Smell of Female

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

I then headed closer to home to try some of the oaks in the square. Oak is not exactly abundant in the square, and whilst there are a few accessible trees, none of them are close together which I suspect makes a difference. I had no luck, and tried again on Weds again with no luck despite being earlier in the day.

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.

Emergency

Had a rough few days doing nowt, although my part-rejuvenation has coincided with the weather briefly perking up so perhaps I will get out tomorrow. In the meantime, any action has been indoors.

Last year I found a sawfly larva in the garden that I'd have to try and rear through to confirm which species - Abia lonicera or Abia aenea. Remarkably it survived despite being mistreated for prolonged periods and a spell of very cold weather whilst any larvae and pupae I had were in the shed, and it emerged on Friday 26/03/2021 after being transferred to a newly acquired rearing cage. I was hoping that would be enough, but sadly not - it appears that the adults are not readily separable either and it's going to have to be pinned and scrutinised more closely to confirm (by absence/presence of microsculpture on mesosternum). There is also a subjective antennal character which I can't make head or arseholes of. It is far more likely to be Abia lonicera; that was apparently new to VC55 in 2018 and there are a number of subsequent records although it's not clear that any have been properly scrutinised. There are apparently no records of Abia aenea for VC55.

It's a funky fat sawfly either way. I fully expect that there will be more of these, whichever species, on the front garden Lycestria bush in due course.

Today whilst on a work phone call, I spotted what appeared to be a small micromoth on the inside of the office window, although the window was wide open at the time. I managed to deftly pot it one handed whilst continuing the call. It was only later when I looked at it with an eyeglass that I realised it was one spanking looking micro, though off the top of my head I wasn't sure which one. After a bit of literature trawling I realised it was mint-fresh and out of season Chrysoesthia drurella, at which point my elation turned to nagging doubt. You'll recall I found and collected some mines last year, but I thought the larvae had all died after leaving the mines. And anyway, how could one be on the window if it was supposed to be in my rearing box (which had long since been re-purposed for the Ctesias serra larvae I'm trying to rear). The mystery and doubt would have endured forever had I not casually looked at the said rearing box and noted something flitting about in it - yes of course, another Chrysoesthia drurella. So not new for me or the garden, though good to see an adult. I had a quick effort with the TG-6, not happy but better than nothing. Anything shot with this really has to be absolutely still to get the best in-camera stacking results.

The moth trap is out tonight for the first time since Thursday; low expectations as today has been unseasonably warm and tonight will be seasonably cold. With a breeze.

Tomorrow I am expecting delivery of a couple of tortrix pheromone lures; there has been a National epiphany this year with many records of multiple Pammene giganteana to various lures for other tortrix spp. - turning it from an absent/rare species to apparently common in the process. I've ordered lures for Grapholita lobarzweskii and Grapholita molesta. Perhaps I can add Pammene giganteana to the square list by hanging a lure off of the two biggest oaks, and re-record G. lobarzweskii later in the year.

Quick and Snappy

I've not got the energy at the minute to think of a neat title or chose a themed track.

I emptied the moth trap this morning to the chirpy repetitiveness of a Chiffchaff on the embankment next to the garden. I wonder if any other early warblers had arrived, so between medical appointments and other tasks I nipped to both Jubilee Park and Everards Meadows for a quick walk through.

Jubilee Park was quiet, no sign of the Oystercatchers and nothing else new in. A quick look at the new 'scrape' gave up nothing but wagtails. Everards Meadows was busy around the car park/cafe area, but as ever it doesn't take much to walk away off the main paths and avoid people. The scrubby cover between the meadows were alive with birdsong, but aside from another couple of Chiffchaffs no other warblers. Not surprised as it's early, but this will be the best chance on my patch of picking up Garden Warbler I reckon.

Who doesn't like a smart Pied Wagtail in spring though? I also found a fallen dead ash tree covered in Cramp Balls. You would be amazed what I found on that. 

Back at home, the garden Snakes-head Fritillaries have pushed through and not far from full flowering, so it can only be a matter of days before the first Scarlet Lily Beetles show up.

The moth trap incidentally was devoid of anything new, but this Red-green Carpet is from Sunday night.

Fable of the Urban Fox

I take no pride in adding this to my PSL ....

At the same time, I have no shame in adding it! A Forsythia growing bold as brass along a rural lane significantly far away from any gardens. It is almost certain that I've seen Forsythia growing somewhere else away from gardens in the past and omitted it, but not convinced.

Also a NFG beetle to the moth trap last night, common but I doubt I'd find one in the garden other than at the light trap ....

Agriotes obscurus

Meanwhile, remember the Fox that visited the garden before Christmas? Well absolutely bugger all sign of it so far when it matters, ie during the square-listing year. I have noted Hedgehog doings on the lawn in the last couple of days so should see one any night soon, bit otherwise I'm going to have to get out walking the square after dark before long to see what is scuttling about and active.

And to balance my comments yesterday, City folk are just a capable of being as crass a Cuntry folk, as this neatly crafted tale details (a nod to Jolyon Maugham perhaps ....).

"One cold and hungry night, they find their dinner sitting pretty

The foxes can't believe their luck, who keeps chickens in the city?

But the chicken lover sees them prowl his pricey habitat

So he bashes both their heads in with his trusty cricket bat"

Hunter C(o)untry

Yesterday late afternoon I dropped into Jubilee Park on my way back from shopping at Fosse Park. I hoped that arriving later in the day might throw up some movement of birds in/out of the area, and I was not far off right although nothing spectacular. Whilst mooching about a redhead Goosander dropped in, Wigeon were constantly milling about between feeding on the grassy area and dropping into the pool, and several large gulls and cormorants arrived. The pair of Oystercatchers were still around, the Tufteds were up to five, and a number of Greylag Geese were 5MR yearticks. A quick walk around didn't throw up much else, and after a last scan of the pool I was about to head off when local birder Pete Asher popped up. We had a good natter, during the course of which the pair of Oystercatchers departed, a Chiffchaff flew across and into bushes behind us and - at last - two Kingfishers flew past over the field, short-cutting the path of the river.

I also had a quick look at the balancing pool at Grove Park which was almost literally devoid of wildfowl save for four pairs of Mallards and a pair each of Coot and Moorhen. On Friday a quick scan over the flooded fields off of the Guthlaxton Trail yielded some Teal for another patch yeartick.

Today I've had Goldcrest calling and moving through the embankment adjacent to the garden, and a few more spring insects have popped up including Tree Bumblebee, Peacock butterfly and Common Wasp.

Moths over the last couple of nights have included both Chestnut and Dark Chestnut - nether in their finest livery ....

This afternoon I headed for a quick walk along the lane and carried onto Whetstone Gorse Lane. I just had my bins, sadly, as once I'd got to the area that is (mis)managed for Pheasant shoots I could hear someone yelling at their dogs. Sure enough, after loitering for a while, a pair of typical Cuntry folk appeared some way behind their trio of small terriers: one of which was completely loose and two were tethered together but free to drag each other along. They appeared to be being used illegally, as evidenced by a Muntjac bounding away from the tethered pair only to be chased avidly by the lone dog. As far as I understand, a single terrier may be used by gamekeepers on shooting estates to eg force a fox out of a hole to enable it to be shot; the Hunting Act 2004 doesn't allow anyone to run their trio of terriers through gamebird cover and leave them free to chase and get whatever they can. Neither of the folk were carrying a gun, so no legal shooting of 'pests' disturbed by a lone terrier, let alone three of them. When it was clear that they had little control, I shouted that the dogs seemed more interested in hunting. I expected some sort of comment that there was no hunting going on etc, but the response was bold as brass "that's their job". Cuntry folk eh.

Hedging Bets

No, nothing to do with managing pooled investment funds or the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Recently there was an interesting thread on Twitter about hedge management, this one:

To be honest, for many of us with a vested interest in hedgerows as habitat for birds, mammals and invertebrates there was nothing new or revelatory. But it was good to see some perspective for others who may be less aware. It boils down to this - lots of people get massively upset when hedgerows are cut, in the belief that leaving them unfettered would be better. The truth is somewhere in between: leave a hedgerow to grow without management and it will become a bunch of trees with less density at the lower level, and over time those trees thin out and the hedge loses structure, so rotational cutting is beneficial. The flip side is that cutting too regularly, at the same level or too harshly will also damage the hedgerow, with loss of fruiting potential and again loss of structure over time. Hedgerows need to be carefully and sensitively managed, with cutting on a two or three year cycle, not to the same height and using appropriate machinery.

But, I would happily bet a large sum that the vast majority of hedgerows are badly managed and trashed, hence the regular consternation from people not impressed by cutting. I think that the problem is that most hedgerows that people see border fields and farmland, and they are managed by farmers who just see the hedgerow as a cheap means of partitioning land and segregating fields from roadways and people. They are not managed sensitively with the benefits of a hedgerow to wildlife in mind.

The hedgerows down the lane here are classic examples of being badly managed. They are cut every year (at least once, sometimes twice). They are cut to around the same height and width, leaving trashed stems and scar knuckles. The hedges are losing structure and density, don't offer much blossom/fruit and are in desperate need of rejuvenation. Here are some examples from this week (hedges were cut in mid-January) ....

Even if they were managed better, the hedgerows along here are lacking in diversity. They are mainly hawthorn and Ulmus sp., and other shrubs are few and far between. Within the hedges are a few trees, and the odd sapling that will never amount to much as they are cut the same. Believe it or not, the middle image above shows a group of Goat Willows ....

I'm sure I'll get some shots of these hedges through the year for comparison.

I've been mulling over a couple of twigs that I brought home on Wednesday. Both feature some sort of micro-fungi, but so far I've not got anywhere with putting names to them and I've given up for now.

Bumpy bits on hogweed stems

Spotty bits on burdock stems

Finally, here's a couple from the moth trap last night:

 

Twin-spotted Quaker

Diurnea fagella

I've got a few things to get done over the weekend, but hopefully I'll be able to get out at some point before my next chemo cycle starts on Monday.