An update ... garden moths

Here are a few recent additions to the garden year list ...

Swallow Prominent

Least Yellow Underwing

Orange Sallow

Cream-bordered Green Pea

Tree-lichen Beauty

Six-striped Rustic

Epiblema foenella (brown form)

Latticed Heath

8th Aug 2014 . Soaking traps !

I got a lot more rain than the Met had predicted so come the morning they were like swimming pools.
Amazed to find just as many moths as the previous evening and apart from one or two the catch was pretty much the same.
Two additions to the year list was a rather washed out Swallow Prominent and two Agriphila geniculea ...

Agriphila geniculea

Swallow Prominent

Checking out one of my small hawthorn shrubs today I discovered a couple of identical Coleophora cases, which I will try and breed through.

19th Aug 2013 .... Micros rule

Two good micros were recorded last night ....
Nephopterix angustella, new for garden

1465 ... Nephopterix angustella

... And, Gelechia senticetella ... year first

801a ... Gelichia senticetella

The Catch ...
0015 ... Orange Swift
0648 ... Endrosis sarcitrella
0697 ... Agonopterix arenella
801a ... Gelichia senticetella, ... Year first
0970 ... Pandemis cerasana
0974 ... Argyrotaenia ljungiana
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana
1113 ... Eudemis profundana
1261 ... Cydia pomonella
1305 ... Agriphila tristella
1309 ... Agriphila geniculea
1361 ... Pyrausta aurata
1405 ... Pleuroptya ruralis
1465 ... Nephopterix angustella ... Garden first
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla
1680 ... Maiden's Blush
1713 ... Riband Wave
1728 ... Garden Carpet
1738 ... Common Carpet
1742 ... Yellow Shell
1825 ... Lime-speck Pug ... x 5
1862 ... Double-striped Pug

1862 ... Double-striped Pug

1906 ... Brimstone Moth
1921 ... Scalloped Oak
1937 ... Willow Beauty
2007 ... Swallow Prominent

2007 ... Swallow Prominent

2061 ... Buff Ermine
2087 ... Turnip Moth
2102 ... Flame Shoulder
2107 ... Large Yellow Underwing
2109 ... Lesser Yellow Underwing
2110 ... Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
2111 ... Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
2126 ... Setaceous Hebrew Character
2134 ... Square-spot Rustic
2145 ... The Nutmeg
2165 ... Small Ranunculus

2165 ... Small Ranunculus

2199 ... Common Wainscot
2269 ... Centre-barred Sallow
2293 ... Marbled Beauty
2297 ... Copper Underwing agg.
2299 ... Mouse Moth
2303 ... Straw Underwing
2343 ... Common Rustic agg.
2353 ... Flounced Rustic
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow
2441 ... Silver Y
2450 ... The Spectacle

3rd June 2013 ... Cold nights in Beds

Yes, Bedfordshire night temperatures have been around 5 or 6 degrees and moth numbers have dropped dramatically.
We are in what the weatherman calls "but out in the rural areas ...", right after he gives overnight lows for the London area.
The highlights for the last couple of days have been Toadflax Brocade number 4 and Small ranunculus number 3.
These two red data moths are regulars in my garden.
Only one to add to the year list, apart from a couple of micros that need to be ID'd.
Light Brocade ......

2157 ... Light Brocade ... Lacanobia w-latinum

BEST of the REST :-
  Small Ranunculus ......

2165 ... Small Ranunculus ... Hecatera dysodea

Swallow Prominent ......

2007 ... Swallow Prominent ... Pheosia tremula

Bright-line Brown-eye ........

2160 ... Bright-line Brown-eye ... Lacanobia oleracea

19th May 2013 ... Best night so far

11 deg all night, and apart from a heavyish shower at 01.00 am, it would have been perfect.
Let's hope for many more "best night so far" nights.
Yesterday, I did a bit of afternoon micro hunting in the front part of the garden, where the north-west border is constantly under attack from my neighbours knee-deep selection of wild grasses and weeds.
This bothers me not one whit as it encourages the local wildlife.
Six species were potted/netted and my Laburnum tree produced Leucoptera laburnella the Laburnum Leaf-miner.  Cochylis dubitana was also added to the year list, a common micro at The Dells.
My prized regulars returned last night for the third year running ... Toadflax Brocade and my female Emperor Moth hatched from its pupa after 3 years, unfortunately the weather hasn't been the best to lure some wild males.

The micro catch .........
0247 ... Tinea trinotella ... Bird's-nest Moth ... 1 ... YF

247 ... Tinea trinotella

0254 ... Leucoptera laburnella ... Laburnum Leaf Miner ... 1 ... YF

254 ... Leucoptera laburnella

0647 ... Hofmannophila pseudospretella ... Brown House-moth ... 2
0648 ... Endrosis sarcitrella ... White-shouldered House-moth ... 3
0649 ... Esperia sulphurella ... Sulphur Tubic ... 2
0697 ... Agonopterix arenella ... Brindled Flat-body ... 1

697 ... Agonopterix arenella

0808 ... Platyedra subcinerea ... Mallow Groundling ... 4
0892 ... Mompha subbistrigella ... Garden Cosmet ... 1
0964 ... Cochylis dubitana ... Little Conch ... 1 ... YF

964 ... Cochylis dubitana 

0974 ... Argyrotaenia ljungiana ... Heather Tortrix ... 2
1288 ... Alucita hexadactyla ... Twenty-plume Moth ... 2
1428 ... Aphomia sociella ... Bee Moth ... 1 ... YF

1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla ... Common Plume ... 1
Macro Moths ...
1707 ... Small Dusty Wave ... Idaea seriata ... 1 ... YF

1707 ... Small Dusty Wave ... Idaea seriata

1724 ... Red Twin-spot Carpet ... Xanthorhoe spadicearia ... 1
1728 ... Garden Carpet ... Xanthorhoe fluctuata ... 6
1781 ... Small Waved Umber ... Horisme vitalbata ... 1
1834 ... Common Pug ... Eupithecia vulgata ... 4
1906 ... Brimstone Moth ... Opisthograptis luteolata ... 3
1920 ... Scalloped Hazel ... Odontopera bidentata ... 1
1979 ... Lime Hawk-moth ... Mimas tiliae ... 1
2007 ... Swallow Prominent ... Pheosia tremula ... 1 ... YF

2007 ... Swallow Prominent ... Pheosia tremula

2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart ... Agrotis puta ... 6
2145 ... Nutmeg ... Dicestra trifolii ... 1
2186 ... Powdered Quaker ... Orthosia gracilis ... 1
2190 ... Hebrew Character ... Orthosia gothica ... 1
2223 ... Toadflax Brocade ...Calophasia lunula ... 2 ... YF

2223 ... Toadflax Brocade ... Calophasia lunula

2243 ... Early Grey ... Xylocampa areola ... 1
2283/4. Dark/Grey Dagger agg. ... Acronicta tridens/psi ... 1
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow ... Paradrina clavipalpis ... 2
2450 ... The Spectacle ... Abrostola tripartita ... 1
Plus a couple for later ID

8th May 2012... Good, until the rain came (again)

Overnight min. temp. 9.1 deg. gentle southerly breeze....then RAIN
Once again the weather put the brakes on what was becoming an excellent night.
It was still 12 deg at 23.00 hrs. and the local moths were itching for an excursion around The Dells garden.
But at 23.30...down it came and continued for the rest of the night.
Best moth of the night by a long chalk was Chamomile Shark, a garden first and
scarce for the county with just 23 past records.
NB. Another county Chamomile was caught on the same night by Will George....see blog on http://i-moff.blogspot.co.uk/  I believe this one is a male, whereas mine is a female, which deposited eggs in the capture pot.
Thanks to Andy & Melissa Banthorpe (county macro recorders) for confirming ID

Trap results :-
0229 Monopis obviella 1
0647 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella 1
0649 Esperia sulphurella 1
0695 Agonopterix alstromeriana 1
0808 Platyedra subcinerea 4, year first
0974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana 3
0985 Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana 1, year first
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 2
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 2
Plus 1 unidentified for gen det...result later
1728 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata 2
1834 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata 2
1862 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 8
1906 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata 1
1936 Waved Umber Menophra abruptaria 2, year first
2007 Swallow Prominent Pheosia tremula 1, year first
2063 Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica 1, year first
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta 7
2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 1
2214 Chamomile Shark Cucullia chamomillae 1, garden first
2283/4 Dark/grey Dagger agg 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow Paradrina clavipalpis 2

Chamomile Shark, Cucullia chamomillae 

Waved Umber, Menophra abruptaria 

Swallow Prominent, Pheosia tremula

Grey/Dark Dagger agg

Muslin Moth, Diaphora mendica

808 Platyedra Subcinerea

985 Cacoeicimorpha pronubana

26th July 2011...Gradual improvement

Overnight temp. 13.4 deg. Overcast and calm conditions.
61 Shuttle-shaped Darts was an all-time high, and at last Common Carpet has turned up.
Two more Small Ranunculus brought the years total to a very healthy 22.
Three Straw Underwings were the first this year and an Old Lady made two attempts to go in the trap unsuccessfully.It fluttered around like a bat before settling on the house wall long enough for me to get camera/large pot, but not long enough to put either to use, so no pic. I had 5 or 6 of these last year so I'm hoping another opportunity will soon arise.
Tonight looks good weatherwise so I'm hoping to get my 200th macro for the year...one to go !
On the micro front, a good selection, with a garden first for Aspilapteryx tringipennella.
The Catch (macro)
61 x Shuttle-shaped Dart
1 x Copper Underwing agg.
1 x Lime-speck Pug
1 x Toadflax Pug
1 x Double-striped Pug
1 x Wormwood Pug
6 x Common Rustic agg.
2 x Willow Beauty
4 x Least Carpet
4 x Ruby Tiger
4 x Riband Wave
6 x Cloaked Minor
2 x Brimstone Moth
4 x Yellow Shell

YELLOW SHELL

1 x Marbled Beauty
3 x Large Yellow Underwing
1 x Pine Hawkmoth
2 x Small Ranunculus
1 x Bright-line Brown-eye
1 x Dot Moth
2 x Lesser Yellow Underwing
1 x Dingy Footman
1 x Scarce Footman
3 x Turnip Moth
2 x Common Carpet FFY

COMMON CARPET

2 x Garden Carpet
1 x White Satin Moth
2 x Pale Mottled Willow
1 x Old Lady FFY
3 x Straw Underwing FFY



STRAW UNDERWING

4 x Clay 2 x Buff Ermine
1 x Nutmeg
1 x Grey Dagger agg.
1 x Poplar Grey
2 x Uncertain
2 x Swallow Prominent



SWALLOW PROMINENT

Micros
12 x Chrysoteuchia culmella
8 x Crambus pascuella
1 x Caloptria pinella
2 x Agapeta hamana
2 x Pleuroptya ruralis
3 x Hypsopygia costalis
2 x Cydia pomonella
1 x Acleris variegana
1 x Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

AMBLYPTILIA ACANTHADACTYLA

1 x Pterophorus pentadactyla
1 x Ypsolopha scabrella
1 x Acleris forsskaleana
1 x Aethes cnicana
1 x Gelechia senticetella
2 x Hofmannophila pseudospretella
1 x Aspilapteryx tringipennella  (garden first)

ASPILAPTERYX TRINGIPENNELLA

1 x Ditula angustiorana
1 x Platyedra subcinerea
1 x Spilonota ocellana.....not to be confused with Cydia servillana ! ( cheers Skev)
2011 Garden total now stands at 339 species, 199 macro, 140 micro with one ID pending.
The Wine Bet...
Dire ! I am trailing by about a dozen species

27th April 2011...Cold weather returns

First things first...Happy Birthday Mum, 86 not out and going strong.....Mothwise, a little slow since the weather changed with temps at a kick above 3 degrees last night. On the night of the 26th I went to Home Wood with Captain Trappings for our monthly trap session and although some interseting species were caught (mostly carpets), the wind was blowing down the rides and it was much colder than the previous few nights, undoubtedly affecting numbers. The report will appear on Matts blog thetrappingsofsuccess.
A few new species have been added to the garden list after sorting out a few ID's.....ELACHISTA RUFOCINEREA 608, from 21st April

ADELA REAUMURELLA 150, 23rd April, the white patch is flash glare

Year first appearance for TURNIP MOTH 2087, 26th April

SWALLOW PROMINENT 2007, my 4th this year

Get used to it ! HEART & DART 2089, 27th April

5th 2011 record for SCALLOPED HAZEL 1920
93 garden species to date, 59 macro, 34 micro