Gisborne's gorse, Charnwood Lodge - 25/07/2008

Charnwood Lodge is one of my favourite reserves in VC55. It's a mixture of moorland, acid grassland and mixed woodland with the added bonus of a tall heathy hill, patches of sphagnum donimated wetland and a small reservoir. The species diversity here is great. The site also holds precambrian rocky outcrops with bomb rocks of great interest to geologists. Probably. The site is designated both a SSSI and a National Nature Reserve.

The map below roughly shows the key points on the reserve:
orange dot - bomb rocks close to reserve entrance
red dot - entrance to Gisborne's Gorse
yellow dot - Gisborne's Gorse (mixed woodland planted in late 19th century)
light blue dot - Colony Reservoir
dark blue dot - Marl Field
green dot - Timberwood Hill
purple dot - Heather Field



Over the years most of the above points have been trapped, but away from the main tarmac driveway requires a robust 4x4 or brute strength and perserverence. I tend to leave traps running overnight in Gisborne's Gorse due to ease of access, no disturbance from the hardy cattle that graze the open areas, and generally there are interesting species in the wood. The Marl Field and Timberwood Hill areas are well worth the effort occasionally though, with prime targets being Glaucous Shears and Fox Moth.


View from the entrance to Gisborne's Gorse, looking back into the reserve toward the woodland around Colony Reservoir.


The other side of the reserve viewed from Gisborne's Gorse entrance.


Geologically significant precambrian rocky outcrop with bomb rocks. Apparently.

I left 3 x 125W MV traps running overnight on 25th July, spread along the main ride through Gisborne's Gorse.



The total catch was a very respectable 1015 of 113sp., with by far the main highlight for me being my first Clouded Magpie.


Clouded Magpie - superb.

Highest counts included a ridiculous number of Buff-tips - never seen so many in one session.

Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 118
Common Footman (Eilema lurideola) 61
Blastobasis adustella 55
Buff-tip (Phalera bucephala) 53
Light Emerald (Campaea margaritata) 45
Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata) 40
Buff Footman (Eilema depressa) 40

Full list available on VC55 Moth Group for subscribers.

A few images of species recorded - click on them for bigger size.


Small Yellow Wave


Ypsolopha parenthesella


Leopard Moth


Muslin Footman


Narrow-winged Pug


Ghost Moth


September Thorn


Barred Red


Common Lutestring


Buff Footman


Dingy Shell


Dotted Clay

From the garden trap - 25/07/2008

A very good night, with two garden-first macros and a good county scarcity to boot.

Total catch 305 of 82sp.

125W MV 142 of 57sp., 80W actinic 163 of 56sp.)
First for garden:
White Satin (Leucoma salicis) 1
Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 1
First for year in garden:
Emmetia marginea 2
Batia lunaris 2
Acleris laterana/comariana 1
Pammene fasciana 1
Grapholita janthinana 1
Pyrausta purpuralis 1
Oak Eggar (Lasiocampa quercus) 1
Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata) 1
Vapourer (Orgyia antiqua) 1
Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 2
Highest counts:
Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 32
Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 31
Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 27


Dingy Footman - an expected garden first considering the recent upturn in footmen fortunes and especially considering the burgeoning local population at Narborough Bog.


White Satin, another garden first - photo for the record but it's not pretty!


Knackered female Oak Eggar - first garden record since 2003. This is a scarce species in VC55, though my garden has probably more records in the last 8 years than any other site in the county!


Gold Triangle


Bi-laterally asymmetric Marbled Beauty photographed in fully even light - the markings are symmetric but the colouration is completely washed out on the left forewing; it is not any more worn or rubbed than the right.

From the garden trap - 24/07/2008

Total catch 222 of 71sp.
(125W MV 93 of 41sp., 80W actinic 129 of 52sp.)

First for year in garden:
Batia unitella 2
Bryotropha domestica 1
Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
Epinotia nisella 1
Eucosma campoliliana 1
Cydia splendana 1
Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedarius) 1
Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon) 1
Dingy Shears (Parastichtis ypsillon) 1
Cloaked Minor (Mesoligia furuncula) 1
Small Dotted Buff (Photedes minima) 1
Highest counts:
Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 24
Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 24
Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 17


Dark Sword-grass, first in garden since Oct 2004

From the garden trap - 23/07/2008

Another good night, and another garden first micro:


Spruce Bud Moth

Total catch 244 of 76sp.
(125W MV 121 of 52sp., 80W actinic 123 of 50sp.)

First for garden:
Spruce Bud Moth (Zeiraphera ratzeburgiana) 1
First for the year in garden:
Caloptilia rufipennella 1
Ypsolopha scabrella 1
Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis heparana) 1
Acleris aspersana 1
Crambus perlella 1
Dioryctria abietella 1
Rivulet (Perizoma affinitata) 1
Maple Pug (Eupithecia inturbata) 1
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
Highest counts:
Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 25
Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 22
Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 16
Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 12


Dioryctria abietella


Endotricha flammealis

Episyrphus balteatus - 23/07/2008

Noticed that there are lot more hoverflies in the garden over the last few days, mainly Episyrphus balteatus like this male. Fuck knows why it's also known as Marmalade Hoverfly - maybe they are often found loitering at alfresco breakfast tables.

Narborough Bog 22/07/2008

Although the days were warming up nicely, it was still cooling off fairly quickly overnight so not the best night for out of garden trapping, but with the next couple of nights scuppered I decided to leave traps running at Narborough Bog in the hope of at least picking up a couple of the reserve specialities for the year. Turned out to be a bloody good night overall!

3 x 125W MV traps operated dusk - dawn
Total catch 715 of 124sp.

Main highlights were the two targets:


Fen Wainscot (2) - Narborough Bog was the only site for this species in VC55 up until recently, has spread a little and has turned up in a few gardens (including mine) as it tends to wander like most reedbed species.


Round-winged Muslin (9) - ditto the above except the garden and wandering bit!

Other highlights:
Elachista apicipunctella 1
Mompha ochraceella 1
Limnaecia phragmitella 2
Aethes rubigana 14
Cochylis dubitana 1
Phlyctaenia perlucidalis 1
Blue-bordered Carpet (Plemyria rubiginata rubiginata) 2
Bordered Beauty (Epione repandaria) 1
Lilac Beauty (Apeira syringaria) 1
Double Lobed (Apamea ophiogramma) 1
Pinion-streaked Snout (Schrankia costaestrigalis) 2
Highest counts:
Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 98
Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata) 81
Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 51
Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 31

Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) 27

Drinker (Euthrix potatoria) 24

Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata) 24

Celypha lacunana 21


Bordered Beauty - aptly named


Dingy Footman - also aptly named!


Large Emerald, White Satin


Aethes rubigana, Limnaecia phragmitella


Double Lobed