Something Good

It's been a great weekend weather-wise, with a good few insects finding their way onto my square list.

I stuck out a pheromone lure in the garden yesterday afternoon (MOL lure for Grapholita molesta). I was hoping that one of the Pammene sp. that are coming to this lure would turn up, more in vain hope than expectation, but literally within a minute of putting it out a small moth was flittering about the trap before going in. I secured it in a pot and was pretty sure it was Pammene suspectana, with rapid confirmation from a FB posting. There are no previous VC55 records, although I've since picked up that Keith Tailby had a few to a lure on Friday. I'll get it gen detted to support the record, but I have no doubts personally. The weird thing about this though is that it turned up very quickly, but I left the lure out and in the subsequent 24hrs it attracted one aphid.

The garden trap has also livened up a bit, although overall numbers are still low. There have been a few NFY species over the last three nights including these:

Campion

Sandy Carpet

Shuttle-shaped Dart

Pale Tussock

Flame Shoulder

Today I grabbed a couple of hours in the square sweeping and swiping my nets. I've ended up with a fair few pots to work through, and I grabbed some very quick photos of a couple of beetles, with the first being a tick ....

Plateumaris sericea

Anthonomus pedicularius

Hylesinus varius

And always good to see a few of these whilst out and about ....

Swollen-thighed Beetle

Overdue Mothing Update

About time I updated this blog with some mothing results, from the garden and beyond over the last week.

24/05/2012
Total catch 63 of 25sp.
(125W MV 34 of 17sp., 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 29 of 18sp.)
0017  Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus)  3
0125  Emmetia marginea  1 (NFY)
0247  Tinea trinotella  4
0409a  Argyresthia trifasciata  12
0544  Coleophora albicosta  1 (NFY)
0602  Elachista apicipunctella  1
0647  Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)  2
0648  White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella)  2
0822  Scrobipalpa acuminatella  1 (NFY)
0891  Mompha sturnipennella  1 (NFY)
0892  Mompha subbistrigella  1
0986  Syndemis musculana  2 (NFY)
0998  Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  3
1288  Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla)  1
1428  Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella)  1 (NFY)
1497  Amblyptilia acanthadactyla  1
1724  Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia)  1 (NFY)
1776  Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)  9
1819  Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata)  3
1834  Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)  2
1853  Oak-tree Pug (Eupithecia dodoneata)  1 (NFY)
1862  Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)  1
1906  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  3
1920  Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata)  4
2092  Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)  2

26/05/2012
Total catch 51 of 22sp.
(125W MV 27 of 15sp., 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 24 of 13sp.)
0017  Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus)  1
0125  Emmetia marginea  1
0247  Tinea trinotella  3
0366a  Cameraria ohridella  1 (NFY)
0409a  Argyresthia trifasciata  8
0648  White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella)  2
0891  Mompha sturnipennella  1
0892  Mompha subbistrigella  1
0998  Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  2
1082  Plum Tortrix (Hedya pruniana)  1 (NFY)
1174  Epiblema cynosbatella  1 (NFY)
1651  Chinese Character (Cilix glaucata)  1
1728  Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata)  2 (NFY)
1747  Streamer (Anticlea derivata)  1 (NFY)
1764  Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata)  1 (NFY)
1776  Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)  7
1819  Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata)  4
1834  Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)  8
1883  Yellow-barred Brindle (Acasis viretata)  1
1906  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  2
1920  Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata)  1
2092  Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)  1

27/05/2012
Total catch 46 of 19sp.
(125W MV 26 of 13sp., 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 20 of 11sp.)
0125  Emmetia marginea  1
0158  Antispila metallella  1 (NFY)
0409a  Argyresthia trifasciata  8
0647  Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)  2
0648  White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella)  3
0697  Agonopterix arenella  1
0892  Mompha subbistrigella  1
0986  Syndemis musculana  1
0998  Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  6
1428  Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella)  1
1776  Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)  8
1817  Foxglove Pug (Eupithecia pulchellata)  1
1819  Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata)  3
1834  Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)  4
1906  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  1
1981  Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi)  1 (NFY)
2154  Cabbage Moth (Mamestra brassicae)  1 (NFY)
2160  Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea)  1 (NFY)
2384  Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua)  1 (NFY)

Antispila metallella. As far as I know, only the second for VC55

- the first being in April 2002 in my garden!

Syndemis musculana

29/05/2012
Total catch 67 of 27sp.
(125W MV 39 of 20sp., 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 28 of 17sp.)
0017  Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus)  6

0216  Cork Moth (Nemapogon cloacella)  1 (NFY)

0288  Caloptilia stigmatella  1
0409a  Argyresthia trifasciata  4

0449  Ash Bud Moth (Prays fraxinella)  1 (NFY)

0647  Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)  2
0648  White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella)  1
0892  Mompha subbistrigella  2

0936  Cochylimorpha straminea  1 (NFY)

0998  Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  6
1174  Epiblema cynosbatella  3
1428  Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella)  4
1651  Chinese Character (Cilix glaucata)  1
1728  Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata)  1
1776  Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)  5

1778  May Highflyer (Hydriomena impluviata)  1 (NFY)

1808  Sandy Carpet (Perizoma flavofasciata)  1 (NFY)

1819  Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata)  3
1834  Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)  9
1883  Yellow-barred Brindle (Acasis viretata)  1
1906  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  5
1920  Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata)  1

1937  Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria)  1 (NFY)

2078  Least Black Arches (Nola confusalis)  1
2092  Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)  3
2160  Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea)  1

2492  Small Fan-foot (Herminia grisealis)  1 (NFY)

May Highflyer

Cochylimorpha straminea

31/05/2012
Total catch 33 of 18sp.
(125W MV 16 of 10sp., 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 17 of 14sp.)
0017  Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus)  3
0647  Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)  2

0874  Blastobasis lacticolella  1 (NFY)

1082  Plum Tortrix (Hedya pruniana)  1
1174  Epiblema cynosbatella  3
1428  Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella)  1
1724  Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia)  1
1728  Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata)  2
1776  Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)  5
1808  Sandy Carpet (Perizoma flavofasciata)  1
1819  Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata)  3

1827  Freyer's Pug (Eupithecia intricata arceuthata)  1 (NFY)

1834  Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)  3
1906  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  2
1920  Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata)  1

2069  Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae)  1 (NFY)

2334  Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens)  1 (NFY)

2384  Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua)  1

Sandy Carpet

Scalloped Hazel

And from the trip to West Sussex last weekend. The only disappointment was missing a macro tick at Parham Park when other recorders picked up two Rosy Marbled but neither was retained before I had a chance to see them. I did pick up a new micro though, and one other moth tick with a dayflyer at Heyshott Down.

25/05/2012 : Parham Park, West Sussex
Daytime observations
0150  Adela reaumurella
0175  Narycia duplicella
0185  Luffia ferchaultella (larval)
0186  Psyche casta  (larval)
0315  Phyllonorycter harrisella
0697  Agonopterix arenella
1722  Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata)
1935  Mottled Umber (Erannis defoliaria) (larval)
2069  Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae)
2227  Sprawler (Asteroscopus sphinx) (larval)
2247  Merveille du Jour (Dichonia aprilina) (larval)
2271  Orange Sallow (Xanthia citrago) (larval)

Mottled Umber

25/05/2012 : Parham Park
1 x 125W MV over sheet, 2 x 125W MV traps & 1 x 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo trap
Operated 21:30 - 23:30, c16C, dry, light breeze
Total catch 83 of 39sp.
0017  Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus)  3
0125  Emmetia marginea  2
0134  Lampronia flavimitrella  1
0227  Skin Moth (Monopis laevigella)  2
0246  Tinea semifulvella  3
0647  Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)  1
0986  Syndemis musculana  1
1120  Ancylis mitterbacheriana  2
1398  Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella)  1
1428  Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella)  1
1645  Scalloped Hook-tip (Falcaria lacertinaria)  1
1648  Pebble Hook-tip (Drepana falcataria)  2
1680  Maiden's Blush (Cyclophora punctaria)  2
1681  Clay Triple-lines (Cyclophora linearia)  2
1727  Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata)  3
1738  Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata)  4
1764  Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata)  4
1776  Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)  6
1803  Small Rivulet (Perizoma alchemillata)  1
1808  Sandy Carpet (Perizoma flavofasciata)  1
1834  Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)  3
1853  Oak-tree Pug (Eupithecia dodoneata)  1
1893  Tawny-barred Angle (Macaria liturata)  1
1902  Brown Silver-line (Petrophora chlorosata)  8
1906  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  4
1961  Light Emerald (Campaea margaritata)  2
1979  Lime Hawk-moth (Mimas tiliae)  1
1981  Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi)  1
1999  Lobster Moth (Stauropus fagi)  1
2009  Maple Prominent (Ptilodon cucullina)  3
2011  Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina)  1
2014  Marbled Brown (Drymonia dodonaea)  1
2028  Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda)  3
2043  Orange Footman (Eilema sororcula)  1
2060  White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda)  1
2078  Least Black Arches (Nola confusalis)  1
2102  Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta)  5
2410  Marbled White Spot (Protodeltote pygarga)  1
2450  Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita)  1

Lampronia flavimitrella - a nice tick and one that's pretty scarce (pRDB3)

Lobster Moth

26/05/2012 : Heyshott Down

Daytime observation

1366  Pyrausta nigrata

Finally, from a late evening foray to Narborough Bog during the week:

Narborough Bog : 29/05/2012
Observed late evening
0016  Gold Swift (Hepialus hecta)
0017  Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus)
0216  Cork Moth (Nemapogon cloacella)
1076  Celypha lacunana
1640  Drinker (Euthrix potatoria)
1776  Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)

Gold Swift

Cork Moth

From the garden trap - 14/06 to 17/06

A bit delayed as I've been busy, distracted or completely wasting my life watching the England game. Here's trapping summaries from the last few nights including a garden tick Argyresthia curvella from last night.

14/06/2010
77 of 35sp (125W MV 47 of 25, 80W actinic 30 of 15)

First for year in garden:
0937 Agapeta hamana 1
1011 Pseudargyrotoza conwagana 1
1302 Crambus perlella 1
1682 Blood-vein (Timandra comae) 2
1742 Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata) 1
1941 Mottled Beauty (Alcis repandata) 1
2087 Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum) 1
2434 Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) 1

Highest counts:
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 26
1376 Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) 5
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 3
1819 Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata) 3

Best of the rest:
1778 May Highflyer (Hydriomena impluviata) 1
1817 Foxglove Pug (Eupithecia pulchellata) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1

Burnished Brass

16/06/2010
45 of 24sp (125W MV 25 of 14, 80W actinic 20 of 15)

First for year in garden:
0970 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis cerasana) 1
1115 Ancylis achatana 1
1334 Scoparia ambigualis 1
2128 Double Square-spot (Xestia triangulum) 1

Highest counts:
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 15
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 3

Double Square-spot

Large Nutmeg

17/06/2010
114 of 48sp (125W MV 48 of 29, 80W actinic 66 of 31)

FIRST FOR GARDEN:
0414 Argyresthia curvella 1

First for year in garden:
0409b Argyresthia cupressella 1
0989 Timothy Tortrix (Aphelia paleana) 1
1175 Bramble Shoot Moth (Epiblema uddmanniana) 2
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 1
1392 Udea olivalis 2
2330 Dusky Brocade (Apamea remissa) 2
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Paradrina clavipalpis) 1
2473 Beautiful Hook-tip (Laspeyria flexula) 1

Highest counts:
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 31
0970 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis cerasana) 5
1076 Celypha lacunana 5
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 5
1083 Marbled Orchard Tortrix (Hedya nubiferana) 4
1860 Green Pug (Pasiphila rectangulata) 4

Best of the rest:
1808 Sandy Carpet (Perizoma flavofasciata) 1
1991 Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) 1

Bramble Shoot Moth

Buff Ermine

Sandy Carpet

Elephant Hawk-moth

And here's one of the Dichrorampha spp. from Wednesday evening. Given the profusion of Oxeye Daisy at Huncote Embankment where I netted it, I expect it will turn out to be Dichrorampha alpinana.

From the garden trap - 09/05/2008

Similar numbers to yesterday, with the two traps performing almost identically.

Total catch 34 of 20sp.
(125W MV 17 of 13sp., 80W actinic 17 of 14sp.)

Tinea trinotella 1
Caloptilia syringella 1
Argyresthia trifasciata 3
Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
Semioscopis steinkellneriana 1
Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 4
Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla) 2
Chinese Character (Cilix glaucata) 3
Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 1
Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 2
Sandy Carpet (Perizoma flavofasciata) 1
Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 3
Brindled Beauty (Lycia hirtaria) 1
Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda) 1
Least Black Arches (Nola confusalis) 1
Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 2
Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 2
Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1


Caloptilia syringella - I've already mentioned that I like this group, and this is probably my favourite of the commoner species. Go on - click for a large view.


Sandy Carpet