On Saturday night I headed out with a couple of light traps, something of a
rarity in recent years for all the obvious reasons (cancer / chemo / surgeries
/ covid restrictions ....). Checking back, I managed four nights out in 2019,
none in 2020, two in 2021 and just the one last year. Most pertinently, only
two of these were nights out on my own setting up and recording and they were
in 2019. I am absolutely going to be out a bit more this year.
Aside from the paucity of nights out around a light, it has just occurred to
me that in all that time my current car has been the most under-utilised
vehicle I've ever had. Weeks parked up whilst I was unable to drive, long
periods off road during lock-downs, and we've not been up and down to Devon
with any regularity either. Coincidentally: it very much looks like the this
outing will be the last mothing effort in this car anyway, as I'm expecting a
changeover in the next week or so (though dealership delays may scupper that),
and the last mothing trip I made in the previous car was to the same site -
Fox Covert at Ulverscroft.
My next car will not be mistaken for an Uber everywhere I go.
Even more under-utilised than the car, good to know it still runs.
I ran a 125W MV over a sheet ....
.... and a couple of 125W MV traps along the main track.
I really wasn't expecting a lot, as garden catches have continued to be poor
and anecdotally the mothing up and down the country has been relatively poor.
There really does seem to have been a major entomological crash, perhaps more
due to the prolonged drought and searingly hot period last summer. Time will
tell if anything picks up or recovers. So it was no surprise really that
things were a bit slow, at least for the first hour. I ended up with a pretty
respectable total of 174 of 50sp. running the lights from dusk until 00:30.
Most pleasingly though I saw quite a few species that I haven't seen for a
long while, and some that are either rare or have never turned up in my
garden.
I had the TG-6 to hand, which meant I was able to snap quite a lot on the
sheet rather than bringing stuff home. Very serviceable snaps, albeit not the
most aesthetically pleasing background! I did take a few micros to check. So
in no particular order, here's a load of moth photos from the night ....
There were numerous Netelia/Ophion type Ichneumons on the sheet, a number of
Melanotus sp. click beetles, but by far the most numerous thing were
Cockchafers. Loads of them. Initially, the first ten or so were
unceremoniously chucked away, only to come bumbling back like six-legged
boomerangs. I then started collecting them in the plastic tub that the light
bulb goes in, more successful but I can assure you that two hours or so of
writhing incarcerated Cockchafers stinks.
There were at least 80 or so spread across the lights. I rarely get these at
home - thankfully - and had forgotten how much I loathe these getting in the
way. I thought I'd done a great job of containing them and then getting shot
of them all. However, much to my surprise given that I cleared out the gear
yesterday and used the car, today there was one sitting on the parcel shelf.
How the hell it avoided setting off the alarm for two nights I'll never know.
It prompted a further check, during which I found a much less offensive weevil
which I can only assume came home on Saturday as well ....
Bumbling hairy twatCockchafer
Strophosoma melanogrammum
The outing yesterday was to go and watch LCFC win majestically whilst being
relegated. Wow, it's been a ridiculous few seasons that we could never have
imagined possible, and which makes this drop even tougher than any we've
suffered previously. We played shite all season, were badly managed and the
Club made decisions too late. Totally avoidable. Back to a 46-game season
in the toughest league to get out of. If we don't bounce straight back up (and
I'm not sure we will) I suspect a long period of frustrating play offs. Still, we won more in our short stint than some other clubs (Spurs, Everton
....).
All your hopes and dreams, all you need to know, joy ride ....
Haven't been getting out too much, and when I have I've not had a chance to post anything so here's brief catch up ....
First, a couple of nice beetles, butterflies and a moth from Ketton Quarry on 23/05/2015.
Cryptocephalus bipunctatus - only the 4th VC55 record, first since 1987
Agrilus angustulus (per Graham Finch) - 11 previous records
Dingy Skipper - was lucky to find a pair in cop
Grizzled Skipper
Burnet Companion
The new car had it's debut mothing night out on Friday 05/06/2015 to a group session at Charnwood Lodge; nothing too arduous on the chassis, just some woodland rides. I was pleased to fit 6x traps, 2x gennies and 7x cable reels easily into the boot space with room to spare.
The mothing itself was a little poor, as has been the whole spring! My traps managed a total of 46sp.
Code
Taxon
Vernacular
Total
131
Incurvaria oehlmanniella
2
140
Nematopogon swammerdamella
2
227
Monopis laevigella
Skin Moth
1
485
Schreckensteinia festaliella
2
602
Elachista apicipunctella
1
636
Denisia similella
1
649
Esperia sulphurella
1
770
Carpatolechia proximella
2
797
Neofaculta ericetella
1
1174
Epiblema cynosbatella
1
1497
Amblyptilia acanthadactyla
1
1645
Falcaria lacertinaria
Scalloped Hook-tip
1
1680
Cyclophora punctaria
Maiden's Blush
1
1722
Xanthorhoe designata
Flame Carpet
1
1759
Ecliptopera silaceata
Small Phoenix
1
1764
Chloroclysta truncata
Common Marbled Carpet
4
1768
Thera obeliscata
Grey Pine Carpet
2
1776
Colostygia pectinataria
Green Carpet
10
1834
Eupithecia vulgata
Common Pug
2
1844
Eupithecia indigata
Ochreous Pug
1
1857
Eupithecia tantillaria
Dwarf Pug
1
1902
Petrophora chlorosata
Brown Silver-line
63
1906
Opisthograptis luteolata
Brimstone Moth
2
1920
Odontopera bidentata
Scalloped Hazel
4
1931
Biston betularia
Peppered Moth
2
1947
Ectropis bistortata
Engrailed
1
1951
Aethalura punctulata
Grey Birch
12
1955
Cabera pusaria
Common White Wave
2
1957
Lomographa bimaculata
White-pinion Spotted
3
1981
Laothoe populi
Poplar Hawk-moth
1
2006
Pheosia gnoma
Lesser Swallow Prominent
2
2008
Ptilodon capucina
Coxcomb Prominent
2
2014
Drymonia dodonaea
Marbled Brown
14
2028
Calliteara pudibunda
Pale Tussock
5
2043
Eilema sororcula
Orange Footman
16
2060
Spilosoma lubricipeda
White Ermine
1
2061
Spilosoma luteum
Buff Ermine
1
2063
Diaphora mendica
Muslin Moth
3
2102
Ochropleura plecta
Flame Shoulder
4
2123
Diarsia rubi
Small Square-spot
7
2160
Lacanobia oleracea
Bright-line Brown-eye
1
2163
Melanchra pisi
Broom Moth
6
2190
Orthosia gothica
Hebrew Character
1
2289
Acronicta rumicis
Knot Grass
1
2302
Rusina ferruginea
Brown Rustic
5
2326
Apamea crenata
Clouded-bordered Brindle
1
Total species
46
Total individuals
199
Grey Birch
Scalloped Hook-tip
Whilst I'm on here, may as well post a couple of bird photos from Greece back in April.
After quite a few indifferent or cool nights, Monday 6th looked to be the best opportunity for a week or so to finally get out and run the traps again. I ventured out to Pickworth Great Wood, meeting up with Adrian Russell, and set about deploying traps around the gated entrance and back to the Lincs. border.
Conditions seemed pretty good, with temps. no lower than 10degC, reasonable cloud cover and only the lightest breeze. Despite this, none of the traps were especially busy. Absolute highlight was a single Ypsolopha mucronella, a first for me and only the second modern record for VC55 following one at Bloody Oaks Quarry in April 1986. Other than this, White-marked was good to see but expected at PGW. Total catch was 424 of 32sp. from 6 x 125W MV traps, a 40W actinic, and a combined actinic/tungsten trap.
Eriocrania subpurpurella 4
Ypsolopha mucronella 1
Schreckensteinia festaliella 1
Diurnea fagella 89
Semioscopis steinkellneriana 13
Acleris ferrugana/notana 1
Acleris cristana 2
Emmelina monodactyla 1
Scalloped Hook-tip 1
Yellow Horned 2
Shoulder Stripe 36
Streamer 6
Water Carpet 2
Red-green Carpet 1
Brindled Pug 23
The V-Pug 2
Early Thorn 38
Purple Thorn 7
Oak Beauty 2
Engrailed 20
Red Chestnut 15
White-marked 4
Small Quaker 12
Common Quaker 24
Clouded Drab 11
Twin-spotted Quaker 10
Hebrew Character 40
Grey Shoulder-knot 1
Early Grey 11
Satellite 16
Chestnut 26
The Herald 11
Ypsolopha mucronella
Schreckensteinia festaliella - try saying that after a few beers
