False Start

Hmmm. Just as I start taking out the camera to the garden at 04:30 in the morning, the catches ease off and there aren't any interesting bugs or beetles to bother with it. This morning though, there was something different but it wasn't one for the camera, what with it flapping about the bulb constantly like a big angry bastard. It was a large (very) Ichneumon that I managed to pot up before going through the moths. I'm sure it is harmless, but there was no way I was taking a chance! I've subsequently identified it using the new NHM Guide as Opheltes glaucopterus - new for me and the garden.

As for the moths, numbers down over the last couple of nights but the NFY species keep coming with one or two more interesting species each night.

Monochroa lucidella - 3rd garden record

Blue-bordered Carpet - 5th garden record

Small Yellow Wave - 5th garden record

Oak Eggar - garden speciality!

Lazy quick snap with my phone to upload to Leics. Moth Facebook group

at stupid o'clock this morning.

This Oak Eggar is the 13th individual for the garden, and 12th female (in 2003 I managed to 'assemble' a male to a female I caught at light the previous night). Whilst that might not seem many, my garden records alone account for c15% of all VC55 record, and those records go back decades before I started recording. Aside from these, I've recorded it at two sites fairly close by (Enderby Quarry and Huncote Embankment) which means my personal records are nearer to 20% of all VC55 records.

New Grass

I left the garden trap off on Tuesday night. The forecast was for slightly cooler conditions with the temps and risk of thundery showers increasing by Wednesday night, so I opted for a lie in and to then give it a proper go last night with both traps. The plan paid off, as at 5am this morning both traps were liberally covered with moths. And there in plain view was yet another new macro for the garden!

Grass Rivulet - 674th garden and 315th macro species

There is also another potential garden macro tick, I'm fairly confident but I'm awaiting the thoughts of others about this one - a putative Hoary Footman. This species has moved into the county in the last couple of years and has been spreading pretty rapidly. (post-script - confirmed as Hoary Footman via gen. det.)

Hoary Footman

Scarce Footman left (straw yellow hindwing) / Hoary Footman right (off-white hindwing)

Other highlights were the second Privet Hawk for the garden, fourth Anania perlucidalis, Sycamore, 3x Miller, several Coronets and these ....

Stathmopoda pedella - 3rd garden record

Love the daft legs-akimbo pose of this moth. Thought it was out the picture after a neighbour cut down the only large alder tree in the vicinity.

Dark Umber - less than annual

Always seem to be knackered by the time they end up in my garden traps!

And here's a couple for the sake of it.

Batrachedra praeangusta - I like these, slightly quirky

Hypsopygia glaucinalis - another name change to get used to

Common Emerald

And whilst I'm at it, here's a couple from a breif but very enjoyable session with a sheet and trap at Misterton Marsh on Monday evening with Adrian Russell and Graham Finch.

Miller

Blue-bordered Carpet

Phalonidia manniana

Clipsham Quarry, 25th June 2009

Here's a few of the highlights and a couple of seasonal species:


Sloe Pug


Privet Hawk-moth


July Highflyer


Heart and Club


Concolorous


Brown Scallop


Blue-bordered Carpet


Blotched Emerald - a county tick for me


Blackneck