Sunday 29 June 2014

oops!

My mistake, garden total 277 for the GMC!

Micros!

June continues to be very good for moths, and especially for the micros. Epinotia bilunana was a first for Portland, and Pammene fasciana, a second. Ethmia dodecea, although becoming more common on Portland, was a first for the Garden and a nice little moth. Spatalistis bifasciana was a second for the garden.

Garden totals so far: 227


Monday 23 June 2014

New and early moths in Beds.

New species for the year have been piling in recently after a great month of moths. A couple of moths new to Bedfordshire turned up at the end of May: the Pauper Pug and the micro Ancylis uncella, although the latter was on the reserve not in the gardens so can’t be included in the challenge! Other highlights were a Red-necked Footman, of which we had the 5th and 6th records in the county last year; this being the 7th record. Our 200th lepidopteran turned up in the toilets of all places and was the jazzy micro Chrysoclista linneella, which would have been feeding on the lime trees just outside and happens to be the 4th record for Beds. and a nationally notable species!

Dark Arches, Heart & Dart and Heart & Club have been dominating the trap recently and we’ve had an assortment of Rustics. Some species have been turning up earlier than expected, including the Rosy Footman (9th June) and Buff Footman (17th June). The butterfly count is also on the rise, with Painted Lady and Marbled White being recent additions, although we’re still yet to see any Small and Large Whites – hopefully we’ll catch the second broods. No Silver Y yet either, but Hummingbird Hawk-moths have been spotted on quite a few occasions.

Bordered White

Red-necked Footman

Buff-tip

Elephant Hawk-moth

Angle Shades

a very strange Peacock Moth

Burnished Brass

Rosy Footman

Blotched Emerald

Chrysoclista linneella

We’re on 206 species now (192 moths + 14 butterflies).

Wednesday 18 June 2014

Good Night in Bucks

After lots of very poor garden catches, last night I had a comparatively decent haul of 18 species (plus a couple pending in the fridge...) which was the best since 1st June by far.

As expected, this included a fair few new species for the garden year list and a couple new to the all-time garden list. There has also been a trickle of new species over the last week, so time for an update methinks:

65. Archips podana (Large Fruit-tree Tortrix)
66. Lozotaenia forsterana
67. Ditula angustiorana (Red-barred Tortrix)
68. Olindia schumacherana
69. Chrysoteuchia culmella (Garden Grass-veneer)
70. Eudonia lacustrata
71. Eudonia mercurella
72. Parapoynx stratiotata  (Ringed China Mark) - NFG
73. Udea prunalis
74. Common Emerald
75. Riband Wave
76. Silver-ground Carpet
77. Purple Thorn
78. Mottled Beauty
79. Purple Clay - NFG
80. Beautiful Hook-tip
81. Fan-foot

 Common Emerald
Purple Clay

...and a couple of late additions:

82. Celypha lacunana
83. Small Dusty Wave

Sunday 15 June 2014

200!

The past few mothing nights have been very busy, especially for micro moths. I've reached 201 for the GMC with 8 butterflies, 7 micro "types" and 186 moth species.

Friday 13 June 2014

June update

What a year for moths. The weather is fantastic. Most moths seem to be about 3 weeks early and range of species has been really good

On 151 for the year. On track to beat my 300 total for last year by a long shot.

My third new macro of the year was this Purple Clay yesterday. Maybe I had overlooked them in past? But a fairly local one
Also last night was a Red N Footman. One that seems to turn up annually here in June

Tuesday 10 June 2014

A few more in Bucks

With the recent muggy nights, the trap has been out and luring a few new species for the garden list. There's still a lot of things I've not seen compared to previous years, but here's a few more:

51. Pandemis cerasana (Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix)
52. Pseudargyrotoza conwagana
53. Hedya nubiferana (Marbled Orchard Tortrix) (NFY)
54. Codling Moth (NFY)
55. Small Magpie
56. Peppered Moth
57. Light Emerald
58. Buff Ermine
59. Large Yellow Underwing
60. Marbled Minor agg.
61. Green Silver-lines
62. Silver Y (NFY)
63. Straw Dot
64. Small Fan-foot


Sunday 8 June 2014

Whetstone Leics. Update

Corr - look at this one ....

Saxon

Trouble is it was trapped by me in a garden - but not my garden. I think a rule change is in order! Anyway, after a great week away in the highlands I'm only slowly getting back into garden mothing. I think there is going to be problem after next week with late nights watching world cup football not being conducive to early mornings emptying moth traps. Not sure if I'm hoping for great football and pants weather or vice-versa!

Since getting back, I've managed to add another 31sp to take me up to 152. Seems like I'm missing a few but, to put into context, at this point last year I'd just scraped a round 100. Here's the latest additions.


Taxon Vernacular Earliest
122 Pandemis cerasana Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix 31/05/2014
123 Hedya pruniana Plum Tortrix 31/05/2014
124 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 31/05/2014
125 Scoparia ambigualis
31/05/2014
126 Rusina ferruginea Brown Rustic 31/05/2014
127 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 31/05/2014
128 Oligia latruncula Tawny Marbled Minor 01/06/2014
129 Ptycholoma lecheana
01/06/2014
130 Udea olivalis
01/06/2014
131 Agonopterix propinquella
01/06/2014
132 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 01/06/2014
133 Hedya nubiferana Marbled Orchard Tortrix 01/06/2014
134 Oligia strigilis Marbled Minor 01/06/2014
135 Agrotis segetum Turnip Moth 01/06/2014
136 Dipleurina lacustrata
01/06/2014
137 Diarsia rubi Small Square-spot 01/06/2014
138 Axylia putris Flame 01/06/2014
139 Malacosoma neustria Lackey [larval] 01/06/2014
140 Epiblema trimaculana
06/06/2014
141 Ditula angustiorana Red-barred Tortrix 06/06/2014
142 Camptogramma bilineata Yellow Shell 06/06/2014
143 Hecatera bicolorata Broad-barred White 06/06/2014
144 Campaea margaritata Light Emerald 06/06/2014
145 Mythimna pallens Common Wainscot 06/06/2014
146 Caradrina morpheus Mottled Rustic 06/06/2014
147 Rivula sericealis Straw Dot 06/06/2014
148 Apamea anceps Large Nutmeg 06/06/2014
149 Autographa gamma Silver Y 06/06/2014
150 Celypha striana
07/06/2014
151 Chrysoteuchia culmella Garden Grass-veneer 07/06/2014
152 Argyresthia spinosella
07/06/2014

Good to see Large Nutmeg again (blanked on this one last year) and Broad-barred White is always a favourite of mine, less than annual and this was the first in the garden since 2010.

Broad-barred White

Green Pug

Silver-ground Carpet

Pseudargyrotoza conwagana

Saturday 7 June 2014

Derby Garden Catch Up (of sorts)

I've been very slack at GCM blogging and keeping up to date with my records - still yet to write a single one on to a meaningful record sheet this year.  Excuses are many but mostly work to blame.

Monday 2nd June I was due to do a local BBS in Derby so thought was I could set the trap Sunday night, get up (early) and go through the trap pre-survey.

Trap set, bed and then up at 0430 to empty trap and go off to complete the survey.  My plan (which was a very good one) didn't quite work out as well as hoped on account of catching a very full trap so I went through and ID'd what I could but 40 pots were hastily put in to the fridge for later ID.

Final totals were 130+ moths of 30 species with one or two which are and will always remain (on account of being released) un-identified.

Here's a few highlights which included a new for garden Green Silver Lines.  Photos were all taken in a home made light-box which produced some nice results (I hope!!).  I am particularly pleased with the Hook-tip.

Pebble Hook-tip

Campion

Clouded Silver

Clouded-bordered Brindle

Thistle Ermine

Figure of 80

Green Silver Lines

Lime-spec Pug

Snout 

ps = BBS went well and I even managed to see/find Tree Sparrow just about with the city limits of Derby which was exceedingly pleasing and a massive highlight!

A good night in Weston VC6

12 year ticks last night thanks to the warm southerly airflow. Total now 167 for the year with 11 new for the garden which I'm quite pleased with considering I've had a lot of moth trap breakdowns this year.

Crescent Dart

Hummingbird Hawk-moth

The wisdom is "lots of moths before a thunderstorm" and last night proved the case. 210 moths, 43 species. I usually only get these numbers in July-August on a good night.

It was enough to take my total to 156, 8 butterflies, 144 moth species and 4 moth types.

Here's a nice one from last night: Small Magpie

Unexpected Garden Moth...

I ran my GMS trap last night and got a species I didn't expect to see in my garden, although given the fact that we found quite a few in local woodlands (well, 2 miles away) last week, I guess they may now be roaming...

48.Red-necked Footman


Also new to the list:

49. Treble Brown Spot
50. Grey Pug

Tuesday 3 June 2014

Birch Mocha, L-Album Wainscot, and ID help on a mystery moth please....

Going well here in Hampshire with a steady flow of new moths appearing. The only problem is our Robin has discovered them too....

There was a moth in the box this morning which has flummoxed me, so any help with an ID would be much appreciated. I'm hazarding a Small Clouded Brindle, but not very confidently! 


 Also had my first ever Birch Mocha, which was a nice surprise....


And likewise an L-Album Wainscot...


Happy Days! :-)

Early moths in Bergen, western Norway

The weather has been abnormally warm in western Norway this spring. Mothtrappers in the region have caught lots of species emerging up to a month earlier than normal. So it has been in my garden as well, and by the 3rd of June I've recorded a total of 135 lepidoptera species (incl. two butterflies and a few aggs). Four highlights are depicted below, and you can see more lepi-shots from 2014 in my garden in this gallery.

Roeslerstammia erxlebella
Actinotia polyodon
Drepana curvatula
Elophos vittaria

The new species since my last update on May 8 has been:


Species Scientific name
135 Pearl Dwarf Elachista apicipunctella 02.06.2014
134 Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella 02.06.2014
133 Apple Fruit Moth Argyresthia conjugella 02.06.2014
132 Spruce Carpet Thera variata 01.06.2014
131 Barred Red Hylaea fasciaria 31.05.2014
130 Narrow-winged Pug Eupithecia nanata 31.05.2014
129 Common Lutestring Ochropacha duplaris 31.05.2014
128 Hook-streaked Grass-Veneer Crambus lathoniellus 31.05.2014
127
Phiaris bipunctana 30.05.2014
126 Foxglove Pug Eupithecia pulchellata 30.05.2014
125 Brown Rustic Rusina ferruginea 30.05.2014
124 Bronze Argent Argyresthia arceuthina 26.05.2014
123 Birch Mocha Cyclophora albipunctata 26.05.2014
122 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi 26.05.2014
121 Mottled Pug Eupithecia exiguata 26.05.2014
120 Hook-tipped Roller Ancylis apicella 26.05.2014
119 White-triangle Slender Caloptilia stigmatella 25.05.2014
118 The Spectacle Abrostola tripartita 25.05.2014
117 Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis 25.05.2014
116 Yellow-barred Gold Micropterix aureatella 25.05.2014
115 Light Streak Pleurota bicostella 25.05.2014
114 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella 24.05.2014
113 Dusky Hook-tip Drepana curvatula 24.05.2014
112 Copper Ermel Roeslerstammia erxlebella 24.05.2014
111 Brassy Tortrix Eulia ministrana 24.05.2014
110 Bordered White Bupalus piniaria 23.05.2014
109 Broken-barred Carpet Electrophaes corylata 23.05.2014
108 Square-barred Bell Epinotia tetraquetrana 23.05.2014
107 The Seraphim Lobophora halterata 23.05.2014
106
Elophos vittaria 22.05.2014
105 Birch Bent-wing Bucculatrix demaryella 22.05.2014
104 Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella 22.05.2014
103 Buff Dwarf Elachista subalbidella 22.05.2014
102 Common White Wave Cabera pusaria 22.05.2014
101 Clouded-bordered Brindle Apamea crenata 22.05.2014
100 Narrow-winged Marble Apotomis sororculana 22.05.2014
99 The Saxon Hyppa rectilinea 22.05.2014
98 Common Tortrix Capua vulgana 22.05.2014
97 Purple Cloud Actinotia polyodon 22.05.2014
96 Parornix sp. 22.05.2014
95 Pale Pinion Lithophane socia 21.05.2014
94 Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata 21.05.2014
93
Hedya atropunctana 21.05.2014
92 Broom Moth Ceramica pisi 21.05.2014
91 Common Spruce Bell Epinotia tedella 21.05.2014
90
Stictea mygindiana 21.05.2014
89 Cream Wave Scopula floslactata 20.05.2014
88 Common Heath Ematurga atomaria 20.05.2014
87 Clouded Border Lomaspilis marginata 19.05.2014
86 Chocolate-tip Clostera curtula 19.05.2014
85 Satyr Pug Eupithecia satyrata 18.05.2014
84 Tawny-barred Angle Macaria liturata 18.05.2014
83 Dark-barred Tortrix Syndemis musculana 18.05.2014
82 Small Angle Shades Euplexia lucipara 18.05.2014
81 Broken-barred Roller Ancylis unguicella 18.05.2014
80 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata 18.05.2014
79 Coleophora sp. 18.05.2014
78 Stigmella tityrella 18.05.2014
77 Large Dark Prominent Notodonta torva 17.05.2014
76 Common Wave Cabera exanthemata 17.05.2014
75 Pale Mottled Willow Caradrina clavipalpis 17.05.2014
74 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta 17.05.2014
73 Coxcomb Prominent Ptilodon capucina 17.05.2014
72 White-shouldered House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella 17.05.2014
71 Large Long-horn Nematopogon swammerdamella 17.05.2014
70 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata 17.05.2014
69 Water Carpet Lampropteryx suffumata 17.05.2014
68
Jodis putata 16.05.2014
67 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella 16.05.2014
66 Dark Brocade Mniotype adusta 13.05.2014
65 Black-speckled Groundling Carpatolechia proximella 13.05.2014
64 Peppered Moth Biston betularia 12.05.2014
63 Ochreous Pug Eupithecia indigata 12.05.2014
62 Pebble Prominent Notodonta ziczac 12.05.2014
61 Iron Prominent Notodonta dromedarius 11.05.2014
60 Purple Thorn Selenia tetralunaria 11.05.2014
59
Ancylis myrtillana 10.05.2014
58 Common Oak Purple Eriocrania subpurpurella 10.05.2014
57 Incurvaria oehlmanniella/masculella 10.05.2014
56 Pale Prominent Pterostoma palpina 09.05.2014

Monday 2 June 2014

Things may be improving in Bucks?

I've continued to see a range of decent moths on my trips out, but until last night, I've had very little in my garden, when I had 17 species in and it was the first night when I've had loads of those stripey caddisflies that rattle continually against the trap, which makes me feel it may at last be summer.

Anyway, my new species for the challenge are:

28. Ghost Moth (first ever for the garden)
29. Esperia sulphurella
30. Scoparia ambigualis
31. Udea olivalis (NFY)
32. Bee Moth
33. Garden Carpet (NFY)
34. Grey Pine Carpet
35. Mottled Pug
36. White-spotted Pug (NFY)
37. Dwarf Pug
38. Green Pug (NFY)
39. Tawny Barred Angle
40. Brimstone
41. Willow Beauty
42. Buff Tip
43. White Ermine
44. Heart & Dart (NFY)
45. Ingrailed Clay
46. Tawny Marbled Minor (agg.)
47. Middle Barred Minor

Ghost Moth