21st April 2015 ... Warm days,cold nights ... Red Valerian

3.5 deg C min temp.
Crystal clear nights mean the temperature drops rapidly soon after dark, especially with the wind direction from the North-east.
The North Sea is at its coldest at this time of year and it chills the wind that passes across it as it heads our way, so says the Met Office.
Early evening flyers are trickling into and around the traps but it remains a slow trickle.
Having said that, two more species were added to the garden year list last night.

A brace of Holly Blue butties were spotted in the garden during the day feeding on the freshly opened flowers of Red Valerian.
These Valerians have self seeded, from where I know not, but they are highly recommended for all kinds of insect life.
Last year I had Hummingbird Hawk-moth feeding on them, so I have let them spread and they now grow as perennials.
If you don't have this plant, get down to your local garden centre and buy a couple of clumps, you won't be sorry.
Below: Red Valerian, (Centranthus rubra), just coming into flower

Back to the moths ...
Last nights trap results.
0647 Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 2 (Brown House Moth)
0892 Mompha subbistrigella, 2 (Both in shed, late pm)

Mompha subbistrigella

0998 Epiphyas postvitta, Pair in cop

Light Brown Apple Moth, Epiphyas postvittana

1342 Eudonia angustea, 1, year first

Eudonia angustea

1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 1
1862 Double-striped Pug, 4
1883 Yellow-barred Brindle, 1, year first

1883 Yellow-barred Brindle

2063 Muslin Moth, 1
2190 Hebrew Character, 2
2243 Early Grey, 1
2425 Nut-tree Tussock, 1

Micros return

The garden traps yielded the usual mass of Large Yellow Underwing's with 150 at least. I didn't count them this morning.
Some decent micros were recorded for a change, they have been very thin on the ground of late especially throughout the cold August.
Monopis obviella
Cameraria ohridella
Bucculatrix nigricomella
Carcina quercana
Dichrorampha simpliciana (to be confirmed)
Cacoecimorpha pronubana
Coleophora trifolii
Acleris variegana
Eudonia angustea
Epiphyas postvittana
Emmelina monodactyla
plus several Diamond-back Moth's, Plutella xylostella which have been abundant this year.

Bucculatrix nigricomella

Cameraria ohridella

Dichrorampha simpliciana

Coleophora trifolii

Eudonia angustea

Cacoecimorpha pronubana

Of the macros, Yellow-barred Brindle, Old Lady and a Small Blood-vein were about the pick of the bunch.

Some fresh Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings (females) have been appearing over the last couple of nights and Common Wainscot numbers are increasing with 7 recorded in the traps this morning.

A fresh Small Blood-vein with wing damage

Yellow-barred Brindle

Light Emerald

Old Lady

12th April 2014 ... Garden moth traps latest

overnight min. temp. 7deg c. Clear early evening, clouding over later.
The almost full bright moon in the early evening hours meant little activity around the traps, plus a chilly feel in the air.
I think my replacement min/max temperature unit is reading a degree or two high as it seemed much cooler than the 7 degrees it was displaying.
It did cloud over later in the night with a little misty rain and a few moths were in the traps on the morning inspection.
Shuttle-shaped Dart numbers are about to take off which means my local Sparrows will soon be hanging around the traps each morning, fluttering their wings in the hope that I will provide them with a tasty Shuttle  or Heart and Dart to feed their growing broods.
This is quite an unusual sight to see, especially the males,  it's like they are newly fledged juveniles begging  food from the parents and I have to admit that the occasional worn common moth misses the release pot.
Highlight of the Night ...
EUDONIA ANGUSTEA.
A common micro moth making its first appearance for the year.

1342, Eudonia angustea

The catch:-
0892 ... Mompha subbistrigella, x 1
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana, x 1
1342 ... Eudonia angustea, x 1, ... year first
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla, x 2
1862 ... Double-striped Pug, x 2
1728 ... Garden Carpet, x 1
2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart, x 3
2187 ... Common Quaker, x 2
2188 ... Clouded Drab, x 1
2190 ... Hebrew Character, x 3
2243 ... Early Grey, x 6
2306 ... Angle Shades, x 1

19th Sept 2013 ... Lionels Blair

The traps are struggling to compete with the big bright full moon at the moment.
Warmer weather is on it's way.
..
Blair's Shoulder-knot was a year-first.

2240 ... Blair's Shoulder-knot

1707 ... Small Dusty Wave x 3
1728 ... Garden Carpet x 4
1825 ... Lime-speck Pug
1906 ... Brimstone Moth x 2
1937 ... Willow Beauty x 7
1961 ... Light Emerald x 2
2087 ... Turnip Moth x 2
2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart x 2
2107 ... Large Yellow Underwing x 21
2109 ... Lesser Yellow Underwing x 7
2110 ... Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
2126 ... Setaceous Hebrew Character x 6
2134 ... Square-spot Rustic x 2
2232 ... Black Rustic x 7
2240 ... Blair's Shoulder-knot ... YF
2270 ... Lunar Underwing x 19
2297x . Copper Underwing agg. x 3
2306 ... Angle Shades x 3
2353 ... Flounced Rustic
2384 ... Vine's Rustic x 4
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow x 9
2441 ... Silver Y
2477 ... Snout
...
0464 ... Plutella xylostella
0647 ... Hofmannophila pseudospretella
0648 ... Endrosis sarcitrella
0873 ... Blastobasis adustella
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana
1048 ... Acleris variegana x 3

1048 ...  Acleris variegana, Garden Rose Tortrix

1342 ... Eudonia angustea x 2

1342 ... Eudonia angustea

1309 ... Agriphila geniculea
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla x 2

26th May 2013 ... Nice mix

Following a cracking day in Bedfordshire, with the first BBQ of the year (which is one more than last year !), I had high hopes for some good moth species last night.
The big full moon didn't appear over the garden until midnight and it remained quite warm up until then.
Temperatures plummeted to a chilly 4 deg soon after the witching hour but still a good mixed bag was recorded ....
The afternoon found grandson Louie head down in the grass and bushes searching for new species at a £ a time before overeating and coming to a halt, but not before he produced a Dichrorampha species which could be "plumbagana" or "plumbana" and therefore cost me a quid ! Confirmation asap.
A new for year micro was added in the evening in the shape of Eudonia angustea and a Pug or two that need a better look.
Confirmation ... 1276 Dichrorampha plumbagana.
D.V.Manning, Beds. micro recorder

1276 ... Dichrorampha plumbagana

(Above) ..Louies' Dichrorampha

The Catch...
0648 ... Endrosis sarcitrella ... White-shouldered House-moth ... 3
0649 ... Esperia sulphurella ... Sulphur Tubic ... 2
0808 ... Platyedra subcinerea ... Mallow Groundling ... 1
0892 ... Mompha subbistrigella ... Garden Cosmet ... 3
0964 ... Cochylis dubitana ... Little Conch ... 2
0974 ... Argyrotaenia ljungiana ... Heather Tortrix ... 3
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana ... Light Brown Apple Moth ... 1
1279 ... Dichrorampha acuminatana ... Sharp-winged Drill ... 1
1276 ... Dichrorampha plumbagana ... Silver-lined Drill ... 1 ... Garden first
1342 ... Eudonia angustea ... Narrow-winged Grey ... 1 ... YF

1342 ... Eudonia angustea

1361 ... Pyrausta aurata ... Mint Moth ... 3
1428 ... Aphomia sociella ... Bee Moth ... 2
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla ... Common Plume ... 1
1728 ... Garden Carpet ... Xanthorhoe fluctuata ... 5
1834 ... Common Pug ... Eupithecia vulgata ... 2
----- ... Pug spp ... to be identified ... 1
1906 ... Brimstone Moth ... Opisthograptis luteolata ...6
1920 ... Scalloped Hazel ... Odontopera bidentata ... 1
1936 ... Waved Umber ... Menophra abruptaria ... 1
1979 ... Lime Hawk-moth ... Mimas tiliae ... 2
Sorry Stewart if you see this ! ..............

1979 ... Lime Hawk-moth ... Mimas tiliae

2063 ... Muslin Moth ... Diaphora mendica ... 1
2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart ... Agrotis puta ... 6
2102 ... Flame Shoulder ... Ochropleura plecta ... 1
2223 ... Toadflax Brocade ... Calophasia lunula ... 1

2223 ... Toadflax Brocade ... Calophasia lunula

2243 ... Early Grey ... Xylocampa areola ... 1
2283/4. Dark/Grey Dagger agg. ... Acronicta tridens/psi ...4
2334 ... Rustic Shoulder-knot ... Apamea sordens ... 1
2450 ... Spectacle ... Abrostola tripartita ... 2
2469 ... Herald ... Scoliopteryx libatrix ... 1

2469 ... The Herald ... Scoliopteryx libatrix

20th Nov, 2012 ... Garden Trap

A warm night produced a few moths, the first since the 15th Nov, mainly micros
Once again, the rain didn't seem to bother them.
A Pseudargyrotoza conwagana was a surprise as I had missed it in the Summer ? But checking the micro book I see they also fly in Sept and Nov.
9 moths of  7 species was a good result.......

3 x 0998..... Epiphyas postvittana
1 x 1011..... Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, year first
1 x 1044/5...Acleris ferrugana/notana
1 x 1047..... Acleris schalleriana
1 x 1342..... Eudonia angustea
1 x 1524..... Emmelina monodactyla
1 x 2441..... Silver Y

Some poor pics shot in the pots.....

Pseudargyrotoza conwagana

Acleris ferrugana or notana

Eudonia angustea

5th/6th/7th/8th Oct. 2012 .. TREBLE-isoBAR

5th Oct.
6.9 deg. min. temp. Heavy rain from dusk till dawn.
Here are the trap results from possibly the only active traps in Bedfordshire last night !
26 moths of 14 species, Treble-bar was unexpected

1 .. 0648 .. Endrosis sarcitrella
1 .. 0688 .. Agonopterix heracliana

1 .. 0998 .. Epiphyas postvittana
2 .. 1342 .. Eudonia angustea

2 .. 1524 .. Emmelina monodactyla
1 .. 1728 .. Garden Carpet
1 .. 1867 .. Treble-bar

2 .. 1927 .. Willow Beauty
1 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
2 .. 2109 .. Lesser Yellow Underwing
3 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
1 .. 2232 .. Black Rustic
4 .. 2240 .. Blair's Shoulder-knot
4 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing
1 .. 2384 .. Vine's Rustic

6th Oct....................................................................................
A different night altogether from the last two. No rain.
Clear skies, bright half moon and not a hint of breeze.
Temperatures fell to 3.3 deg which slowed down any activity, the highlight being a year first Beaded Chestnut in the trap....

2 .. 0998 .. Epiphyas postvittana
2 .. 1728 .. Garden Carpet
2 .. 1937 .. Willow Beauty
1 .. 2092 .. Shuttle-shaped Dart
2 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
3 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
2 .. 2240 .. Blair's Shoulder-knot
1 .. 2267 .. Beaded Chestnut, year first

6 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing
2 .. 2274 .. Sallow
1 .. 2441 .. Silver Y

7th Oct... 5.6 deg. min. calm with low level cloud.................................
1 .. 0648 .. Endrosis sarcitrella
1 .. 1288 .. Alucita hexadactyla
2 .. 1342 .. Eudonia angustea
3 .. 1524 .. Emmelina monodactyla
1 .. 1728 .. Garden Carpet
2 .. 1937 .. Willow Beauty
1 .. 2092 .. Shuttle-shaped Dart
5 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
5 .. 2109 .. Lesser Yellow Underwing
2 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
3 .. 2232 .. Black Rustic
4 .. 2240 .. Blair's Shoulder-knot
1 .. 2263 .. Red-line Quaker, year first

5 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing
1 .. 2389 .. Pale Mottled Willow


8th Oct...........................................................................................
Warm until skies cleared after midnight.
A good variety of moths were trapped including a garden first Rhomboid Tortrix, which was almost overlooked among the L.B.Apple Moths, and two Barred Sallow to add another tick to the struggling year list.
2 x Brimstone Moths were unexpected this late in the year.

1 .. 0464 .. Plutella xylostella .. Diamond-back Moth

1 .. 0648 .. Endrosis sarcitrella .. White-shouldered House Moth
4 .. 0998 .. Epiphyas postvittana .. Light Brown Apple Moth
1 .. 1042 .. Acleris rhombana .. Rhomboid Tortrix, garden first

2 .. 1342 .. Eudonia angustea
3 .. 1728 .. Garden Carpet
1 .. 1745 .. Mallow
1 .. 1764 .. Common Marbled Carpet
2 .. 1906 .. Brimstone Moth
4 .. 1937 .. Willow Beauty
1 .. 2092 .. Shuttle-shaped Dart
4 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
9 .. 2109 .. Lesser Yellow Underwing
7 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
1 .. 2232 .. Black Rustic
2 .. 2240 .. Blair's Shoulder-knot
1 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing
2 .. 2272 .. Barred Sallow, year first

1 .. 2274 .. Sallow
1 .. 2306 .. Angle Shades
1 .. 2389 .. Pale Mottled Willow

NB: First Redwings for the year heard overhead

27th Sept. 2012 .. Garden Traps

Early rain, clearing, bright fullish moon.
1 .. 332a .. Phyllonorycter leucographella, Firethorn Leaf Miner, (year first)

1 .. 0998 .. Epiphyas postvittana, Light Brown Apple Moth
2 .. 1342 .. Eudonia angustea

3 .. 1524 .. Emmelina monodactyla, Common Plume
2 .. 1728 .. Garden Carpet
2 .. 1937 .. Willow Beauty
6 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
1 .. 2109 .. Lesser Yellow Underwing
5 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
1 .. 2232 .. Black Rustic
9 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing
2 .. 2384 .. Vine's Rustic
1 .. 2389 .. Pale Mottled Willow
1 .. 2441 .. Silver Y

8th April 2012 ... P.M.W.

Overnight min. temp. 7.3 deg. chilly norwesterly winds. Light rain from 23.00 onwards.
Not one orthosia species !
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 1
1342 Eudonia angustea 2, in cop.
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1862 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 3
1917 Early Thorn Selenia dentaria 1
2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 2
2306 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa 2
2389 Pale Mottled Willow Paradrina clavipalpis 1, year first



Pale Mottled Willow, Paradrina clavipalpis





Eudonia angustea, in cop,



Eudonia angustea

 7th April...
Overnight min. temp. 5.7 deg. calm, light rain most of night
2190 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 1
2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 3
2187 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 1

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

8th March 2012 ... Garden update...First D-s Pug

Overnight min. temp. 5.2 deg. Bright full moon mostly cloud covered
A good catch with 18 moths of ten species.
The spiders in my garden were a good sign that the moths would be flying.... all out early evening spinning new webs, but I may re-locate some of them as they soon learn to congregate near the traps.
The first Double-striped Pug was expected along with a steady increase of Orthosia spp. plus two year first micros.
The next 3 or 4 nights look to be ideal in Bedfordshire as long as the rain holds off.
  
1862 Double-striped Pug ... year first .. Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
2182 Small Quaker...................................Orthosia cruda
2187 Common Quaker x 5.......................Orthosia cerasi
2190 Hebrew Character............................Orthosia gothica
2243 Early Grey........................................Xylocampa areola
2258 Chestnut...........................................Conistra vaccinii
0668 Agonopterix heracliana  x 5
0663 Diurnea fagella ... year first
1342 Eudonia angustea ... year first
1524 Emmelina monodactyla

Eudonia angustea




Double-striped Pug ...Gymnoscelis rufifasciata

 


Diurnea fagella




Agonopterix heracliana



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