30/07/2011 North Devon Mothing + Stuff

Saturday night was another chance to run traps in the inlaws garden in North Devon - we were down there for a short visit to pick up the kids (they'd been there all week). Turned out to be another good night with the total catch being 309 of 89sp.

0411 Argyresthia goedartella 1
0453 Honeysuckle Moth (Ypsolopha dentella) 1
0460 Ypsolopha parenthesella 2
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0713 Agonopterix angelicella 1
0787 Bryotropha terrella 1
0873 Blastobasis adustella 2
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 1
0972 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis heparana) 2
0994 Clepsis consimilana 1
1038x Acleris laterana/comariana 1
1063 Celypha striana 1
1155 Epinotia brunnichana 1
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 1
1294 Crambus pascuella 1
1302 Crambus perlella 3
1304 Agriphila straminella 4
1305 Agriphila tristella 3
1331 Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella) 10
1338 Dipleurina lacustrata 1
1378 Phlyctaenia coronata 1
1388 Udea lutealis 1
1390 Udea prunalis 4
1395 Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 1
1405 Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) 6
1428 Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella) 1
1433 Cryptoblabes bistriga 1
1498 Amblyptilia punctidactyla 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1640 Drinker (Euthrix potatoria) 2
1653 Buff Arches (Habrosyne pyritoides) 2
1657 Common Lutestring (Ochropacha duplaris) 1
1702 Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata) 5
1708 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata) 2
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 7
1724 Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia) 9
1732 Shaded Broad-bar (Scotopteryx chenopodiata) 1
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 1
1759 Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata) 8
1777 July Highflyer (Hydriomena furcata) 1
1811 Slender Pug (Eupithecia tenuiata) 1
1858 V-Pug (Chloroclystis v-ata) 2
1875 Small White Wave (Asthena albulata) 1
1884 Magpie Moth (Abraxas grossulariata) 2
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 2
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 5
1919 Purple Thorn (Selenia tetralunaria) 1
1921 Scalloped Oak (Crocallis elinguaria) 7
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 3
1945 Brussels Lace (Cleorodes lichenaria) 1
1947 Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata) 1
2003 Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac) 1
2037 Rosy Footman (Miltochrista miniata) 3
2044 Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 22
2049 Buff Footman (Eilema depressa) 1
2050 Common Footman (Eilema lurideola) 25
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum) 1
2064 Ruby Tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa) 1
2091 Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon) 1
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 7
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 22
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 1
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 2
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 40
2118 True Lover's Knot (Lycophotia porphyrea) 1
2128 Double Square-spot (Xestia triangulum) 1
2160 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) 3
2173 Lychnis (Hadena bicruris) 1
2176 Antler Moth (Cerapteryx graminis) 1
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 1
2284x Dark Dagger / Grey Dagger (Acronicta tridens/psi) 1
2289 Knot Grass (Acronicta rumicis) 3
2291 Coronet (Craniophora ligustri) 1
2305 Small Angle Shades (Euplexia lucipara) 1
2318 Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina) 3
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 16
2335 Slender Brindle (Apamea scolopacina) 2
2338 Rufous Minor (Oligia versicolor) 1
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 4
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 4
2379 Small Rufous (Coenobia rufa) 1
2381 Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines) 3
2425 Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli) 6
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 2
2443 Plain Golden Y (Autographa jota) 1
2449 Dark Spectacle (Abrostola triplasia) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1
2489 Fan-foot (Zanclognatha tarsipennalis) 1
2492 Small Fan-foot (Herminia grisealis) 1

Dark Spectacle

True Lover's Knot

Common Lutestring

Small Rufous

Whilst out checking traps after dark, I couldn't resist getting a couple of shots of toads and molluscs.

Always entertaining to watch the toads climbing up the dry stone walling

Let the meal come to me

Great Grey Slug, artily located off-center in the frame (by accident)

Garden Snail

It was also a pleasure to be up early emptying the trap with Ravens and Buzzards overhead, and nesting House Martins in full swing.

You can just about make out two nestlings waiting. What a bloody mess they make below the nest

Here's a couple of garden shots from the day for good measure:

Foxglove

Flower Crab Spider - same colour and flowers as one I found last year

Gisborne's gorse, Charnwood Lodge - 25/07/2008

Charnwood Lodge is one of my favourite reserves in VC55. It's a mixture of moorland, acid grassland and mixed woodland with the added bonus of a tall heathy hill, patches of sphagnum donimated wetland and a small reservoir. The species diversity here is great. The site also holds precambrian rocky outcrops with bomb rocks of great interest to geologists. Probably. The site is designated both a SSSI and a National Nature Reserve.

The map below roughly shows the key points on the reserve:
orange dot - bomb rocks close to reserve entrance
red dot - entrance to Gisborne's Gorse
yellow dot - Gisborne's Gorse (mixed woodland planted in late 19th century)
light blue dot - Colony Reservoir
dark blue dot - Marl Field
green dot - Timberwood Hill
purple dot - Heather Field



Over the years most of the above points have been trapped, but away from the main tarmac driveway requires a robust 4x4 or brute strength and perserverence. I tend to leave traps running overnight in Gisborne's Gorse due to ease of access, no disturbance from the hardy cattle that graze the open areas, and generally there are interesting species in the wood. The Marl Field and Timberwood Hill areas are well worth the effort occasionally though, with prime targets being Glaucous Shears and Fox Moth.


View from the entrance to Gisborne's Gorse, looking back into the reserve toward the woodland around Colony Reservoir.


The other side of the reserve viewed from Gisborne's Gorse entrance.


Geologically significant precambrian rocky outcrop with bomb rocks. Apparently.

I left 3 x 125W MV traps running overnight on 25th July, spread along the main ride through Gisborne's Gorse.



The total catch was a very respectable 1015 of 113sp., with by far the main highlight for me being my first Clouded Magpie.


Clouded Magpie - superb.

Highest counts included a ridiculous number of Buff-tips - never seen so many in one session.

Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 118
Common Footman (Eilema lurideola) 61
Blastobasis adustella 55
Buff-tip (Phalera bucephala) 53
Light Emerald (Campaea margaritata) 45
Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata) 40
Buff Footman (Eilema depressa) 40

Full list available on VC55 Moth Group for subscribers.

A few images of species recorded - click on them for bigger size.


Small Yellow Wave


Ypsolopha parenthesella


Leopard Moth


Muslin Footman


Narrow-winged Pug


Ghost Moth


September Thorn


Barred Red


Common Lutestring


Buff Footman


Dingy Shell


Dotted Clay