Beet(en) Generation

So that Scrobipalpa sp. that was in my last post: turns out that it is almost certainly S. ocellatella [Beet Moth]. What wasn't so clear, but became so very quickly, is that there appears to be a quite widespread dispersal/migration event going on for this species. It is predominantly coastal with very occasional inland records considered to be wanderers. There was a similar dispersal event in Sept 2020 with a flurry of records in Bedfordshire and a smaller number in Huntingdonshire. However it seems to have successfully transitioned from Sea Beet to cultivated sugar beet, and this year at least it appears to be very common in both Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire - perhaps not surprising assuming these areas support a lot of sugar beet farming as in East Anglia. But the dispersal is pushing it further north and inland. I e-mailed Steve Palmer [Gelechiid Recording Scheme organiser] to give him a heads up.

Within VC55 there are now records from:

Vale of Belvoir on 29th July and 14th August

My Whetstone garden on 9th, 10th, 11th, 13th and 14th August

Broughton Astley on 10th and 13th August

Groby on 10th August (photo only)

Anstey on 14th August (photo only)

As far as I can work out there have also been records in the following areas with no known populations (likely to be a far from complete picture):

Northamptonshire on 1st August and 11th August

Bedfordshire on 7th August

North Somerset on 13th August

Worcestershire on 13th August

Staffordshire on 14th August

I've got x4 individuals pending gen det from 9th, 10th, 13th and one from x4 last night. Here's a collection of hastily grabbed shots from egg trays and on the trap of the individuals not retained. There is a bit of variation but there are plenty of consistencies. Gen det is necessary to be sure, but clearly a one-off is not the same a a National dispersal event.

This could go on for a while, who knows. I really don't think we have a lot of sugar beet farmed in VC55 though so this generation is unlikely to establish here.

Aside from this, I've had three other new moths for the garden list in the last few days:

A less than pristine Tawny-barred Angle - perhaps an overdue addition.

A Twin-spotted Wainscot - though I was almost sure at c6am that this was already on the garden list

Monopis crocicapitella (per the pale grey hindwings). Despite appearances this scarpered into the kitchen a few seconds later. This is a new one for me too.

I've also had several Caloptilia semifascia, and further singles of Caloptilia cuculipennella and Nephopterix angustella that were all new to the garden around end of July. Otherwise the best micros have been ....

Phyllocnistis unipunctella - second garden record, first since 2001

Nemapogon koenigi - fourth garden record

I've not been so active in looking out for non-leps around the trap, though to be honest it's been surprisingly quiet on that front. This pair from last night though includes a new beetle for the garden:
 

Cryptocephalus pusillus

Lesser Earwig

I've just picked up that avian flu is rife at both Watermead CP and Abbey Park in Leicester - both areas where overfeeding is a persistent problem meaning higher density of some species than normal. Not so bad if it reduces the Canada's and hybrids but it will actually be wintering gulls and wildfowl that will bear the brunt of this.

"When you cast your eyes upon the skylines, of this once proud Nation, Can you sense the fear and the hatred growing in the hearts of its population"

Ghost Mines

One thing I've learnt over the last week or so is that there is a whole new type of mine to look for. I was already aware that most mines were gallery, blotch or blister types - but I wasn't aware of the mines that are hardly there at all! I've found mines on poplar and now willow that are created by Phyllocnistis spp. The larvae are feeding literally just under the surface of the leaf, not actually eating the main part of the leaf itself. the mines look like snail trails over the surface.

Those on poplar are Phyllocnistis unipunctella, and I found these at Ulverscroft last week.

Both of these leaves had pupae just under the curled edge. The larvae can be on both sides of the leaf, and the mines cans almost cover the whole leaf. They don't exactly stand out and there is no frass visible.

On Wednesday I found similar mines on willow at Narborough Bog, and thought they were good for Phyllocnistis saligna. Notably, the mines go from the leaf and along the petiole. I've had positive feedback on a FB forum (from John Langmaid no less), and at the moment it looks like there are no other VC55 records. I'm going to look for more at the weekend and particularly for tenanted mines or pupae, which will be in a leaf-fold as with unipunctella.

I also found Bedelia somnulentella on bindweed, one that I have seen before. The larvae create a distinct 'window' that is visible from the upper surface, but the larvae can be found hanging around on silk on the underside. Usually there is frass caught up in the webs. I found mines, larvae and pupae.

Finally, I found both tenanted and vacated mines on blackthorn that are Stigmella plagicolella, a tiny gallery leading to a blotch.

This last one actually has two separate mines that have converged at the blotch. You can just make out a larva at the top end.