Out There

On Saturday night I was able to enjoy some out in the field mothing; a major step in my recovery both in terms of driving distance and physicality, though I have to be honest and say that I was completely knackered the following morning. I joined a group session at Rutland Water organised by Tim Sexton, based in and around the Lyndon Center on the south shore. I had Graham Calow along for company, and amongst the participants were Pete Leonard, Graham Finch and Margaret McLoughlin along with Lyndon regulars Pete Bennett and Martin Grimes, plus a handful of other recorders. As it happened Pete headed in the same direction as me and we set out out lights throughout a section of woodland known as Berrybut Spinney adjacent to the Rutland Water Golf Course, using my sheet as a gathering point. There were additional lights running in Gibbet Gorse, around the center and Graham & Margaret heading the other way towards Waderscrape Hide. So all in all good coverage and decent potential for a great combined list.

The two cyan squares are the two halves of Berrybut Spinney, yellow square is Gibbet Gorse, green square is the Lyndon center and the red square is Waderscrape Hide.

It's been a while since my sedate family car got abused off-road like this.

Pete (left) and Graham (right) ahead of lighting up.

The brown wooden box next to my chair is the old catch box that Adrian made the best part of 30 years ago, and it is great being able to use it and give it some more service. I think he'd approve.

The hope of great things waned after lighting up, when it became clear quite early on that we were not going to be inundated with moths at the sheet. No idea why really, but it was a lot quieter across all the traps than I think we anticipated. Still, my sheet and x2 125W MV traps alone brought in 54sp. and Pete's x2 MV + x3 actinic traps managed a healthy 66sp. We await the combined list, but perhaps c100sp. will be achieved. Either way it was great to be out at all, and all the better to be out on a group event.

Best of the bunch on our side was in one of Pete's traps, a worn Agonopterix purpurea. Otherwise the best micro in my traps was a worn Psoricoptera gibbosella, whilst macro highlights were my first VC55 worn White-point, a couple of worn Square-spotted Clay and a worn Dark Sword-grass. You'll notice that these all share a common characteristic!

Agonopterix purpurea

Psoricoptera gibbosella

White-point

Square-spotted Clay

Dark Sword-grass

The garden trap delivered another first last night ....

Neocochylis molliculana. VC55 first was in 2015, but there has been a distinct increase since 2019 so perhaps only a matter of time before it popped up.

Also noteworthy were ....

A knackered Ypsolopha horridella - second garden records after one in 2020.

.... and the third Nephopterix angustella so far this year.

And the second Arhopalus rusticus this month ....

Floured Up

Those two 'flour' beetles I mentioned yesterday, well bugger me I was right! They were different species (no mean feat to discern that on live 3mm beetles that would not stay still), and both were notable (and new to me). Many thanks to Graham Finch for sorting them out - his microscopic photography set-up is truly excellent and I've nabbed his shots from the Leicestershire & Rutland Coleoptera facebook group.

Palorus subdepressus [Depressed Flour Beetle] - first VC55 record

Tribolium castaneum [Rust-red Flour Beetle] - c10th VC55 record

It's quite amazing that both were pottering about on egg boxes in the same trap, amazing that I noticed them amongst the much larger moths and complete luck that I bothered to pot them both. With naked eyes I'd assumed they were the same species and potted one for luck in case I lost or knackered the first. So pleased that I erred on the side of caution and handed them over - as you can see from the above they've been expertly carded and photographed, well over my level of competence!

I've had a quiet day at home, the only notable thing I saw was this Volucella inanis milling about in the garden whilst I went out to the bins ....

Earlier in the morning I emptied the moth trap, but as expected compared to the hot and humid nights from the week the catch - and most notably the 'bycatch' - was down in numbers. Nothing unexpected.

A particularly dark female Dark Sword-grass

And a particularly bright Silver Y - one of a good dozen or so

All the leaves are brown ...

... and so are the moths. I think that's how the song went back in '65.

I've just noted that it's over a week since I posted a moth photo, so an easy opportunity for a lazy post right here right now. Here's some shades of brown from the last couple of traps (still not much yellow appearing!).

Brown-spot Pinion

Sadly fresh, rubbed and nicked at the same time. Only the 7th garden record, and first since 2011.

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Been getting a good few of these lately, and still fresh individuals arriving.

Common Wainscot

Always seem to get more of these in the autumn than earlier in year.

Dark Sword-grass

Another - lost count of how many this year now (and my MapMate not up to date).

I'm going to keep trapping through the autumn into the early winter this year - I'm still hoping to pick up one or two overdue species that I've had in years gone past.

Ticks and Migrants

Okay, I've got behind! I've got a few bits to post about but I'll use this one to catch up on some garden moth news.

First up a completely knackered looking tortrix that isn't actually dead despite appearances! From what's left of it, and from experience of this species, I'm 100% sure that this is a garden tick Cochylis hybridella - one I've been expecting.

Cochylis hybridella

682nd garden moth, 364th micro, 107th tortrix

I thought this one was also a garden tick, but on checking I've had a couple before on 31/05/2008 and 19/06/2013.

Bactra lancealana

And this one, if confirmed, will be a full British tick! From an 80W trap left on the front of the house last night in full view of the neighbours plum tree.

Post-script: Grapholita funebrana - confirmed by gen. det.

Last night also turned out to be good for migrants for a change ......

Scarce Bordered Straw - one of two

Third garden record to light, with singles on 23/09/2006 and 05/09/2009.

Rusty Dot Pearl - again one of two

Dark Sword-grass - second so far this year

Silver Y - not seeing many of these so far this year

And here's some fillers whilst I'm posting.

Gracillaria syringella (name change ....)

Six-striped Rustic

Saving Jerry

I can't remember (and can't be arsed to look back) whether I ever mentioned that the family acquired a cat back in autumn 2014. I never wanted a cat, family were adamant they did. In the interest of family peace, as always, I being the man of the house backed down and gave in. So we have had a cat for over two years. He's a git. I could fit cow bells on his collar and he'd still manage to catch something. He's not exactly proficient - it's not like we have mounds of corpses every day - but he does catch the odd shrew, vole, mouse and recently mole! He also had a nasty turn a couple of weeks ago, quite likely after having had a toad in his gob. How I laughed at that as he slobbered and foamed at the mouth for an hour before and after having his face liberally drenched in cold water.

Anyway, this evening he had a Wood Mouse giving him the run around in the garden. The mouse had the upper hand, but nevertheless I stepped in and saved the mouse. I took a snap, figuring that the temporary blindness and subsequent heart failure would still be better than being played with by the git.

Here's Jerry, shortly before he scarpered for good, free of feline jaw around his scrawny neck.

Wood Mouse

The other thing that the git cat does do, which appears to be beneficial, is deter some of the moth-eating early morning birds. Quite often in the past I've had to race the juv Blackbirds and Robins to the traps, but I've not had any problems so far this year. The fact that the bleedin cat probably eats the odd moth still outweighs the lack of moth-munching thrushes and chats.

Here's some recent garden moths that neither he or any birds munched.

Plain Golden Y

Fan-foot

Small Fan-foot

Beautiful Hook-tip

Udea olivalis

 

Dark Sword-grass

This small male is almost certainly a primary immigrant, and the first in the garden since 2013. It's also the earliest I've taken one during a year - the previous earliest coming in late July.

08/10/2010 - Bedstraw Hawk .....

.... just one of the many exciting migrants that I was hoping would turn up but didn't!

The garden traps did well though with a very mild and cloudy night, but it was pretty windy. There were a few common migrants, but the most unexpected moth of the night was a very knackered Blood-vein. Sadly the Brindled Green was too knackered to bother photographing.

08/10/2010, Total 87 of 30sp.
(125W MV 49 of 20, 80W/100W actinic/tungsten 38 of 21)

0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 7
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 11
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 9
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1395 Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 4
1398 Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella) 1
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 5
1682 Blood-vein (Timandra comae) 1
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 4
1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 3
2091 Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon) 1
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 2
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 9
2245 Green-brindled Crescent (Allophyes oxyacanthae) 1
2248 Brindled Green (Dryobotodes eremita) 1
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1
2262 Brick (Agrochola circellaris) 2
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 5
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 6
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 1
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 1
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 2
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Paradrina clavipalpis) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Rusty Dot Pearl

Juniper Carpet

This Red-line Quaker is an odd colour, maybe referable to f. rufa

Green-brindled Crescent - no apologies for featuring another one, I think they're great

Another Dark Sword-grass

Lunar Underwing - where are they all this year?

I also ran a few traps at Huncote Embankment for a few hours last night. At this time of year it's not possible to leave stuff overnight without a visit to top up the gennie. I decided to go back at c23:30 and see how the traps were doing. I'd left them a bit exposed along a track in the full force of the strong wind, so I wasn't expecting too much and I decided to pull them in rather than topping up. Nothing too exciting, but as with the garden one or two late individuals (Dusky Thorn indeed). Most of these species are new dots on the map for that site though.

08/10/2010, Huncote Embankment
2 x 125W MV & 1 x 160W MBFT
Total 41 of 17sp.

1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 11
1913 Canary-shouldered Thorn (Ennomos alniaria) 1
1914 Dusky Thorn (Ennomos fuscantaria) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 2
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 2
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 2
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 1
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 5
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 1
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 3
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 3
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 2
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 2
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1
2369 Bulrush Wainscot (Nonagria typhae) 2
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Bulrush Wainscot

Beaded Chestnut

Garden Trap 04/10/10

Seems like ages since I last ran the garden traps - actually it has been almost a fortnight (22/09).

With mild temps and a southerly breeze I had high hopes, so I was very disappointed when I emptied the MV trap this morning and found only 8 individuals of 5 species - and that included 4 Garden Rose Tortrix. Thankfully the 80W actinic / 100W tungsten combo trap came good and boosted the total to 55 of 21sp. I find that the powerful actinic works very well in late autumn - in the garden at least.

Full catch as follows - garden yearticks in yellow:

0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 4
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 4
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1707 Small Dusty Wave (Idaea seriata) 1
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
2091 Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 8
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 3
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 4
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 2
2245 Green-brindled Crescent [ab. capucina] (Allophyes oxyacanthae) 1
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 5
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 4
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 1
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 7
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 2
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 2

Green-brindled Crescent, ab. capucina without the metallic green scales

Yellow-line Quaker

Dark Sword-grass - a bit faded

Red-line Quaker

Today was one of those days when you wish trivial stuff like work and family committments could be disregarded without consequence. Had I of been able, I would have got my arse over to Sence Valley Forest Park to have a gander at and county tick a couple of Lapland Buntings. As it was I could not get away from work in the day and needed to be home straight after. Maybe I'll be lucky and they'll still be about tomorrow morning ....

Autumnal moths

After a generally crap August, early September mothing kicked off with a great session over at Warren Hills on Saturday night with Adrian Russell. The total catch from a sheet, two traps and a bit of sugaring was a very respectable 368 of 46 species. No sign of the hoped-for Heath Rustic, but a very enjoyable few hours nonetheless. I'll post the last separately with a garden trapping update, but aside from a knackered Galium Carpet, these were the main highlights:

Grey Chi

Autumnal Rustic

Narrow-winged Pug

Hedge Rustic

Antler Moth

Black Rustic

Small Wainscot

Dark Sword-grass

Sallow