawks, two Figure of Eighty, a Burnished Brass f. juncta and a second Poplar Kitten for the year which is quite remarkable considering the common Sallow Kitten has yet to be recorded this year.
A worn Orange Footman, Maiden's Blush, Broad-barred White, Buff Arches and Small Blood-vein added a splash of colour amongst the brown stuff.
The Catch:-
Micro moths...
Lyonetia clerkella, 2
Argyresthia pruniella, 1
Argyresthia bonnetella, 1, garden first

Scythropia crataegella, 1
Epermenia chaerophyllella, 1
Batia lunaris, 1, year first
Batia unitella, 1
Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2
Endrosis sarcitrella, 2
Metzneria metzneriella, 1
Bryotropha terrella, 3
Clepsis consimilana, 5
Epiphyas postvittana, 2
Ditula angustiorana, 1
Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, 6
Aleimma loeflingiana, 3
Tortrix viridana, 3
Celypha striana, 1
Piniphila bifasciana, 1, garden first

Hedya nubiferana, 1
Eucosma cana, year first

Spilonota ocellana,1, year first
Rhyacionia pinivorana, 1
Cydia pomonella, 2
Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3
Crambus pascuella, 4
Crambus perlella, 1
Scoparis ambigualis, 2
Dipleurina lacustrata, 1
Eudonia mercurella, 3
Eurrhypara hortulata, 1
Udea prunalis, 1
Hypsopygia costalis, year first, 1
Endotricha flammealis, 1
Aphomia sociella, 2
Euzophera pinguis, 2
Ephestia parasitella unicolorella, 8
Homoeosoma sinuella, 2
Phycitodes binaevella, 2, year first

Pterophorus pentadactyla, 1
Emmelina monodactyla, 1
PLUS
A couple of Cnephasia for our micro man to peer and poke at as well as this Coleophora ...

Burnished Brass f. juncta ...

9/10/11th June 2011 ...Garden update plus

The cold June continues, down to 5 degrees last night, with rain. Bedfordshire has been declared an official drought county along with 4 others, but looking out of the window today I'm thinking it will soon be "undroughted"
Spent a chilly night on the old heath at the RSPB headquarters at The Lodge, Sandy organised by Mr Steve Blain.
Areas were allocated to the bunch of intrepid trappers to set up their lights, beer tents, BBQ's and generator powered music decks, (^_*).
Despite the cold, some interesting species were trapped/potted, including the expected True Lovers Knot plus some rare micros.
The full list will be published soon.
As for the garden... no regular patrolling due to The Lodge night (9th), birthday celebrations (10th) and cold, wet conditions/visitors (11th) so numbers recorded were down.
Thursday 9th..... a SHORT-CLOAKED MOTH 2077 was added to the garden year list. Friday 10th.... EUCOSMA CANA 1201 was a garden first Frday 10th...A pair of first for year LIGHT ARCHES 2322 Saturday 11th... OEGOCONIA CARADJAI 871a ...the rare one of the three. This one will be gen checked to be 100% sure, but our micro man seems to like it. I know he is a busy man at the mo, so I'll mention the gen det. later ! 9th June
3 x Willow Beauty

4 x Common Footman

3 x Garden Carpet

1 x Short-cloaked Moth * year first

1 x Uncertain

1 x Buff Ermine

3 x Dark Arches

19 x Heart & Dart

2 x Eurrhypara hortulata (Small Magpie)

1 x Cnephasia stephensiana (Grey Tortrix)

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

10th June

2 x Garden Carpet

2 x Willow Beauty

14 x Heart & Dart

1 x Elephant Hawk-moth

4 x Uncertain

1 x Peppered Moth

1 x The Snout

1 x Privet Hawk-moth

1 x Riband Wave

2 x Marbled Minor agg.

1 x The Flame

6 x Dark Arches

2 x Light Arches * year first

3 x Large Nutmeg

1 x Udea olivalis

1 x Eurrhypara hortulata (Small Magpie)

1 x Aphomia sociella (Bee Moth)

1 x Cydia pomonella (Codling Moth)

1 x Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Brown House-moth)

1 x Emmelina monodactyla

1 x Eucosma cana * garden first

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

June 11th

1 x Treble Brown Spot ***

1 x Yellow Shell ***

1 x Small Dusty Wave ***

*** Netted by day, courtesy of Keely & Louie

1 x Enarmia formosana ***

*** Potted by Captain Trappings (he let all the "new species" go and kept quiet about it...the wine bet continues !)

3 x Willow Beauty

1 x Common Footman

2 x Garden Carpet

1 x Bright-line Brown-eye

1 x Brimstone Moth

1 x Sycamore

13 x Heart & Dart

1 x Dark Arches

1 x Iron Prominent

5 x Uncertain

1 x Double-striped Pug

1 x Common/Grey Pug

2 x Aphomia sociella (Bee Moth)

1 x Oegoconia caradjai * garden first... TBC

1 x Homoeosoma sinuella

1 x Blastobasis lacticolella

1 x Platyedra subcinerea

1 x Scythropia crataegella (Hawthorn Moth)

1 x Celypha striana

Garden running total :-

236 species.....143 macro, 93 micro

The wine bet:-

Trent Duval.......................236 species

Captain Trappings...........228 species.