Garden Moths latest ... 2/10/15

The big super-moon has been a hindrance of late, add clear skies and it's a recipe for low moth counts.
Two moth species were added to the garden year list, Red-green Carpet and Yellow-line Quaker.
Red-green Carpet is normally seen in smaller numbers in the Spring around these parts but this years Spring was very poor compared to recent years.

BF 1760 - Red-green Carpet

BF 2264 - Yellow-line Quaker

Also a White-point amongst the end of Summer stragglers ...

BF 2194 - White-point

16th Oct 2014 ... "Green Stuff"

Above ... Merveille de la Nuit would be a more appropriate name for this beautiful moth ... always a thrill to see in the autumn moth trap.
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Last night was overcast and much warmer with warm air being pulled in from the Azores, enjoy it while it lasts.
The forecasted rain during the night missed Biggleswade and the night was pleasantly warm.
31 moths of 17 species was a good return compared to the last couple of weeks.
Both Sallow and Mallow were rescued from the numerous Garden Orb spider webs around the garden.
So far it's been a poor year for Sallow species in my garden with only Centre-barred, Barred and The Sallow recorded in low numbers.
The normally annual Pink-barred and Dusky Lemon Sallow have not yet been recorded this year although there is still time, and Pale Lemon Sallow has turned up in the past.
Diamond-back Moth has had a big year with another two seen on the trap perspex.
Of the "green stuff" ... Red-green Carpet was last seen in spring until last night, Green-brindled Crescent and Merveille du Jour were both new for 2014
Great Diving Beetles are on the move and occasionally turn up in the traps and I normally drop them in the small garden pond, but not this time as I have many Goldfish fry in there, I know Halloween is approaching but ........
16th Oct :-
Monopis obviella, 2
Plutella xylostella, 2
Epiphyas postvittana, 6
Emmelina monodactyla, 3
Mallow, 1
Red-green Carpet, 1

Red-green Carpet

Common Marbled Carpet, 1

Shuttle-shaped Dart, 3

Lesser Yellow Underwing, 1

Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2

Blair's Shoulder-knot, 3

Merveille du Jour, 1 ... year first

Merveille du Jour

Green-brindled Crescent, 1 ... year first

Green-brindled Crescent

Dark Chestnut, 1

Dark Chestnut

Barred Sallow, 1

Barrted Sallow

Sallow, 1

Angle Shades, 2

Great Diving Beetle

9th March 2014 ... Warm spell brings out the moths ...

... and Butterflies, with more Brimstones, Small Tortoiseshells and a year first Peacock.
An early Red-green Carpet and a Pale Mottled Willow were added to the year list as was the melanic form of Lyonetia clerkella, found on the patio door window this morning ( 10th ).
L. clerkella is extremely common in my garden and it won't be long before a multitude of mines appear on the 3 apple trees, Birch, Bird Cherry, Hawthorn and Cotoneaster, tho not so many on the latter.

Red-green Carpet

Red-green Carpet

Pale Mottled Willow

Melanic form of Lyonetia clerkella

18th Oct 2013 ... Juniper Carpet

A second Juniper Carpet was a good record, this one in better condition.
There are quite a few cultivated conifers in the surrounding gardens which could explain why I get this uncommon moth quite regularly.
A year first Feathered Thorn was also found on the patio door near one of the traps.
.
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana x 3
1760 ... Red-green Carpet

Red-green Carpet

1771 ... Juniper Carpet

Juniper Carpet

1795x . November Moth agg.
1923 ... Feathered Thorn ... YF

Feathered Thorn ( male )

2107 ... Large Yellow Underwing
2109 ... Lesser Yellow Underwing x 2
2126 ... Setaceous Hebrew Character x 2
2199 ... Common Wainscot
2232 ... Black Rustic x 2
2240 ... Blair's Shoulder-knot x 4
2256 ... Satellite
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow
.
It's been a record breaking year for garden moths so far and if you add the 16 Butterfly species, I have passed the 500 mark for lepidoptera, which is amazing for a town garden measuring 16 x 13 metres
On the waterfront, there are still Pond Skaters on my little garden pool ...

10th Oct 2013 ... Foul weather good for the Carpets

Rain, cold, blowing a gale.
Perfect night for one of the traps. Yeah right.
I thought I'd better put one on in case of a blow-in.
It's a surprise anything was on the wing at all but Red-green, Common Marbled and Garden Carpet somehow made it to the lights.
15 moths of 10 species was a good tally given the conditions.

1728 ... Garden Carpet
1760 ... Red-green Carpet

1760 ... Red-green Carpet

1764 ... Common Marbled Carpet

1764 ... Common Marbled Carpet

2107 ... Large Yellow Underwing x 3
2126 ... Setaceous Hebrew Character
2232 ... Black Rustic x 2
2240 ... Blair's Shoulder-knot x 3
2270 ... Lunar Underwing
2273 ... Pink-barred Sallow

2273 ... Pink-barred Sallow

2306 ... Angle Shades

28th Sept 2013 ... Garden Catch

3 new moths for the year list were recorded along with 2 Brown-spot Pinion, an uncommon moth in my garden with singles recorded almost annually.
Species list :-
0648 ... Endrosis sarcitrella
0674 ... Depressaria badiella, YF

674 ... Depressaria badiella

0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana
1048 ... Acleris variegana
1342 ... Eudonia angustea
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla
1728 ... Garden Carpet
1760 ... Red-green Carpet. YF

1760 ... Red-green Carpet

1764 ... Common Marbled Carpet
1906 ... Brimstone Moth
1961 ... Light Emerald
1937 ... Willow Beauty
2087 ... Turnip Moth
2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart
2107 ... Large Yellow Underwing
2109 ... Lesser Yellow Underwing
2110 ... Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
2126 ... Setaceous Hebrew Character
2134 ... Square-spot Rustic
2154 ... Cabbage Moth
2232 ... Black Rustic
2240 ... Blair's Shoulder-knot
2252 ... Large Ranunculus
2266 ... Brown-spot Pinion

Brown-spot Pinion and Beaded Chestnut

2267 ... Beaded Chestnut
2270 ... Lunar Underwing
2275 ... Dusky-lemon Sallow, YF

2275 ... Dusky-lemon Sallow

2306 ... Angle Shades
2353 ... Flounced Rustic
2364 ... Frosted Orange

2364 ... Frosted Orange

2384 ... Vine's Rustic
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow
2477 ... Snout

13th Nov 2012... Garden Traps

A few moths were about last night, enjoying the 10 deg. min temperature.
The previous 4 nights tally was zero !
All of the micros were caught in the early evening and there were no macros to be seen before 01.00 am when I went to bed after checking the traps.

2... 0229 Monopis obviella
2... 0284 Caloptilia rufipennella ... below

1... 0647 Hofmanophila pseudospretella
3... 0998 Epiphyas postvittana
1... 1524 Emmelina monodactyla
1... 1760 Red-green Carpet ... below...probably the best marked example I have seen at The Dells

1... 2256 Satellite ... below

1... 2267 Beaded Chestnut
3... 2306 Angle Shades ... below

6/7/8/9th Nov 2012 .. Slim pickings

Not much to report from The Dells garden traps over the last few nights.
Weather has been OK but moths are thin in the air.

6th Nov
Light Brown Apple Moth
Common Plume
Dark Chestnut
Angle Shades

7th Nov
Black Rustic

8th Nov
1, Lesser Yellow Underwing
3, Blair's Shoulder-knot
2, Light Brown Apple Moth
2, Common Plume

9th Nov
Just two moths........

998 Epiphyas postvittana, Light Brown Apple Moth

1760 Red-green Carpet, Chloroclysta siterata

13th/14th Oct ... I could Hardly believe my EYES !

Garden Traps, 14th October... similar to last night, 2.7 min. temp... calm, clear, chilly.
A late Eyed Hawk-moth clinging to the brick wall next to the trap was a surprise find on a chilly mid-October night.
It must have flown in at around midnight when the temperature was sitting on 4 deg and falling, I was actually checking the walls with the first November Moth in mind !
Having spoken to County Recorders Andy and Melissa Banthorpe, a check of the records found that the previous latest Eyed H-m in Bedfordshire was recorded on August 5th, not sure of the year, so this one is incredibly late in these parts. There is a partial 2nd generation Aug/Sept in the south.
I wonder what the latest record is nationally ?

17 moths of 14 species last night :-
1 .. 0998 .. Light Brown Apple Moth
1 .. 1524 .. Common Plume
1 .. 1760 .. Red-green Carpet

1 .. 1980 .. Eyed Hawk-moth, year first (and year last probably !)

1 .. 2087 .. Turnip Moth

1 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
1 .. 2109 .. Lesser Yellow Underwing
1 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
2 .. 2232 .. Black Rustic
3 .. 2240 .. Blair's Shoulder-knot
1 .. 2252 .. Large Ranunculus
1 .. 2258 .. Chestnut

1 .. 2267 .. Beaded Chestnut
1 .. 2306 .. Angle Shades




13th Oct , 2.3 deg. min. temp... calm, clear, chilly

4 .. 1524 .. Emmelina monodactyla
2 .. 2107 .. Large Yellow Underwing
1 .. 2109 .. Lesser Yellow Underwing
1 .. 2126 .. Setaceous Hebrew Character
2 .. 2232 .. Black Rustic
1 .. 2252 .. Large Ranunculus
1 .. 2259 .. Dark Chestnut

1 .. 2264 .. Yellow-line Quaker
1 .. 2270 .. Lunar Underwing

28th Oct 2011...Garden traps

Overnight min. temp. 8.7 deg. calm, overcast

LARGE WAINSCOT



BLAIR'S SHOULDER-KNOT



COMMON MARBLED CARPET



RED-GREEN CARPET

NOVEMBER MOTH agg.



MERVEILLE DU JOUR

 3 x Blair's Shoulder-knot
3 x Silver Y
2 x November Moth agg
1 x Common Marbled Carpet
1 x Red-green Carpet
1 x Merveille du Jour, (year first)

2 x Epiphyas postvittana
1 x Emmelina monodactyla
1 x Acleris sparsana

Garden Tally for 2011......
430 species.....246 macro, 184 micro

3rd Oct 2011...Red line, Yellow line

Minimum overnight temp...12.9 deg, Breezy
A good night for the garden year ticks with 3 additional macros.
18 x Shuttle-shaped Dart
12 x Pale Mottled Willow
8 x Large Yellow Underwing
7 x Lesser Yellow Underwing
5 x Lunar Underwing
2 x Sallow
1 x Brick... year first

THE BRICK

3 x Willow Beauty
2 x Turnip Moth
1 x Brimstone Moth
2 x Black Rustic
2 x Yellow-line Quaker... Year first

YELLOW-LINE QUAKER

1 x Garden Carpet
1 x Mallow
2 x Blair's Shoulder-knot
1 x Red-line Quaker... Year first

RED-LINE QUAKER

2 x Angle Shades
1 x Square-spot Rustic
1 x Large Ranunculus
1 x Red-green Carpet

RED-GREEN CARPET

4 x Epiphyas postvittana
2 x Emmelina monodactyla
1 x Eudonia angustea
1 x Phyllonorycter leucographella


PHYLLONORYCTER LEUCOGRAPHELLA 

1 x Endrosis sarcitrella
1 x Cacoecimorpha pronubana
1 x Red-barred Tortrix or similar
3 x Depressaria species... TBC

The Dells garden year total is now 415 with a few pending ID's
242 macro and 173 micro
The wine bet is now a run race with Captain Trappings sitting on an unassailable lead, unless a miracle occurs. Three loaves, 5 fishes and about 30 moths would do !