19th May 2014 ... Moth catch report

13.2 deg min. temp
After the previous nights first Hawk-moth of the year, two more turned up last night, Lime Hawk-moth and Poplar Hawk-moth.
Micro moth numbers are steadily increasing with 5 newcomers for the year list.
A heavy shower during the night meant wet traps this morning but a nice variety of moths were recorded ... year first moths in bold.
Tinea trinotella, 1
Argyresthia trifasciata, 1
Elachista argentella, 1
Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 1
Endrosis sarcitrella, 3
Bryotropha affinis, 1
Platyedra subcinerea, 2
Scrobipalpa costella, 1
Mompha subbistrigella, 17
Epiphyas postvittana, 9
Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, 1
Epiblema cynosbatella, 3
Eurrhypara hortulata, 1
Aphomia sociella, 4
Red Twin-spot Carpet, 1
Garden Carpet, 3
Common Marbled Carpet, 1
Spruce Carpet, 1
Mottled Pug, 3
Common Pug, 2
Yellow-barred Brindle, 1
Brimstone Moth, 2
Waved Umber, 2
Lime Hawk-moth, 1
Poplar Hawk-moth, 1
Buff-tip, 1
Pale Tussock, 1
White Ermine, 1
Least Black Arches, 1
Turnip Moth, 2
Heart n Dart, 4
Shuttle-shaped Dart, 50
Setaceous Hebrew Character, 1
Nutmeg, 1
Bright-line Brown-eye, 4
Lychnis, 1
Large Nutmeg, 1
Rustic Shoulder-knot, 5
Treble Lines, 4
Pale Mottled Willow, 3

From the top ...
Tinea trinotella
Bryotropha affinis
Spruce Carpet
Lime Hawk-moth
Poplar Hawk-moth
Ditto
Pale Tussock
Red Twin-spot Carpet
Scrobipalpa costella
Elachista argentella
Eurrhypara hortulata

18th May 2013 ... Garden trap latest

The weather was much better last night, temps fell to an overnight low of 8 deg but the difference was it actually FELT like 8 deg but the week ahead looks naff with chilly northerly winds forecast until at least thursday.
Quite a good selection of species were recorded last night including a new micro for the garden.

!7th May ... 8 deg min. but feeling more like 3 or 4
Nothing to add to the year list,  a Herald was the star moth.

2469 ... The Herald ... Scoliopteryx libatrix

18th May ... 8 deg, calm, overcast and WARM
0273 ... Bucculatrix thoracella ... Lime Bent-wing ... 1 ... garden first

273 ... Buccalatrix thoracella

0648 ... Endrosis sarcitrella ... White-shouldered House-moth ... 6
0695 ... Agonopterix alstromeriana ... Brown-spot Flat-body ... 1
0892 ... Mompha subbistrigella ... Garden Cosmet ... 1
1288 ... Alucita hexadactyla ... Twenty-plume Moth ... 1
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla ... Common Plume ... 2
1724 ... Red Twin-spot Carpet ... Xanthorhoe spadicearia ... 1 ... YF

1724 ... Red Twin-spot Carpet ... Xanthorhoe spadicearia

1728 ... Garden Carpet ... Xanthorhoe fluctuata ... 1
1834 ... Common Pug ... Epithecia vulgata ... 3
1906 ... Brimstone Moth ... Opisthograptis luteolata ... 3
1920 ... Scalloped Hazel ... Odontopera bidentata ... 3 ... YF

1920 ... Scalloped Hazel ... Odontopera bidentata

1936 ... Waved Umber ... Menophra abruptaria ... 1
2063 ... Muslin Moth ... Diaphora mendica ... 1
2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart ... Agrotis puta ... 8
2182 ... Small Quaker ... Orthosia cruda ... 1
2188 ... Clouded Drab ... Orthosia incerta ... 1
2221 ... Mullein ... Shargacucullia verbasci ... 1

2221 ... The Mullein ... Shargacucullia verbasci

2243 ... Early Grey ... Xylocampa areola ... 3
2283/4. Dark/Grey Dagger agg. ... Acronicta tridens/psi ... 1
2306 ... Angle Shades ... Phlogophora meticulosa ... 1
2450 ... Spectacle ... Abrostola tripartita ... 1

Parornix sp. to be determined .... probably "anglicella" ... GF or YF ?

23rd July 2012 ...Garden Traps and gen. det. results

Overnight low 12.5 deg, light breeze, warm
Thanks to David Manning, our VC30 micro recorder for the late June/early July gen. det. results.
8 new species of micro were added to the garden site list which now stands at 226 micro species since 2010 when I began keeping micro records....
0216 Nemapogon cloacella
0644 Borkhausenia fuscescens
0870 Oegoconia quadripuncta
0871 Oegoconia deauratella
871a Oegoconia caradjai was ID'd earlier, giving The Dells a full house.
1021 Cnephasia asseclana
1023 Cnephasia genitalana
1047 Acleris schalleriana
1259 Cydia fagiglandana
Thanks again Mr M !

23rd July
Garden Traps...
1...0161...Leopard Moth
1...0411...Argyresthia goedartella *year first (Below)

1...0424...Yponomeuta evonymella
1...0426...Yponomeuta malinellus *year first (Below)

Grey cilla....on the other side !

1......0523......Coleophora hemerobiella *year first
1......0642......Batia unitella
2......0647......Hofmannophila pseudospretella
3......0648......Endrosis sarcitrella
2......0658......Carcina quercana
10....0787......Bryotropha terrella
1......0937......Agapeta hamana
1......0964......Cochylis dubitana
2......0974......Argyrotaenia ljungiana
3......0985......Cacoecimorpha pronubana
3......1010......Ditula angustiorana
1......1036......Acleris forsskaleana
2......1063......Celypha striana
1......1113......Eudemis profundana *year first (Below)

1......1175......Epiblema (Notocelia) uddmanniana
1......1236......Pammene fasciana
3......1261......Cydia pomonella
6......1293......Chrysoteuchia culmella
4......1294......Crambus pascuella
2......1302......Crambus perlella
20+..1331......Acentria ephemerella
6......1334......Scoparia ambigualis
4......1344......Eudonia mercurella
2......1390......Udea prunalis
1......1413......Hypsopygia costalis
1......1417......Pyralis farinalis
10....1424......Endotricha flammealis
2......1428......Aphomia sociella
1......1439......Trachycera advenella
2......1474......Ephestia parasitella unicolorella
1......1481......Homoeosoma sinuella
2......1524......Emmelina monodactyla
1 Cnephasia spp
1 Oegoconia spp
2 Caloptilia spp probably rufipennella (tbc)
2......1673......Small Emerald
12....1699......Least Carpet
5......1705......Dwarf Cream Wave
1......1707......Small Dusty Wave
4......1713......Riband Wave
1......1724......Red Twin-spot Carpet *year first (Below)

3......1728......Garden Carpet
1......1738......Common Carpet
2......1742......Yellow Shell
1......1816......Toadflax Pug
1......1830......Wormwood Pug
2......1862......Double-striped Pug
1......1906......Brimstone Moth
1......1917......Early Thorn
2......1922......Swallow-tailed Moth
2......1937......Willow Beauty
2......2026......Vapourer
1......2031......White Satin Moth *year first (Below)

4......2047......Scarce Footman
6......2050......Common Footman
7......2061......Buff Ermine
2......2089......Heart & Dart
2......2092......Shuttle-shaped Dart
7......2107......Large Yellow Underwing
4......2109......Lesser Yellow Underwing
4......2110......Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
1......2111......Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
2......2155......Dot Moth
3......2160......Bright-line Brown-eye
1......2165......Small Ranunculus
2......2193......Clay
1......2279......Sycamore
1......2280......Miller
1......2284x....Grey Dagger agg.
2......2293......Marbled Beauty
7......2321......Dark Arches
8......2341......Cloaked Minor
1......2349......Mere Wainscot
1......2352......Dusky Sallow *year first (Below)

6......2381......Uncertain
3......2441......Siver Y
3......2489......Fan-foot

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.

22nd April 2011...What's that coming over the hill...

....no, it's not a monster, but a head-on view of a PUSS MOTH and a brand new tick for the garden

PUSS MOTH 1995

another new addition to the garden list last night was this MULLEIN 2221

PEBBLE HOOK-TIP 1648

RED TWIN-SPOT CARPET 1724 .... year first x 2

V-PUG 1858..another year first ALSO:-

16 x S.S.Dart

8 x Brimstone Moth

1 x Clouded Drab

1 x Ruby Tiger

1 x Garden Carpet

Brindled (3), Common (2), Double-striped (2), Currant (2), V-pug, and twelve other pugs unidentified.

1 x Hebrew Character

2 x Dark/Grey Dagger

2 x Common Quaker

3 x Nut-tree Tussock

1 x Least Black Arches

2 x Powdered Quaker

1 x Sallow Kitten

1 x Knot Grass

8 x Argyrotaenia ljungiana

3 x Tinea trinotella

3 x Endrosis sarcitrella

2 x Alucita hexadactyla

2 x Epiphyas postvittana

1 x Hofmannophila pseudospretella

1 x Agonopterix arenella

Plus 2 micros' sent to recorder for ID

GARDEN SPECIES now stands at 79 spp,

54 macro, 25 micro

21st July.....Wormwood scrubs up well !

The unique duo Blacklight/actinic (an early experimental "Ratface" trap) is certainly accounting for a lot of species in The Dells garden.
And last night was no exception as it bagged a ......................................................

............................... WORMWOOD !

a garden first for the Dells, and after Mr Blain's 14th last week, this is the 15th vc30 record.

MERE WAINSCOT....first appearance in the garden

Red Twin-spot Carpet X

SCALLOPED OAK.......2nd record for the year A cool breeze developed as the night went on keeping numbers down.

29 species of macro moths recorded.

13th July..... The Dark Side

Red Twin-spot Carpet

Yellow-barred Brindle

Last night turned up some interesting species in the one Skinner I had operating. The weather was a little warmer than the night before and the wind had dropped.
A garden first DARK UMBER

SCALLOPED OAK...2nd for the year

An easy Pug species to identify for a change...

BORDERED PUG....first for year

a stunning micro.......

BEAUTIFUL CHINA-MARK

another first for my ever expanding micro list

EUROPEAN CORN-BORER Results :

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

9 x Dark Arches

6 x Common Footman

6 x Uncertain

5 x Willow Beauty

5 x Shuttle-shaped Dart

4 x Riband Wave

3 x Dot Moth

3 x Least Carpet

3 x Buff Ermine

3 x Scarce Footman

3 x Pale Mottled Willow

3 x Heart & Dart

2 x Cloaked Minor

2 x Flame

2 x Bright-line Brown-eye

2 x Dun-bar

2 x Grey/Dark Dagger

AND one each of the following:-

Small Emerald

Garden Carpet

Ruby Tiger

Clay

Bordered Pug

Small Waved Umber

Yellow-barred Brindle (a fresh green example)

Red Twin-spot Carpet

Dark Umber

Small Ranunculus (my 13th record for the year)

Poplar Hawkmoth

Common Wainscot

Light Arches

Scalloped Oak

Rustic

Silver Y

Small Dusty Wave

11th &12th July.

11th July............All traps blazing with 40+ species recorded
..........................................................................................................
a garden first in the shape of this rather worn
BLACKNECK

MALLOW ......1st for year. STOP PRESS:::::::::: Eagle-eyed Matt Burgess has noticed that this is NOT a Mallow. It is in fact a SHADED BROAD-BAR which is very similar. Thanks Matt that is a Dells Garden First and I will be expecting my year first Mallow in about two months time.

one of 2 NUT-TREE TUSSOCK

LARGE YELLOW UNDERWING.....I've taken a few "hits" from these big guys, but love 'em or hate 'em they are a cracking moth. Another wrong ID by yours truly ! This is a female BROAD-BORDERED YELLOW UNDERWING thanks Ornithom, much appreciated.

SHARK

MOTTLED RUSTIC

my 2nd PINE HAWKMOTH

RED/DARK TWIN-SPOT CARPET

12th July....................Much cooler last night with a bit of rain thrown in. Just had the one trap working and numbers were well down with 22 species of macros noted.
I was almost sure the top pic was the UNCERTAIN (contradiction noted) in its grey form, but the black dots along the leading edge of the forewing confirm it is the very similar PALE MOTTLED WILLOW

This NUTMEG is definitely a different one from the night before, it became breakfast for a cheeky robin which darted in before I could transfer it to the release bin.

BROAD-BARRED WHITE The rest are the usual visitors at the moment with a few interesting micros .

12/07/10

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

12 x Dark Arches

8 x Uncertain

8 x Common Footman

5 x Riband Wave

5 x Willow Beauty

3 x Heart & Dart

3 x S.S.Dart

3 x Large Yellow Underwing

3 x Scarce Footman

2 x Marbled Beauty

2 x Dot Moth

2 x Grey/Dark Dagger

2 x Buff Ermine

2 x Marbled Minor agg

1 x Swallow-tailed Moth

1 x Broad-barred White

1 x Pale Mottled Willow

1 x Single-dotted Wave

1 x Least Carpet

1 x Cloaked Minor

1 x Bright-line Brown-eye

1 x Light Arches