My lack of posting over the last few days is down to not having enough time to keep up and catch a breath, with a fair bit of proper paid work done in between bouts of activity out in the warm sunny couple of days we had. I've got more to write about than I can manage in one post, although most of it is not as illustrated as the mothy stuff so I'll focus on that for now.
I mentioned pheromone lures; sure enough they arrived on Tuesday although not until well past the optimum time of day to be trying them out but I was keen to give them a go.
Pheromone lures for Grapholita molesta (MOL) and Grapholita lobarzewskii (SKI)
- both of which have been successful in attracting other tortrix spp. I'm
unlikely to record G. molesta at all, but G. lobarzewskii may well turn up
again later in the year.
After a few minutes unpackaging and working out how to assemble the trap I
bought (rather than dangling in a bag like I usually do) I wanted to head
out somewhere that I could have a reasonable chance of recording my target
species Pammene giganteana. I always feel better about lures when I've
proven they work! Prior to this year there were just three VC55 records
including one we had at
Grange Wood in 2018. All records were of odd individuals to light in decent woodland, but
recent developments with the lures has shown this to be a much commoner
species than was thought so anywhere with a decent stand of oaks should be
in with a chance. So I headed to Croft Hill where there are a good number of
mature oaks on one side of the hill.
By the time I was there is was getting on for 16:25. I got the trap hung up
with the MOL lure and stood back wondering if I'd be in luck. Didn't take long
to find out - after a couple of minutes the smell of female must have been
overwhelming and at least two were flitting about the trap and ended up in it.
I potted one up for a photo and took the trap down - no point trying to catch
as many as possible, once it's proven to be there that's good enough.
Pammene giganteana - Croft Hill 30/03/2021
A couple of smallish oaks on the main A426.
A slightly bigger oak at the end of the lane, right on the boundary of my
square.
Probably the biggest accessible oak in the square, on the edge of the estate
near the Dog and Gun pub.
Earlier on Weds I tried at Bouskell Park in Blaby, and had another instant response with at least 10 arriving within five mins by a group of large oaks
around the ice-house pond.
Pammene giganteana - Bouskell Park 31/03/2021
Whilst trying the local oaks without success, I did manage to jam another
species for the square list with a different micro flitting about in the
sunshine ...
Dyseriocrania subpurpurella - Whetstone 31/03/2021
With the increased daytime temps, and ovenight temps keeping up in the high
singles, the garden trap also picked up in the last couple of nights with a
few NFY including ....
Pale Pinion
March Moth
Oak Nycteoline
Early Thorn
I also pointed the camera last night at a couple of bits on the sheet that I
stand my garden trap on ....
Nicrophorus humator
Pill Woodlouse [Armadillidium vulgare]
I've left the trap off tonight as it has cooled down a lot so unlikely to be
missing much.
