New Micro and Overly-optimistic Mothing

Despite the highly unpromising conditions, me and Adrian Russell set out to light up a couple of areas of woodland and hope for the best. Whilst it was distinctly cool and grey, it had remained dry all day.

We dropped off 3 x 125W MV traps at Wardley Wood just before dusk, and then headed over to Prior's Coppice to run a sheet and trap for an hour and a half. Nothing too exciting recorded at the latter site though Diurnea fagella and Red Chestnut were both new for the year. We then headed back to Wardley Wood to empty the traps - again low numbers but two White-marked were a bonus and also new for the year.

Prior's Coppice
1 x 125W MV over sheet, 1 x 125W MV trap
19:00 - 20:30
Total 36 of 9 sp.
0663 Diurnea fagella 4 (NFY)
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 1
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 1 (NFY)
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 7
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 7
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 6
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 3
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 6
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1

Diurnea fagella

Wardley Wood
3 x 125W MV traps
18:30 - 21:00
Total 42 of 10sp.
1930 Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) 1
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 1
2140 White-marked (Cerastis leucographa) 2 (NFY)
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 4
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 17
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 1
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 5
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 7
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 1
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 3

White-marked

Red Chestnut

Garden mothing was predictably poor, nothing new for the year and only just a double-figure count of individuals ..

11 of 7sp.
(125W MV 7 of 5sp., 80W/100W actinic/tungsten 4 of 4sp.)
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1746 Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) 1
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 2
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 2
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 3
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1

Shoulder Stripe

Early Grey

Later this afternoon, whilst milling about in the garden, I noticed a small micro on the inside window of the shed. It was soon potted and, glad to say, I soon identified it as being new for the garden and indeed new for me full stop. Despite being worn, the general jizz and a wing-span of c18mm made ID fairly straightfoward ..

Mompha sturnipennella