Garden moths update

Just when we thought the weather was warming up ...
6 deg last night and 7 the night before.
Not much to get excited about in the traps.
The first Privet Hawk-moth arrived on the 5th and the highlights for yesterday/last night was a Hobby that hurtled through just above roof-top height, giving good views of the face pattern as it flew towards the afternoon sun and a couple of year firsts for the moth traps.
Last nights catch :-
1 x 0229 Monopis obviella
1 x 0808 Platyedra subcinerea
2 x 1063 Celypha striana, year first

Celypha striana

1 x 1728 Garden Carpet
1 x 1768 Grey Pine Carpet, year first

Grey Pine Carpet

3 x 1834 Common Pug
1 x 1936 Waved Umber

Waved Umber

1 x 1937 Willow Beauty
1 x 2069 Cinnabar
1 x 2087 Turnip Moth
8 x 2089 Heart and Dart
6 x 2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart
3 x 2223 Toadflax Brocade
1 x 2333 Large Nutmeg
1 x 2389 Pale Mottled Willow

Below:-
Privet Hawk-moth from 5th June ... year first

Privet Hawk-moth

May the 4th be with you.

Excuse the Star Wars pun.
May 4th turned out to be a very wet night indeed so the trap covers were employed, but a spot of rain doesn't deter the moths too much as long as it is warm.
29 moths of 14 species were trapped including first appearances for Knot Grass and Waved Umber this year.
Anyone starting out mothing may be confused by Waved and Small Waved Umber so here they are .... Small Waved Umber top

The catch 4/5/2015
0647 Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 1, (Brown House Moth)
0649 Endrosis sarcitrella, 1, (White-shouldered House Moth)
0649 Esperia sulphurella, 1
0892 Mompha subbistrigella, 6, inside shed on window

Mompha subbistrigella

0998 Epiphyas postvittana, 1, (Light Brown Apple Moth)
1728 Garden Carpet, 2
1781 Small Waved Umber, 2
1906 Brimstone Moth, 3
1936 Waved Umber, 1, year first
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart, 7
2187 Common Quaker, 1
2190 Hebrew Character, 1
2289 Knot Grass, 1, year first

Knot Grass

2306 Angle Shades, 1

A female Sparrowhawk flew into the garden this morning and there was just about enough time to grab the camera and snap a passable shot through the double glazing of the patio door  ...

11th April 2014 ... Waved Umber

8deg C but feeling chilly with a bright 85% waxing moon.
Moth numbers well down on the previous couple of nights, the clear skies and bright moon not helping.
Highlight of the Night ...
WAVED UMBER

Menophra abruptaria ... Waved Umber

0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana, x 1
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla, x 6
1862 ... Double-striped Pug x 5
1936 ... Waved Umber, x 1, ... year first
2182 ... Small Quaker x 2
2187 ... Common Quaker x 4
2188 ... Clouded Drab x 1
2190 ... Hebrew Character x 1
2243 ... Early Grey x 2
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow x 3

6th May 2013 ... Purple Patch

1919 ... Purple Thorn ... Selenia tetralunaria

Another great night for the garden mothing.

Purple Thorn has only made one previous appearance so I was pleased to see this one.

Another hit or miss moth is the weird looking Chocolate-tip, this one is the third garden record.....

2091 ... Chocolate-tip ... Clostera curtula

From the exotic to the mundane, a Brown House-moth, the first of many ....

647 ... Hofmannophila pseudospretella ... Brown House-moth

 Waved Umber was also added to the year list .....

1781 ... Waved Umber ... Horisme vitalbata

10 Pugs showed up last night, 8 of them were Double-striped with 2 Brindled .... or are they ?
The bottom picture is definitely a Brindled but the top one looks more like an Oak Tree Pug

Oak-tree Pug ?

1852 ... Brindled Pug ... Epithecia abbreviata

Last nights catch :-

0647 ... Hofmannophila pseudospretella ... Brown House-moth ... 1, YF

0649 ... Esperia sulphurella ... Sulphur Tubic ... 2

0697 ... Agonopterix arenella ... Brindled Flat-body ... 1

0808 ... Platyedra subcinerea ... Mallow Groundling ... 2

0892 ... Mompha subbistrigella ... Garden Cosmet ... 2

0974 ... Argyrotaenia ljungiana ... Heather Tortrix ... 3

0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana ... Light Brown Apple Moth ... 2

1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla ... Common Plume ... 6

1781 ... Waved Umber ... Menophra abruptaria ... 1, YF

1852 ... Brindled Pug ... Epithecia abbreviata ... 2, YF

1862 ... Double-striped Pug ... Gymnoscelis rufifasciata ... 8

1883 ... Yellow-barred Brindle ... Acasis viretata ... 1

1906 ... Brimstone Moth ... Opisthograptis luteolata ... 1

1919 ... Purple Thorn ... Selenia tetralunaria ... 1, YF

2019 ... Chocolate-tip ... Clostera curtula ... 1, YF

2063 ... Muslin Moth ... Diaphora mendica ... 2

2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart ... Agrotis puta ... 1

2186 ... Powdered Quaker ... Orthosia gracilis ... 2

2187 ... Common Quaker ... Orthosia cerasi ... 2

2190 ... Hebrew Character ... Orthosia gothica ... 5

2243 ... Early Grey ... Xylocampa areola ... 3

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

19th May MACROs

The glorious weather continues and another garden first in the shape of a Waved Umber appeared by the trap. Also a mystery-moth.
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The mystery moth turned out to be an unusual SHUTTLE-SHAPED DART (thanks Andy for all your help on this one...tricky !)

LEAST BLACK ARCHES two found on illuminated roller-blind

CABBAGE MOTH clearly showing the tell-tale spur on the front leg

KNOT GRASS

WAVED UMBER a garden first for The Dells and I bet it would be hard to spot on the trunk of a Silver Birch

Results:-

21 x S.S.Dart

4 x Brimstone Moth

2 x Least Black Arches

2 x Currant Pug

4 x Common Pug

2 x Double-striped Pug

2 x Mottled Pug

1 x Waved Umber

1 x Small Waved Umber

1 x Muslin Moth

1 x Dark/Grey Dagger

1 x Bright-line Brown-eye

1 x Cabbage Moth

1 x Knot Grass