Birds, Leps, Observations & Generalities - the images and ramblings of Mark Skevington. Sometimes.

Sunday 11 March 2012

Huge Pickworth List

As I mentioned in the earlier post, I expected the Pickworth total from last night to be fairly big. It is. The grand total of our efforts from c3.5hrs of running light traps was a whopping ......

4355 of 26 sp.

0461 Ypsolopha ustella 1
0663 Diurnea fagella 5
1025 Tortricodes alternella 138
1044x Acleris ferrugana/notana 4
1054 Acleris cristana 2
1659 Yellow Horned (Achlya flavicornis galbanus) 399
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 43
1746 Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) 67
1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 3
1925 Small Brindled Beauty (Apocheima hispidaria) 149
1926 Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria) 7
1930 Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) 14
1932 Spring Usher (Agriopis leucophaearia) 1
1934 Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria) 11
1947 Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata) 48
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 1
2179 Pine Beauty (Panolis flammea) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 2893
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 284
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 135
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 45
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 66
2237 Grey Shoulder-knot (Lithophane ornitopus lactipennis) 1
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 2
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 2
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 33

Most of the above are yearticks of course (blue text). Small Brindled Beauty is still scarce in VC55, and is pretty much confined to decent woodland over in the far east (at least as far as current records show). Whilst it is to be expected at Pickworth, these number are complete unprecedented with the previous highest total from there being 39.

Small Brindled Beauties

Oak Beauty

Yellow Horned

Grey Shoulder-knot

Small Quaker (1 of 2893!)

Twin-spotted Quaker

Common Quaker ab. confluens
This aberrant form has the orbicular and reniform stigma conjoined
Or, if you are puerile like me, it looks like someone has drawn a comedy penis on it.


Aside from the moths, I also noted a couple of large beetles which looked interesting. Same size, shape and jizz to 'Violet Ground Beetle' but clearly different. I think It is Carabus nemoralis - thanks to Mark Telfer for confirmation.

7 comments:

Stewart said...

Jeesssus Mark! How many! Is that a personal best?

Skev said...

It's a good un Stewart, but a long way short of the best group night we've ever had in VC55:
http://skevsblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/top-mothing-nights.html

Bennyboymothman said...

Superb Mark!
And nice that someone is getting out there and showing just how many moths are about if you get in the right habitat! I am fortunate and lazy to be next to a small woodland which boosts my nightly numbers ab=nd as much as I would like to do more field trips, regular life just gets in the way.
Trap is out again tonight opposite woodland on the farm so i'm hoping for maybe 50+ maybe even top 80 like I was doing last week.
I wonder if Blossom Underwing and White-marked are present in that Wood? 2 on my wish list at the moment.

Trent Duval said...

That's one hell of a list...I can't get my head around the amount of Small Quaker !

Stewart said...

Oh yes I forgot about that post. That was 2 years ago can you believe it! I have written for permission to trap in the wooded arboretum next to us. So if its granted I'll see what lurks in the woodlands. I'd be happy with Yellow horned....

Mark G. Telfer said...

Unbelievable total!
The beetle is definitely Carabus nemoralis.
Mark

Skev said...

Brilliant - thanks for that confirmation Mark.