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Number of species:
This month: 172

 

Tuesday 30 June 2009

No Trap.

 

Monday 29 June 2009

 

Warm and humid, light cloud, 17°C, light breeze.

Lots of moths but nothing truly earth-shattering. There was one that left me stumped (nobly identified by Prof. Bayley), the Dusky Brocade, we’ve had it before but only the obscura form.

Yponomeutidae

• 5 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella Linn.

Tortricidae

• 1 Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana Linn.
• 1 Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana Fabr.
• 1 Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana Scop.
• 2 Cnephasia Sp.
• 3 Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana Linn.
• 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.
• 1 Spotted Shoot Moth Rhyacionia pinivorana Lienig & Zeller
• 2 Bramble Shoot Moth Epiblema uddmanniana D. & S.
• 1 Codling Moth Cydia pomonella Linn.

Crambidae

• 6 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 7 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 2 Hook-streak Grass Veneer Crambus lathoniellus Zinck.
• 7 Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella D. & S.
• 1 Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis Treit.
• 3 Elder Pearl Phlyctaenia coronata D. & S.
• 1 Dusky Pearl Udea prunalis D. & S.

Pyralidae

• 1 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella Linn.
• 1 Grey Knot-horn Trachycera advenella Zinck.
• 1 False Cocoa Moth Ephestia parasitella Stdgr.

Geometridae

• 1 Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria Hb.
• 1 Small Emerald Hemistola chrysoprasaria Esp.
• 1 Single-dotted Wave Idaea dimidiata Linn.
• 2 Riband Wave Idaea aversata Linn.
• 4 Riband Wave Idaea aversata f. remutata Linn.
• 1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 2 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata Haw.
• 3 V-Pug Chloroclystis v-ata Haw.
• 2 Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata Linn.
• 2 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.
• 1 Scalloped Oak Crocallis elinguaria Linn.
• 2 Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria Linn.
• 5 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.
• 1 Mottled Beauty Alcis repandata Linn.
• 1 Light Emerald Campaea margaritata Linn.

Arctiidae

• 1 Rosy Footman Miltochrista miniata Forst.
• 1 Common Footman Eilema lurideola Zinck.

Noctuidae

• 2 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 6 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 2 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 2 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 2 Double Square-spot Xestia triangulum Hufn.
• 1 Ingrailed Clay Diarsia mendica Fabr.
• 1 Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura Hb.
• 1 Common Wainscot Mythimna pallens Linn.
• 1 Dark/Grey Dagger Acronicta tridens/psi
• 1 Dun-bar Cosmia trapezina Linn.
• 4 Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha Hufn.
• 2 Light Arches Apamea lithoxylaea D. & S.
• 1 Dusky Brocade Apamea remissa Hb.
• 2 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 2 Uncertain Hoplodrina alsines Brahm
• 2 Rustic Hoplodrina blanda D. & S.

 

Sunday 28 June 2009

Didn’t put the trap out as I knew I wouldn’t get the opportunity to deal with its contents in the morning as we were going out.

 

Saturday 27 June 2009

 

Weather: Mainly clear, 16°C, light breeze.

Another busy night with some good moths to boot. A new species for the list too (well I’m pretty certain it is) a Dingy Shears. I’m fairly sure too with my identification of the Triple-spotted Clay with its darker hindwings.

Yponomeutidae

• 1 White Pine Ermel Ocnerostoma piniariella Zell.
• 1 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella Linn.

Tortricidae

• 1 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana Hb.
• 1 Orange Pine Twist Lozotaeniodes formosanus Geyer
• 1 Cnephasia Sp.
• 3 Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana Linn.
• 2 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 1 Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana Haw.
• 1 Large Beech Piercer Cydia fagiglandana Zell.

Alucitidae

• 1 Twenty-plume Moth Alucita hexadactyla Linn.

Crambidae

• 3 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 8 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 3 Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis Treit.
• 2 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Pyralidae

• 1 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella Linn.

Pterophoridae

• 3 Common Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata Schr.
• 1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata f. remutata Linn.
• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 1 V-Pug Chloroclystis v-ata Haw.
• 1 Clouded Border Lomaspilis marginata Linn.
• 1 Brown Silver-line Petrophora chlorosata Scop.

Nolidae

• 1 Short-cloaked Moth Nola cucullatella Linn.

Noctuidae

• 2 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 11 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 4 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 1 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Triple-spotted Clay Xestia ditrapezium D. & S.
• 1 Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura Hb.
• 1 Common Wainscot Mythimna pallens Linn.
• 1 Dingy Shears Parastichtis ypsillon D. & S.
• 3 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 1 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 2 Uncertain Hoplodrina alsines Brahm
• 1 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.
• 2 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.
• 1 Fan-foot Herminia tarsipennalis Treit.

 

Friday 26 June 2009

 

Weather: Clear at first becoming cloudy with some light rain, 15°C, breezy.

Another fairly busy night but not really one to remember - that sounds a bit negative, it’s not meant to.

Yponomeutidae

• 2 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella Linn.

Oecophoridae

• 1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella Stt.

Tortricidae

• 1 Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana Scop.
• 1 Large Ivy Twist Lozotaenia forsterana Fabr.
• 2 Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana Linn.
• 2 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.
• 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana Haw.
• 1 Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana Haw.
• 1 White-cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma sociana Haw.
• 3 Bramble Shoot Moth Epiblema uddmanniana D. & S.
• 2 Common Rose Bell Epiblema rosaecolana Doubl.
• 1 Hoary Bell Eucosma cana Haw.
• 1 Codling Moth Cydia pomonella Linn.

Alucitidae

• 1 Twenty-plume Moth Alucita hexadactyla Linn.

Crambidae

• 2 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 3 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 2 Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis Treit.
• 1 Elder Pearl Phlyctaenia coronata D. & S.

Pyralidae

• 1 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella Linn.

Pterophoridae

• 2 Common Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla Linn.

Thyatiridae

• 1 Common Lutestring Ochropacha duplaris Linn.

Geometridae

• 2 Riband Wave Idaea aversata f. remutata Linn.
• 1 Common Carpet Epirrhoe alternata Müll.
• 1 Foxglove Pug Eupithecia pulchellata Steph.
• 1 Freyer’s Pug Eupithecia intricata Zett.
• 1 Grey Pug Eupithecia subfuscata Haw.
• 2 Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata Linn.
• 1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.
• 1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata Linn.
• 3 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.

Noctuidae

• 5 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 18 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 4 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 1 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 2 Poplar Grey Acronicta megacephala D. & S.
• 1 Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura Hb.
• 1 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 6 Uncertain Hoplodrina alsines Brahm
• 3 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.

 

Thursday 25 June 2009

 

Weather: Partially cloudy, 13°C, fairly strong breeze.

Something of an improvement on last night but best of all another new species, the somewhat awkwardly named, Cock’s-head Bell - I have absolutely no intention of speculating on that one….

Oecophoridae

• 2 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella Stt.

Tortricidae

• 2 Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana Linn.
• 1 Large Ivy Twist Lozotaenia forsterana Fabr.
• 1 Cnephasia Sp.
• 2 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.
• 1 Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana Haw.
• 1 Cock’s-head Bell Zeiraphera isertana Fabr.
• 1 Codling Moth Cydia pomonella Linn.

Crambidae

• 4 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 10 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 1 Hook-streak Grass Veneer Crambus lathoniellus Zinck.

Pyralidae

• 1 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella Linn.

Pterophoridae

• 2 White Plume Moth Pterophorus pentadactyla Linn.
• 2 Common Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Sharp-angled Carpet Euphyia unangulata Haw.
• 1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata Haw.
• 1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.
• 1 Scalloped Oak Crocallis elinguaria Linn.
• 2 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.

Noctuidae

• 2 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 15 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 1 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 1 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Double Square-spot Xestia triangulum Hufn.
• 1 Ingrailed Clay Diarsia mendica Fabr.
• 1 Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea Linn.
• 1 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.

 

Wednesday 24 June 2009

 

Weather: Clear, 10°C, fairly strong breeze.

Bit of a nosedive in numbers, not too surprising given the weather. The only thing of any particular note was the Carnation Tortrix which wasn’t actually in the trap but flying around it first thing this morning - I probably disturbed it as I approached, but I did manage to net it at least. Sadly, the year’s first Water Veneer was as dead as a very dead thing so no photo.

Tortricidae

• 1 Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana Hb.

Crambidae

• 1 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 5 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 1 Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella D. & S.
• 1 Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis Treit.
• 1 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Blood-vein Timandra comae Schmidt
• 2 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.
• 1 Light Emerald Campaea margaritata Linn.

Noctuidae

• 6 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 18 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 1 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 1 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura Hb.
• 2 Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha Hufn.

 

Tuesday 23 June 2009

 

Weather: Partially cloudy, 13°C, little or no wind.

More moths and more interesting species, a new one, a Bitter-cress Smudge which I have to confess I was unable to identify myself - I thought it would be straightforward, after all it’s pretty distinctively patterned but after ploughing through the Incurvariidae and then thinking it looked a bit like it could be an Oecophorid and not getting anywhere I appealed to the UKmicromoths forum who eventually put me straight. The same good people also came up with a possible identification of Friday’s tortricid. It looks distinctly like it might be a Kent Fruit Piercer (Grapholita lobarzewskii) which is a proposed RDB1 species in the UK, but weirdly, on the continent is considered a pest of fruit trees, particularly apple and plum.

We also caught our first Lindfield Lychnis having only seen this species once before in Devon, August ’07. Oh, and out of the trap like a shot was this year’s first Cinnabar.

Yponomeutidae

• 1 Bitter-cress Smudge Eidophasia messingiella Fischer von R&oumml;slerstamm

Oecophoridae

• 1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella Stt.

Tortricidae

• 2 Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana Linn.
• 1 Privet Twist Clepsis consimilana Hb.
• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker
• 3 Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana Linn.
• 2 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 1 Bramble Shoot Moth Epiblema uddmanniana D. & S.

Crambidae

• 7 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 4 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 1 Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida Curt.
• 3 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Pyralidae

• 1 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Blood-vein Timandra comae Schmidt
• 1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata f. remutata Linn.
• 1 Barred Straw Eulithis pyraliata D. & S.
• 2 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Scalloped Oak Crocallis elinguaria Linn.
• 1 Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria Linn.
• 2 Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata D. & S.

Arctiidae

• 1 Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum Hufn.
• 1 Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae Linn.

Noctuidae

• 5 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 29 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 2 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 2 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 3 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 1 Lychnis Hadena bicruris Hufn.
• 3 Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura Hb.
• 1 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 3 Uncertain Hoplodrina alsines Brahm
• 2 Vine’s Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua D. & S.
• 1 Mottled Rustic Caradrina morpheus Hufn.
• 3 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.

 

Monday 22 June 2009

 

Weather: Occasional cloud, 12°C, light breeze.

Another busy night with more firsts for the year (including a Rosy Footman which was in the trap last night but gone by the morning) and the freshest, greenest Common Emerald that we have seen. More excitingly though there were two new species the first a gelechiid, an Elm Groundling and the other a Red Piercer. Although I’m fairly certain as to these identifications the Elm Groundling makes me a little uneasy as there’s no (or very little as far as I’m aware) elm around here.

While tidying the garage yesterday afternoon I was amazed to find two Gothic on one of the roof-beams - not what I was expecting at all but a welcome distraction from tidying tedium.

Gelechiidae

• 1 Elm Groundling Carpatolechia fugitivella Zell.

Tortricidae

• 1 Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana Scop.
• 1 Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana Linn.
• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker
• 3 Large Ivy Twist Lozotaenia forsterana Fabr.
• 1 Cnephasia Sp.
• 2 Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana Linn.
• 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.
• 1 Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana Haw.
• 1 Red Piercer Lathronympha strigana Fabr.
• 1 Codling Moth Cydia pomonella Linn.

Crambidae

• 1 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 7 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 1 Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis Treit.
• 2 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Pterophoridae

• 1 White Plume Moth Pterophorus pentadactyla Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Blotched Emerald Comibaena bajularia D. & S.
• 1 Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria Hb.
• 2 Riband Wave Idaea aversata f. remutata Linn.
• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 1 Sharp-angled Carpet Euphyia unangulata Haw.
• 2 Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata Linn.
• 1 Clouded Border Lomaspilis marginata Linn.
• 2 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.

Arctiidae

• 1 Rosy Footman Miltochrista miniata Forst.

Noctuidae

• 2 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 19 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 2 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 2 Gothic Naenia typica Linn.
• 2 Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura Hb.
• 1 Shoulder-striped Wainscot Mythimna comma Linn.
• 1 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa Linn.
• 1 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.

 

Sunday 21 June 2009

 

Weather: Mainly clear, 10°C, little wind.

Lots of moths in the trap but no real highlights, except, maybe, a very fresh and much more identifiable Sloe Pug.

Yponomeutidae

• 1 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella Linn.

Oecophoridae

• 1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella Stt.

Tortricidae

• 1 Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana Linn.
• 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana Haw.
• 1 Bramble Shoot Moth Epiblema uddmanniana D. & S.

Crambidae

• 4 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 3 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 1 Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida Curt.
• 2 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Pterophoridae

• 1 Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla Hb.

Geometridae

• 1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata f. remutata Linn.
• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 3 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Freyer’s Pug Eupithecia intricata Zett.
• 1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata Haw.
• 1 Sloe Pug Pasiphila chloerata Mab.
• 1 Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata Linn.
• 1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.
• 1 Clouded Border Lomaspilis marginata Linn.
• 1 Scorched Wing Plagodis dolabraria Linn.
• 1 Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria Linn.
• 1 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.

Arctiidae

• 1 Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum Hufn.

Noctuidae

• 13 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 3 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 2 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Ingrailed Clay Diarsia mendica Fabr.
• 1 Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea Linn.
• 2 Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura Hb.
• 1 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 1 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 1 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.

 

Saturday 20 June 2009

 

Weather: Clear start becoming overcast, 10°C, light wind.

I had another of those incidents this morning where I really hope the neighbours weren’t watching (or listening) as what I’m fairly certain was a Blue-bordered Carpet managed to slip through my fingers causing me at first to start frantically waving my net at the nearby clump of ivy that it seemed to disappear into and then to degenerate into a spitting, cursing nut-case when I failed to locate it. I think I got away with it. Other than "the one that got away" there was plenty in the trap including a small tortricid which for the life of me I cannot come up with an identity for.

Tortricidae

• 1 Cnephasia Sp.
• 1 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 1 Yellow-faced Bell Epiblema cynosbatella Linn.
• 1 As yet unidentified

Crambidae

• 3 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 1 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 1 Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis Treit.
• 3 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.
• 1 Elder Pearl Phlyctaenia coronata D. & S.

Pyralidae

• 1 False Cocoa Moth Ephestia parasitella Stdgr.

Pterophoridae

• 2 Common Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata Haw.
• 1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata Linn.
• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 3 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Broken-barred Carpet Electrophaes corylata Thunb.
• 2 Foxglove Pug Eupithecia pulchellata Steph.
• 1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.
• 2 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata Linn.
• 1 Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria Linn.
• 1 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.
• 1 Light Emerald Campaea margaritata Linn.

Arctiidae

• 1 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.
• 1 Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum Hufn.

Noctuidae

• 4 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 12 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 3 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura Hb.
• 1 Uncertain Hoplodrina alsines Brahm
• 1 Rustic Hoplodrina blanda D. & S.
• 1 Vine’s Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua D. & S.
• 7 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.

 

Friday 19 June 2009

 

Weather: Mainly clear, 11°C, fairly windy.

A little cooler and fresher again and unsurprisingly slightly fewer moths to be found in the trap. When I was going through the catch I potted what I assumed to be a Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix but on closer examination I came to the conclusion it was a Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix and then was a little surprised to discover that it’s a new species for the list. The real highlight of the catch for me, was a Lobster Moth, only the second we’ve seen (assuming the three records back in April ’07 were of the same moth) and, I reckon, the nearest moths get to being cuddly.

Oecophoridae

• 1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella Stt.

Tortricidae

• 1 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana Hb.
• 2 Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana Linn.
• 3 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.
• 1 Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana Haw.
• 1 Bramble Shoot Moth Epiblema uddmanniana D. & S.
• 1 Common Rose Bell Epiblema rosaecolana Doubl.
• 1 Codling Moth Cydia pomonella Linn.

Crambidae

• 4 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 2 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Geometridae

• 3 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Freyer’s Pug Eupithecia intricata Zett.
• 1 Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata Linn.
• 1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.
• 1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata Linn.
• 1 Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria Linn.
• 2 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.
• 1 Light Emerald Campaea margaritata Linn.

Notodontidae

• 1 Lobster Moth Stauropus fagi Linn.

Arctiidae

• 2 Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum Hufn.

Noctuidae

• 6 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 21 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 2 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 4 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Ingrailed Clay Diarsia mendica Fabr.
• 1 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 1 Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea Linn.
• 2 Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura Hb.
• 1 Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha Hufn.
• 1 Small Clouded Brindle Apamea unanimis
• 1 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 1 Uncertain Hoplodrina alsines Brahm
• 1 Rustic Hoplodrina blanda D. & S.
• 1 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.
• 1 Silver Y Autographa gamma Linn.

 

Thursday 18 June 2009

 

Weather: Overcast with drizzle at first, clearing, 14°C, fairly windy.

Yesterday was just a blip, or maybe brief respite from the hoards. Last night normal service was resumed with now fewer than forty five species including loads of firsts for the year (as well as the first of the summer brood Double-striped Pugs) and a new species for the list, a Barred Red.

I managed yesterday to get some more detailed photos of the tiny little unidentified moth we caught on Monday night and sent them to John Langmaid who thinks it is a White Pine Ermel an apparently under-recorded pine feeder. The more detailed photos can be seen on its record page.

Yponomeutidae

• 1 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella Linn.

Gelechiidae

• 1 Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella D. & S.

Tortricidae

• 1 Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana Linn.
• 9 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 4 Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana Haw.
• 3 Bramble Shoot Moth Epiblema uddmanniana D. & S.

Crambidae

• 2 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 1 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 1 Hook-streak Grass Veneer Crambus lathoniellus Zinck.
• 4 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Pyralidae

• 1 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella Linn.

Thyatiridae

• 1 Buff Arches Habrosyne pyritoides Hufn.

Geometridae

• 1 Blotched Emerald Comibaena bajularia D. & S.
• 1 Blood-vein Timandra comae Schmidt
• 1 Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata Haw.
• 2 Riband Wave Idaea aversata f. remutata Linn.
• 5 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Spruce Carpet Thera britannica Turn.
• 2 May Highflyer Hydriomena impluviata D. & S.
• 2 Foxglove Pug Eupithecia pulchellata Steph.
• 1 Freyer’s Pug Eupithecia intricata Zett.
• 1 Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata Linn.
• 2 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.
• 2 Peppered Moth Biston betularia Linn.
• 2 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.
• 1 Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata D. & S.
• 1 Barred Red Hylaea fasciaria Linn.

Notodontidae

• 1 Buff-tip Phalera bucephala Linn.
• 1 Coxcomb Prominent Ptilodon capucina Linn.

Arctiidae

• 1 Hoary Footman Eilema caniola Hb.
• 3 Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum Hufn.

Noctuidae

• 2 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 21 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 1 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 2 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba Linn.
• 2 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea Linn.
• 1 Dark/Grey Dagger Acronicta tridens/psi
• 4 Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha Hufn.
• 1 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 7 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 1 Uncertain Hoplodrina alsines Brahm
• 4 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.
• 2 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.
• 1 Snout Hypena proboscidalis Linn.

 

Wednesday 17 June 2009

 

Weather: Mainly clear, 10°C, breezy.

A much fresher feel to the air than on the previous few nights and a catch that can really only be described as miniscule (again, by comparison to the last few nights). The most exciting thing in the trap, a Barred Straw managed to evade even being potted, let alone photographed. I suppose the most notable change was the sudden decline in number of Green Oak Tortrix, whether that will be repeated remains to be seen.

Oecophoridae

• 1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella Stt.

Tortricidae

• 1 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.

Crambidae

• 1 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Blotched Emerald Comibaena bajularia D. & S.
• 1 Barred Straw Eulithis pyraliata D. & S.
• 3 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.
• 1 Mottled Beauty Alcis repandata Linn.

Notodontidae

• 1 Buff-tip Phalera bucephala Linn.

Arctiidae

• 3 Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum Hufn.

Noctuidae

• 4 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 29 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 1 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 2 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 1 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 3 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.

 

Tuesday 16 June 2009

 

Weather: Mainly clear, 12°C, breezy at first becoming almost still.

And they keep on coming in spite of the slightly cooler and fresher conditions last night the number of species we trapped remained just as high as on recent nights with another good selection of first for the year. The Snout though, was in a pretty shoddy state so I didn’t bother with a photo.

There was also a very tiny moth (Apple Leaf Miner scale) which has yet to be identified, various suggestions have been put forward but as yet there is non consensus - I fear the poor little thing is going to have to have his bits chopped off.

Yponomeutidae

• 1 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella Linn.

Oecophoridae

• 1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella Stt.

Tortricidae

• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker
• 1 Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana Linn.
• 18 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.

Crambidae

• 2 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 1 Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida Curt.
• 1 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Pyralidae

• 1 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella Linn.

Thyatiridae

• 1 Figure of Eighty Tethea ocularis Hb.

Geometridae

• 1 Maiden’s Blush Cyclophora punctaria Linn.
• 2 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 May Highflyer Hydriomena impluviata D. & S.
• 1 Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata Linn.
• 1 Brown Silver-line Petrophora chlorosata Scop.
• 1 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.
• 1 Mottled Beauty Alcis repandata Linn.
• 1 Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata D. & S.
• 2 Light Emerald Campaea margaritata Linn.

Arctiidae

• 1 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.
• 1 Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum Hufn.

Noctuidae

• 3 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 22 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 2 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 2 Lycophotia porphyrea D. & S.
• 1 Ingrailed Clay Diarsia mendica Fabr.
• 2 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 1 Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura Hb.
• 1 Shoulder-striped Wainscot Mythimna comma Linn.
• 2 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 2 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 1 Uncertain Hoplodrina alsines Brahm
• 2 Mottled Rustic Caradrina morpheus Hufn.
• 1 Pale Mottled Willow Paradrina clavipalpis Scop.
• 2 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.
• 1 Snout Hypena proboscidalis Linn.
• 1 Fan-foot Herminia tarsipennalis Treit.

 

Monday 15 June 2009

 

Weather: Clear at first becoming overcast, 15°C, light breeze.

Warm and humid again last night and busy again in the trap. Nothing wildly exciting (no new species) but plenty of interest. It took me a little while before I figured out the two Privet Twist were in fact the same species though.

Yponomeutidae

• 1 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella Linn.

Tortricidae

• 2 Privet Twist Clepsis consimilana Hb.
• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker
• 1 Large Ivy Twist Lozotaenia forsterana Fabr.
• 1 Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana Linn.
• 24 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 1 Barred Marble Celypha striana D. & S.
• 2 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.
• 1 Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana Haw.
• 1 Buff-tipped Marble Hedya ochroleucana D. & S.
• 1 Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana Haw.
• 2 Bramble Shoot Moth Epiblema uddmanniana D. & S.
• 1 Codling Moth Cydia pomonella Linn.

Crambidae

• 3 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 4 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Blotched Emerald Comibaena bajularia D. & S.
• 3 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Foxglove Pug Eupithecia pulchellata Steph.
• 3 Small Yellow Wave Hydrelia flammeolaria Hufn.
• 1 Brown Silver-line Petrophora chlorosata Scop.
• 1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata Linn.
• 1 Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria Linn.
• 1 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.
• 1 Common Wave Cabera exanthemata Scop.

Arctiidae

• 1 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.

Noctuidae

• 1 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 31 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 2 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 1 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba Linn.
• 3 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 3 Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea Linn.
• 1 Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha Hufn.
• 4 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 3 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 1 Rustic Hoplodrina blanda D. & S.
• 1 Mottled Rustic Caradrina morpheus Hufn.
• 1 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.
• 1 Green Silver-lines Pseudoips prasinana Linn.
• 3 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.

 

Sunday 14 June 2009

 

Weather: Partly cloudy, warm, 15°C, virtually still.

This morning was a perfect example of why anyone interested in moths and also in possession of a life should most definitely not run a big MV trap, I’m sure I’d still be going through the catch now if I did and the chances of keeping an accurate record would be slim to none. Needless to say, we had one of the better catches of the year so far last night and included two new species, the first was simple, a Sandy Carpet, the second was somewhat trickier and needed the services of the ukmoths forum to sort it out. What I at first thought was a faded Green Pug (after having discounted a few other possibilities) turned out to be a Sloe Pug.

Yponomeutidae

• 1 Hawthorn Moth Scythropia crataegella Fabr.
• 2 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella Linn.

Tortricidae

• 1 Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana Linn.
• 1 Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana Linn.
• 12 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 1 Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana Haw.
• 2 Bramble Shoot Moth Epiblema uddmanniana D. & S.

Crambidae

• 1 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 1 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 2 Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida Curt.
• 1 Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata Linn.
• 1 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Thyatiridae

• 1 Buff Arches Habrosyne pyritoides Hufn.

Geometridae

• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 May Highflyer Hydriomena impluviata D. & S.
• 1 Sandy Carpet Perizoma flavofasciata Thunb.
• 1 Mottled Pug Eupithecia exiguata Hb.
• 1 Freyer’s Pug Eupithecia intricata Zett.
• 2 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata Haw.
• 1 Sloe Pug Pasiphila chloerata Mab.
• 2 Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata Linn.
• 1 Scorched Carpet Ligdia adustata D. & S.
• 2 Scorched Wing Plagodis dolabraria Linn.
• 1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata Linn.
• 1 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.
• 1 Mottled Beauty Alcis repandata Linn.

Arctiidae

• 1 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.

Noctuidae

• 15 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 2 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 1 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 2 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 2 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 1 Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea Linn.
• 1 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa Linn.
• 3 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 2 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 1 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.
• 2 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.

 

Saturday 13 June 2009

 

Weather: Mainly cloudy, warm, 13°C, light wind.

An unsurprisingly large selection of moths in the trap this morning and some real highlights too, a wonderfully fresh and vividly acid green Green Silver-lines and a Large Ivy Twist, which for a tortricid was enormous, comparable in size to if not larger than a Marbled Minor. There’s no photo of the Small Dusty Wave as it committed suicide in my coffee rather than allow itself to be photographed.

Tortricidae

• 2 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker
• 1 Large Ivy Twist Lozotaenia forsterana Fabr.
• 3 Cnephasia Sp.
• 6 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 2 Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana Haw.
• 1 Yellow-faced Bell Epiblema cynosbatella Linn.
• 1 Codling Moth Cydia pomonella Linn.

Crambidae

• 1 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 1 Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata Linn.
• 1 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Pyralidae

• 1 False Cocoa Moth Ephestia parasitella Stdgr.

Geometridae

• 1 Maiden’s Blush Cyclophora punctaria Linn.
• 1 Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata Schr.
• 2 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 2 Mottled Pug Eupithecia exiguata Hb.
• 1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata Haw.
• 1 Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata Linn.

Noctuidae

• 18 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 1 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 2 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 True Lover’s Knot Lycophotia porphyrea D. & S.
• 1 Ingrailed Clay Diarsia mendica Fabr.
• 1 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 1 Knot Grass Acronicta rumicis Linn.
• 1 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 1 Rustic Hoplodrina blanda D. & S.
• 1 Vine’s Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua D. & S.
• 1 Green Silver-lines Pseudoips prasinana Linn.
• 7 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.

 

Friday 12 June 2009

 

Weather: Partly cloudy and cool, 7°C, light wind.

Another fairly humdrum night, not surprising really given the weather. The only real bright spot being a nice fresh Variegated Golden Tortrix.

Tortricidae

• 1 Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana Linn.
• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker
• 1 Cnephasia Sp.
• 8 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.

Crambidae

• 1 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Geometridae

• 2 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Sharp-angled Carpet Euphyia unangulata Haw.
• 1 Foxglove Pug Eupithecia pulchellata Steph.
• 2 Mottled Pug Eupithecia exiguata Hb.
• 2 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata Haw.
• 1 Freyer’s Pug Eupithecia intricata Zett.
• 1 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.

Arctiidae

• 1 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.
• 1 Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum Hufn.

Noctuidae

• 18 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 2 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 1 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 1 Rustic Hoplodrina blanda D. & S.
• 1 Vine’s Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua D. & S.
• 1 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.
• 1 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.

 

Thursday 11 June 2009

 

Weather: Partly cloudy, one or two light showers, 7°C, quite breezy.

Green Oak Tortrixes and finally one that was in a suitable condition to have its photo taken, and that really is about it.

Yponomeutidae

• 1 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella Linn.

Tortricidae

• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker
• 7 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 1 Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata Linn.

Arctiidae

• 1 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.

Noctuidae

• 15 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Rustic Hoplodrina blanda D. & S.
• 1 Vine’s Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua D. & S.
• 1 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.

 

Wednesday 10 June 2009

 

Weather: Damp, cloudy and fairly mild, 11°C, light wind.

Quite a few moths including another Lime Hawk-moth but not much else to write home about except, maybe, the first Flame of the year.

Oh hang on a sec, there I am, packing away the trap and I think to myself "that’s not a Willow Beauty" as I give a closer look to the moth sitting on the outside of the trap, "that’s a Pale Oak Beauty" (actually I didn’t think that bit, at least not until sometime later, after I had photographed it and found out exactly what it really was).

Coleophoridae

• 1 Gorse Case-bearer Coleophora albicosta Haw.

Tortricidae

• 2 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker
• 2 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.

Crambidae

• 1 Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 5 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria Knoch
• 1 Sharp-angled Carpet Euphyia unangulata Haw.
• 1 Mottled Pug Eupithecia exiguata Hb.
• 1 Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata Linn.
• 1 Pale Oak Beauty Hypomecis punctinalis Scop.

Sphingidae

• 1 Lime Hawk-moth Mimas tiliae Linn.

Noctuidae

• 24 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 1 Flame Axylia putris Linn.
• 2 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 1 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 1 Rustic Hoplodrina blanda D. & S.
• 1 Vine’s Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua D. & S.
• 1 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.
• 2 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.

 

Tuesday 09 June 2009

 

The mongers of meteorological misery predicted wetness and lots of it and for a change they were right.

 

 

Monday 08 June 2009

 

Weather: Clear and cool at first, thin mist and cloud later, 7°C, still.

Not much to get the pulse racing, weather-wise or moth-wise. The Mottled Rustic came back and this time submitted to the camera and we also had an interesting Heart and Dart aberrant with long curved dart marks. I’m sure that these sort of aberrations are probably fairly common, after all, who examines every Heart and Dart they see? but this one did catch my eye.

Geometridae

• 1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata D. & S.
• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 1 May Highflyer Hydriomena impluviata D. & S.
• 1 Clouded Border Lomaspilis marginata Linn.

Arctiidae

• 2 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.

Noctuidae

• 10 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 1 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 1 Mottled Rustic Caradrina morpheus Hufn.

 

Sunday 07 June 2009

 

Weather: Partially cloudy, heavy showers, 11°C, gusty winds.

Well that’s it, we’ve crashed through the five hundred barrier (if it was a barrier), can’t celebrate though I’m afraid as nineteen weren’t caught (or seen) in the garden (so don’t really count) and there are also I’m sure, slightly more than a few cases of mistaken identity. Nevertheless, the five hundredth species was, technically, a Small Seraphim, the reason I say that is I potted it last night at about 23:30 whereas number 501 was in the trap this morning and is I believe a Sandy Long-horn (I think I went to school with her…). So far then, the garden total (mistakes included) stands at 482.

The firsts for the year included a Mottled Rustic which happily played dead until it was required to sit for its portrait at which point it was off like a shot.

Incurvariidae

• 1 Sandy Long-horn Nematopogon schwarziellus Zell.

Oecophoridae

• 1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella Stt.

Tortricidae

• 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.

Crambidae

• 2 Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida Curt.

Geometridae

• 2 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata D. & S.
• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 4 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Pine Carpet Thera firmata Hb.
• 1 May Highflyer Hydriomena impluviata D. & S.
• 1 Sharp-angled Carpet Euphyia unangulata Haw.
• 1 Mottled Pug Eupithecia exiguata Hb.
• 2 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata Haw.
• 1 Small Seraphim Pterapherapteryx sexalata Retz.
• 1 Brown Silver-line Petrophora chlorosata Scop.
• 1 Scorched Wing Plagodis dolabraria Linn.
• 1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata Linn.
• 1 Mottled Beauty Alcis repandata Linn.
• 1 Light Emerald Campaea margaritata Linn.

Arctiidae

• 2 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.

Noctuidae

• 24 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 2 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba Linn.
• 2 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 2 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 1 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 2 Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica Hufn.
• 1 Mottled Rustic Caradrina morpheus Hufn.
• 1 Pale Mottled Willow Paradrina clavipalpis Scop.
• 2 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.

 

Saturday 06 June 2009

 

Weather: Cloudy, showery, 8°C, fairly windy.

A little warmer than last night and damp too and as a result a somewhat more interesting catch, no new species but plenty of firsts for the year. Curiously there was two each of two of them, the Barred Marble and Marsh Grey. The second Hoplodrina of the season showed up too, this one is I think a Rustic, at first I thought it was an Uncertain but on close examination I plumped for the former. Oh, and loads and loads of Heart and Dart (well, thirty three) too.

Tortricidae

• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker
• 2 Barred Marble Celypha striana D. & S.

Crambidae

• 2 Marsh Grey Eudonia pallida Curt.
• 1 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 2 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Pine Carpet Thera firmata Hb.
• 1 Broken-barred Carpet Electrophaes corylata Thunb.
• 1 Sharp-angled Carpet Euphyia unangulata Haw.
• 2 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata Haw.
• 3 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.
• 1 Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata D. & S.

Arctiidae

• 1 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.

Noctuidae

• 1 Heart and Club Agrotis clavis Hufn.
• 33 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 12 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 3 Ingrailed Clay Diarsia mendica Fabr.
• 1 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 1 Small Clouded Brindle Apamea unanimis
• 2 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 1 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 1 Rustic Hoplodrina blanda D. & S.
• 1 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.
• 1 Silver Y Autographa gamma Linn.
• 1 Spectacle Abrostola tripartita Hufn.

 

Friday 05 June 2009

 

Weather: Mainly clear, 5°C minimum, light wind.

Good heavens! It’s April again. I half expected the trap to have nothing more than a couple of Small Quaker and a Hebrew Character or two. As it turned out there really wasn’t very much but at least one first for the year, an Ingrailed Clay, which I suspect might have been overlooked before amongst the Small Square-spots.

Geometridae

• 1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata D. & S.

Arctiidae

• 2 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.

Noctuidae

• 8 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 1 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Ingrailed Clay Diarsia mendica Fabr.
• 1 Vine’s Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua D. & S.

 

Thursday 04 June 2009

 

Weather: Heavy cloud cover at first, 12°C, clearing later (temp. dropping to about 7°C light wind.

A sudden change in the weather, from 25°C plus during the daytime, introduced cooler cloudier conditions, which actually, seemed to be more favourable for the moths with a slight increase in the number of species and a marked increase in overall numbers. No new species though and only two firsts for the year, a Marbled Orchard Tortrix and a Marbled White Spot, which together go some way towards being a matching pair.

Tortricidae

• 3 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.
• 1 Marbled Orchard Tortrix Hedya nubiferana Haw.

Crambidae

• 4 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Pyralidae

• 1 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata Hufn.
• 1 Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata D. & S.
• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 10 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Mottled Pug Eupithecia exiguata Hb.
• 1 Freyer’s Pug Eupithecia intricata Zett.
• 1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata Haw.
• 1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata Linn.
• 1 Peppered Moth Biston betularia Linn.
• 1 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.
• 3 Light Emerald Campaea margaritata Linn.

Arctiidae

• 2 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.
• 2 Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum Hufn.

Noctuidae

• 17 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta Hb.
• 5 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 2 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 1 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 1 Vine’s Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua D. & S.
• 1 Pale Mottled Willow Paradrina clavipalpis Scop.
• 1 Marbled White Spot Protodeltote pygarga Hufn.
• 1 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.

 

Wednesday 03 June 2009

 

Weather: Clear, 12°C, breezy.

Another highly satisfactory night, not quite the numbers we’ve seen over the past couple of nights but still more than twenty species. More importantly though we had two new species, the first was a Common Bright, which wasn’t too hard to identify as I had spent some time trawling through images of it and its relatives trying to identify yesterday’s Yellow-headed Dwarf. The second new species is a Honeysuckle Bell, a much more exciting beast as it’s listed as nationally scarce, which as far as I’m aware is the first "micro" we’ve had to be so described. Firsts for the year included Buff-tip which in the past two years we had first seen in May, we also saw far fewer in ’08 than ’07 - 8 compared to 28, must keep an eye on that to see if, maybe, the species suffered as a result of the poor summers these past two years. The other first was Scorched Wing which is a moth we don’t see too many of being more generally, a woodland species. Finally, another Green Oak Tortrix this one was such a sorry specimen that I didn’t have the heart to photograph it, I’m sure there’ll be more.

Incurvariidae

• 1 Common Bright Incurvaria oehlmanniella Hb.

Yponomeutidae

• 1 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella Linn.

Tortricidae

• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker
• 1 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 2 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.
• 1 Spotted Shoot Moth Rhyacionia pinivorana Lienig & Zeller
• 1 Honeysuckle Bell Eucosmomorpha albersana Hb.

Geometridae

• 1 Blood-vein Timandra comae Schmidt
• 1 Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata Hufn.
• 4 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria Knoch
• 2 Sharp-angled Carpet Euphyia unangulata Haw.
• 1 Scorched Wing Plagodis dolabraria Linn.
• 1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata Linn.
• 1 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.
• 2 Light Emerald Campaea margaritata Linn.

Notodontidae

• 1 Buff-tip Phalera bucephala Linn.

Arctiidae

• 3 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.
• 2 Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum Hufn.

Noctuidae

• 9 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta Hb.
• 2 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Vine’s Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua D. & S.

 

Tuesday 02 June 2009

 

Weather: Clear, 11°C, breezy.

A little cooler and windier than last night but this didn’t have too adverse an effect, maybe a slight lowering of overall numbers but the number of species we had remained more or less the same. Splendidly though, two of them were new to the list, the first (like yesterday’s, another tiny one), is what I believe to be, after spending too much time looking in all the wrong places, a (possibly not entirely "P.C.") Yellow-headed Dwarf. The second was also one I’m not 100% certain about and is I think a Cream Wave, at first I just assumed it to be another Common White Wave but on closer examination I realised it wasn’t so it was quickly potted on the assumption that it was the next one along, so to speak, a Common Wave, after photographing it I then realised it wasn’t one of those either and the only thing I can find that it resembles is Cream Wave, the problem is it seems to be lacking any black dots on the hindwings, everything else fits though. As seems to be the norm at the moment a few more firsts for the year too, including a Green Oak Tortrix which was at the trap last night but declined my kind offer of a small plastic pot in which to spend the night, preferring instead the option of scarpering and spending the night as far from the trap as it could get.

Glyphipterigidae

• 1 Speckled Fanner Glyphipterix thrasonella Scop.

Yponomeutidae

• 1 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella Linn.

Elachistidae

• 1 Yellow-headed Dwarf Elachista luticomella Zell.

Oecophoridae

• 1 White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella Linn.

Tortricidae

• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker
• 1 Cnephasia Sp.
• 1 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Linn.
• 3 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.
• 2 Codling Moth Cydia pomonella Linn.

Crambidae

• 1 Inlaid Grass Veneer Crambus pascuella Linn.
• 1 Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis Treit.
• 2 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Cream Wave Scopula floslactata Haw.
• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 2 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria Knoch
• 1 Mottled Pug Eupithecia exiguata Hb.
• 1 Freyer’s Pug Eupithecia intricata Zett.
• 1 Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata D. & S.

Arctiidae

• 2 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda Linn.
• 1 Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum Hufn.

Noctuidae

• 5 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 2 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 2 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Small Square-spot Diarsia rubi View.
• 1 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa Linn.
• 1 Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica Hufn.
• 1 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.

 

Monday 01 June 2009

 

Weather: Clear, 13°C, almost still.

Yet another twenty plus species night and, pleasingly, a new species to kick off the month, a tiny and unusual one too, a Triple-barred Argent, a species that wasn’t discovered in Britain until 1982 and suspected of having been imported on conifer species such as Cupressocyparis leylandii (Leyland cypress) which the caterpillars feed on. We had some good firsts for the year too including Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Middle-barred Minor and a Cnephasia Sp. which as all the texts say is more or less impossible to reliably identify without resorting to "the chop".

Yponomeutidae

• 1 Triple-barred Argent Argyresthia trifasciata Stdgr.

Tortricidae

• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker
• 1 Cnephasia Sp.
• 1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana D. & S.

Crambidae

• 1 Garden Grass Veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn.
• 1 Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis Treit.
• 2 Small Magpie Eurrhypara hortulata Linn.

Geometridae

• 1 Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata Hufn.
• 1 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn.
• 4 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
• 1 Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria Knoch
• 2 Mottled Pug Eupithecia exiguata Hb.
• 1 Freyer’s Pug Eupithecia intricata Zett.
• 3 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata Linn.
• 1 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S.
• 1 Common White Wave Cabera pusaria Linn.
• 1 Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata D. & S.
• 1 Light Emerald Campaea margaritata Linn.

Arctiidae

• 1 Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum Hufn.

Noctuidae

• 8 Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis Linn.
• 3 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta Linn.
• 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum Linn.
• 1 Shoulder-striped Wainscot Mythimna comma Linn.
• 1 Marbled Minor Sp. Oligia Sp.
• 1 Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula Haw.
• 1 Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica Hufn.
• 2 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis Scop.