From the garden trap 26/09/2011

Back out with the traps last night - turned out to be cooler than I'd hoped and it was a bit nippy and damp this morning. Aside from three yearticks, biggest surprise was a Common Rustic agg. - the last one I recorded was around three weeks ago on 3rd September.

Aside from any potential immigrants or garden firsts, there are c6 species left that I can reasonably expect to turn up over the next couple of weeks, and maybe c6 other possibles before the year end. The fat lady isn't singing yet, but I can hear the gargling and throat clearing ....

Total catch 41 of 20sp.
(125W MV 11 of 8, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 30 of 15)

0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 2
1041 Acleris sparsana 1 (NFY)
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 2
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1923 Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria) 1 (NFY)
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 5
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 7
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 2
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 2
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 5
2262 Brick (Agrochola circellaris) 1 (NFY)
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 2
2271 Orange Sallow (Xanthia citrago) 1
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 1
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 2
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 1

Feathered Thorn

Brick

Black Rustic - stunning when fresh but this is another less than perfect individual

Fluffy Clouds, Setting Sun, Dark

24/09/2011 Mothing

Last night we were free of the boys, duly incarcerated at my Mum's (Isabelle opted out, a teenage privilege). Nichola had very clearly indicated that we should take advantage and get out, but I had already clearly indicated to myself that it would be good to get out mothing. So, I made a suggestion that we loaded the car up with a few traps, headed out east to dump them and then go for a nice rustic pub meal and drinks before heading back to retrieve the traps. Gladly, this mothing plan masquerading as compromise and the best of both worlds was duly accepted and we headed out to Ketton Quarry. Even the appearance of Adrian Russell at Ketton to run a sheet and a couple more traps was overlooked.

The forecast was for a dry mild night. As good as Ketton usually is, it can at times turn very cool and damp there on clear nights and sadly last night was one of them. Of course, having set up five traps and departed to enjoy a good meal at The Collyweston Slater, and a couple of pints of Batemans XXXB, I was generally unaware of this until we got back.

Adrian had managed to pick up 77 of 29sp from a sheet and two traps, but my five traps were on the cooler side and the catch was pretty poor. Neither of the hoped-for targets appeared and not even anything new for the year (strictly speaking - though good to see an adult Brindled Green having recorded it in the larval stage earlier in the year).

Total catch 37 of 18sp.
(3 x 125W MV traps, 1 x 40W/20W actinic/CFL combo & 1 x 80W/11W actinic/CFL combo)

1138 Epinotia nisella 3
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 1
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 4
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 2
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 2
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 3
2248 Brindled Green (Dryobotodes eremita) 1
2266 Brown-spot Pinion (Agrochola litura) 1
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 2
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 9
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 1
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 2
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2434 Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Brindled Green

The garden fared a little better, though again nothing new for the year.

Total catch 87 of 29sp.
(125W MV 26 of 15, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 61 of 21)

0227 Skin Moth (Monopis laevigella) 1
0246 Tinea semifulvella 1
0462 Ypsolopha sequella 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
0697 Agonopterix arenella 1
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 2
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 2
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 3
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 2
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 22
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 15
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 5
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 1
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 2
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 2
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 1
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 4
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 6
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 4
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 2
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 1
2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 1

Rosy Rustic - a huge female, Large Yellow Underwing sized

Large Yellow Underwing - a nice colour form, shame about the wing damage

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Shuttle-shaped Dart

From the garden trap 23/09/2011

I ran two combo traps last night for a change. The now regular 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL trap was positioned half way down the garden (where I usually run the MV) and a 40W/20W Actinic CFL/CFL combo by the house (where I usually run the Synergetic). O most night since I started using it, the Synergetic has outperformed the MV, but interestingly last night when it was in the usual MV position it didn't do as well as the 40W actinic.

Total catch 73 of 24sp.
(22W/18W Synergetic/CFL 21 of 11, 40W/20W Actinic CFL/CFL 52 of 22)

0246 Tinea semifulvella 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 3
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 2
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 4
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 2
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 2
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 4
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 18
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 11
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 4
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 2
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 2
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica) 1 (NFY)
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 4
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 2
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 1
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 2
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

I'm running a few traps at Ketton Quarry tonight - targets are Large Ranunculus (which I've not seen for years) and Mallow (which I've never seen anywhere!).

Blair's Shoulder-knot

Black Rustic

Lesser Yellow Underwing

Lunar Underwing

From the garden trap 22/09/2011

... but before that, a garden tick from yesterday evening in the form of a leaf-mine on a large cultivated rose that is actually growing in the neighbours garden although the branch that yielded this is overhanging the fence into my garden (good enough for me anyway!).

Stigmella anomalella

More than double both the individuals and species in the traps last night compared to Wednesday, with three more yearticks but nothing to get the adrenaline going (it's been a good five years now since any decent autumnal migrants landed in my garden traps). Sadly the Black Rustic was a bit too scuffed to bother photographing.

Total catch 63 of 27sp.
(125W MV 24 of 17, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 39 of 22)

0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 3
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 1
0985 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) 1 (NFY)
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 3
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 7
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 3
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 3
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 9
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 5
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 2
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 3
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 2
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) 1 (NFY)
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 2
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 2
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 1 (NFY)
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 3
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 3
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Barred Sallow

Red-green Carpet (first since 13th January!)

Common Wainscot

And following a comment from Matt, here's the periodicity plots for my Common Wainscot records:

From the garden trap 21/09/2011

Another rare outing for the garden traps so far this September. The conditions were mild but blustery, so I had low expectations and was therefore not too disappointed with the relatively low catch. Two more new for the year species bring the garden total up to 370 species (with an additional 6 pending confirmation once inspected under the microscope). Not too many dead-certs left for the year, so it's looking very likely to be a few less than last year's record total of 390 but still well above the average for the preceding years (c324).

Total catch 28 of 13sp.
(125W MV 10 of 6, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 18 of 10)

0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 3
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 10
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 1
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 2 (NFY)
2273 Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata) 2 (NFY)
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 3
2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Paradrina clavipalpis) 1

Pink-barred Sallow

Frosted Orange

Beaded Chestnut

Quiet Life ...

.. is what I have been listening to just lately. Still a great album, and in particular Karn's fretless bass and sax work on this was brilliant.

Very Retro Garden Tick

One thing I am very good at (or bad at depending on your view) is retaining e-mails. It's not through effective filing or anything too anal or obsessive, I just can't be arsed to delete them all and have managed to keep transferring them from one software package to another along with the address book etc (since May 2000 at least, earlier one were lost).

Recently I was trying to find something amongst some old e-mail (as the other thing I am probably too good at is having a vague recollection of something and then finding it on an old e-mail). Whilst at it, I browsed a few others from the same period and found an old ID request with some completely rubbish photos attached. One of the photos was of an as-then unidentified tortrix from my garden on 13/05/2001 - only looking at it now with over ten years more experience the ID was immediately apparent and I've managed to add a very retrospective tick to the garden list. Checking on the UK Moths archive I then found that actually someone had suggested that ID as well, so no idea how or why I missed the record at the time.

The photo is still rubbish despite the armchair victory!

Fruitlet Mining Tortrix (Pammene rhediella)

There's a slightly better recent photo of one here.

From the garden trap 16/09/2011

Ran the garden traps last night for the first time since 8th - a combination of being busy and away at work, and the weather being shite. Biggest highlight last night was two Brown-spot Pinions - a garden rarity for me with only three previous individuals (Sep 2000, Sep 2006 & Oct 2006).

Brown-spot Pinion

Total catch 75 of 26sp.
(125W MV 30 of 14, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 45 of 17)

0422 Argyresthia albistria 1
0460 Ypsolopha parenthesella 1 (NFY)
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 2
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 4
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 2
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1961 Light Emerald (Campaea margaritata) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 14
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 26
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 2
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 3
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 1
2266 Brown-spot Pinion (Agrochola litura) 2 (NFY)
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 1 (NFY)
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 2
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 1
2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 1 (NFY)
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Ypsolopha parenthesella (knackered)

Lunar Underwing

So Juvenile

Other than working, haven't done much this weekend sadly. Did manage to nip over to Watermead CP South late this afternoon more in hope than expectation. A juv Arctic Tern has been knocking about though I expected it to be gone - but luckily it wasn't. Good views in late afternoon sunshine and strong wind. I tried to get a few shots but they pretty much amounted to nothing. The damned thing seemed to follow a set circuit up and down the water until I got into position and pointed the camera, at which point it would change it's route and start another circuit. Nice clean white rump and forehead, dark black-looking bill and whitish secondaries. Not that the following grainy crop helps paint the picture ...

This week, I have mostly been listening to ....

.... an eclectic mish mash of random and slightly obscure stuff (anyone who's been reading this blog over the last four years will have noted my wide-ranging music tastes!)

Skinny Puppy

Noise Unit (a Front Line Assembly side project)

Suicide

Hula

Alien Sex Fiend

My Life With The Thrill Kill Cult

Watermead CP South 02/09/2011

Early evening on Friday, I nipped out on the bike for a quick sprint down the lane and back and realised that it was still pretty mild. I got home and checked the forecast which looked very promising, got on the phone to Adrian and we quickly arranged a very short notice foray to Watermead CP South. The plan was to set up a couple of traps and sheet around the biggest accessible clump of Butterbur (the plant) and promptly add The Butterbur (the moth) to the VC55 list. We set up 125W MV sheet, 2 x 125W MV traps and a 40W/20W actinic/CFL combo trap.

Sadly, the planned glory never materialised. The Butterbur genuinely appears to be scarce and local in and around the midlands with several apparently blank counties. More planning and gen required I think. We still had a good night though for a quick two-hour jaunt, but it wasn't the light traps that provided the biggest surprise. We'd been up and running for an hour or so and decided to have a quick patrol of the traps. En route I noticed a Sallow apparently nectaring on the 'flowerhead' of a Common Reed, and then another. We then started noticing lots more Sallows and Square-spot Rustics (50+ of each) and other species. Completely unexpected and really interesting to see - no damned camera to catch the moment sadly.

The overall total recorded was 409 of 43sp. (of which 293 of 41 were at light, 116 of 11 were nectaring on the reeds). The numbers in square brackets is the split between [light, nectaring]. Only two species new for the year - Bulrush and Large Wainscots.

0697 Agonopterix arenella 1 [0, 1]
0993 Cyclamen Tortrix (Clepsis spectrana) 3 [2, 1]
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 3 [2, 1]
1076 Celypha lacunana 1
1086 Hedya salicella 1
1104 Endothenia quadrimaculana 1
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1309 Agriphila geniculea 1
1328 Schoenobius gigantella 1
1350 Beautiful China-mark (Nymphula stagnata) 6
1405 Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) 2
1439 Trachycera advenella 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 2
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 11
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1914 Dusky Thorn (Ennomos fuscantaria) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
1956 Common Wave (Cabera exanthemata) 1
2087 Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum) 1
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 6
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 22 [17, 5]
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 1
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 3
2133 Six-striped Rustic (Xestia sexstrigata) 2
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 222 [172, 50]
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 4
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 5
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 58 [8, 50]
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 3
2300 Old Lady (Mormo maura) 3
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 1
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 6 [5, 1]
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 6 [3, 3]
2368 Crescent (Celaena leucostigma) 5 [4, 1]
2369 Bulrush Wainscot (Nonagria typhae) 2 [0, 2] NFY
2375 Large Wainscot (Rhizedra lutosa) 3 [2, 1] NFY
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 9
2452 Red Underwing (Catocala nupta) 1
2474 Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) 2
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 2

Large Wainscot

Beautiful China-mark

Schoenobius gigantella

Cyclamen Tortrix

Turnip Moth

The following two Sallows illustrate perfectly how widely variable individual moths of the some species can be. If these were birds they'd have been split into five or more species by now!

Garden Mothing Update

Here are the summaries for the last four nights, including a couple of garden firsts.

31/08/2011 : Total catch 156 of 27 sp.
(125W MV 62 of 24, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 94 of 16)

0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 3
0422 Argyresthia albistria 1
0462 Ypsolopha sequella 1
0658 Carcina quercana 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
1138 Epinotia nisella 1
1305 Agriphila tristella 2
1309 Agriphila geniculea 19
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 3
1708 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata) 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 8
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 3
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 2
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 7
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 41
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 36
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 10
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 1
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 2 (NFY)
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 1
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 1
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 2
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 5


01/09/2011 : Total catch 164 of 37 sp.
(125W MV 77 of 28, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 87 of 24)

0443 Cedestis subfasciella 1 (FIRST FOR GARDEN)

0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0658 Carcina quercana 1
0873 Blastobasis adustella 1
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 2
1076 Celypha lacunana 2
1138 Epinotia nisella 7
1305 Agriphila tristella 1
1309 Agriphila geniculea 32
1331 Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella) 1
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 2
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1708 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata) 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 2
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 3
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 4
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 2
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 7
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 35
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 24
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 3
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 11
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 1
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 3
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1 (NFY)
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 2
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 2
2300 Old Lady (Mormo maura) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 2
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1
2474 Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) 1

Cedestis subfasciella - a bit faded/worn, but markings correct. Good to add this to the garden list as there are only six previous VC55 records, and four of those are from Andy Mackay's old Markfield garden. Coincidentally I only saw this for the first time earlier in the year in Devon.

02/09/2011 : Total catch 215 of 32 sp.
(125W MV 79 of 21, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 136 of 25)

0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 2
0411 Argyresthia goedartella 1
0455 Ypsolopha scabrella 1
0462 Ypsolopha sequella 2
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 3
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1

0843 Aproaerema anthyllidella 1 (FIRST FOR GARDEN)

0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 3
1043 Acleris aspersana 1 (NFY)
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 7
1138 Epinotia nisella 14
1305 Agriphila tristella 1
1309 Agriphila geniculea 53
1331 Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella) 1
1439 Trachycera advenella 1
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 2
1707 Small Dusty Wave (Idaea seriata) 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 7
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 2
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 6
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 2
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 2
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 11
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 40
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 24
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 2
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 12
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 3
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 6

Possible Eulamprotes immaculatella. Only c9mm wingspan which is too small for the most likely similar species, and otherwise seems to fit the description in MBGBI4. If confirmed, it will not only be a first for me and the garden, but VC55 and quite likely the whole of the midlands.

Aproaerema anthyllidella - gen. det. by Jon Clifton Jan 2012

03/09/2011 : Total catch 238 of 41 sp.
(125W MV 97 of 31, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 141 of 28)

0125 Emmetia marginea 1
0263 Apple Leaf Miner (Lyonetia clerkella) 1
0332a Firethorn Leaf Miner (Phyllonorycter leucographella) 1
0422 Argyresthia albistria 3
0455 Ypsolopha scabrella 1
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 4
0658 Carcina quercana 1
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 2
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 7
1138 Epinotia nisella 6
1304 Agriphila straminella 1
1305 Agriphila tristella 2
1309 Agriphila geniculea 25
1439 Trachycera advenella 2
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1690 Small Blood-vein (Scopula imitaria) 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 4
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 4
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 4
1867 Treble-bar (Aplocera plagiata) 1 (NFY)
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 6
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 6
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 62
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 38
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 2
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 3
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 21
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 2
2269 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago) 1
2271 Orange Sallow (Xanthia citrago) 1 (NFY)
2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 2
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 4
2299 Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) 1
2300 Old Lady (Mormo maura) 1
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 2
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 8
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 2

Treble-bar

Treble-bar - showing the long pointed abdomen (versus short and rounded in Lesser Treble-bar)

Orange Sallow - I'll get a really nice fresh one to photograph one of these days!

Mouse Moth - let's face it, if moth conservation depended on the public opinion of moths like this then there would be no moth conservation!

Planes, Galls and Whitearses

Had a good night out mothing at Watermead CP South with Adrian Russell last night, and the garden traps have been ticking over nightly with a couple of interesting firsts to report - however I'm going to save the moth trapping posts for the moment and go with other stuff.

First up, whilst out on my bike on Thursday night looking for leaf mines I also found some very distinct 'spangle galls' on the underside of oak leaves.

This is the type of thing you see all the time and ignore, but I decided to check them out and found that they belong to a very common gall wasp - Neuroterus quercusbaccarum. Also found out about the alternate sexual generations of this and similar species. These galls host the growing larvae of the wasps over the winter, and the adults emerge in the spring as both males and females. Once they've mated, the fertilised eggs develop into a completely different type of gall (a currant gall), and the adults emerging from these are parthenogentic, laying unfertilised eggs which develop into the spangle galls to start the cycle again.

Of the leaf mines, not too much success with ID. I found Caloptilia stigmatella on sallow, and this is Phyllonorycter corylifoliella on hawthorn (vacated blister mine):

Today saw the return of the 'Victory Show' at Cosby, the neighbouring village. Still amazes me how a local rural village manages to arrange a military and air show! We headed up to Huncote Embankment again in the afternoon to watch the flying display. Whilst up there I noted at least two Wheatears, neither of which was very accomodating for the camera - they refused to come close enough and kept facing away, like this:

As for the airshow - all very good with great displays with aircraft including AT-6D Harvard, Lancaster, a couple of Spitfires, P-51 Mustang, Hurricane and a Messerschmitt Me-109.

AT-6D Harvard

Lancaster and Spitfire

Lancaster

Spitfire

Messerschmitt Me-109

Spitfire and P-51 Mustang

The show goes on tomorrow as well, and as far as I know the awesome Vulcan Bomber is coming over - just about shook the roof off of our house last time.