Birds, Leps, Observations & Generalities - the images and ramblings of Mark Skevington. Sometimes.

Tuesday 31 July 2012

KQ Shots - Macros

Small Purple Barred

Brown-tail

Fern

Ear Moth

Dusky Sallow

Square-spotted Clay

Small Waved Umber

Small Emerald

Coronet

Garden Dart

Dun-bar

Dark Umber

Monday 30 July 2012

Ketton Quarry 27/07/2012

Finally got my list sorted out from the Friday night mothing session at Ketton Quarry. I based my traps along the back end of the reserve and along the boundary track with the working quarry. The working quarry itself was off-limits for cars - after all the recent rains the quarry tracks are a limestone quagmire and only quarry vehicles and intrepid 4x4 owners (Adrian Russell) could get down there. Keith Tailby also came along and ran his traps on the oldest part of the working quarry accessed from behind the bat hibernaculum - these were probably a little exposed though. Adrian ran 4 traps and Keith ran 3 - once the three lists are combined I expect the overall total will be pretty good. Local mother Harry Ball also ran a trap for a few hours, but left long before we decided to get some brief kip before pulling the traps in just after dawn. Considering the pathetic mothing year we've endured it was good to spend a couple of hours emptying traps and seeing some decent species for a change, and I was pretty pleased with my total. I ran six traps, plus a sheet that we manned in a fairly half-arsed manner whilst enjoying some banter, beers and gas-stove cooked currywurst .......

I've got plenty of photos to post separately, but here's my list for a starter.

1 x 125W MV light over sheet 21:45 - 01:30
3 x 125W MV traps, 1 x 250W MV trap, 1 x 160W/40W Blended/CFL combo trap, & 1 x 80W/20W Actinic/CFL combo trap operated dusk - dawn
Dry, mainly clear, light breeze, mild, c11°C overnight min.

Total catch 1228 of 166sp.


0246  Tinea semifulvella  1
0410  Argyresthia brockeella  5
0411  Argyresthia goedartella  2
0415  Argyresthia retinella  1
0422  Argyresthia albistria  1
0440  Paraswammerdamia albicapitella  1
0441  Paraswammerdamia nebulella  5
0449  Ash Bud Moth (Prays fraxinella)  2
0452  Ypsolopha nemorella  1
0453  Honeysuckle Moth (Ypsolopha dentella)  5
0640  Batia lunaris  2
0642  Batia unitella  5
0647  Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)  1
0658  Carcina quercana  2
0695  Agonopterix alstromeriana  1
0709  Agonopterix liturosa  1
0726  Metzneria metzneriella  2
0731  Eulamprotes atrella  7
0844  Syncopacma larseniella  1
0866  Brachmia blandella  2
0868  Helcystogramma rufescens  2
0874  Blastobasis lacticolella  5
0878  Batrachedra praeangusta  1
0883  Mompha raschkiella  1
0898  Limnaecia phragmitella  2
0905  Blastodacna hellerella  6
0937  Agapeta hamana  4
0938  Agapeta zoegana  3
0946  Aethes rubigana  2
0954  Eupoecilia angustana  1
0957  Cochylidia heydeniana  1
0962  Cochylis roseana  1
0964  Cochylis dubitana  1
0968  Cochylis nana  1
0977  Large Fruit-tree Tortrix (Archips podana)  4
0994  Clepsis consimilana  1
1010  Red-barred Tortrix (Ditula angustiorana)  2
1011  Pseudargyrotoza conwagana  3
1016  Cnephasia longana  2
1036  Acleris forsskaleana  10
1037  Acleris holmiana  3
1038x  Acleris laterana/comariana  1
1048  Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana)  1
1076  Celypha lacunana  4
1083  Marbled Orchard Tortrix (Hedya nubiferana)  10
1086  Hedya salicella  4
1115  Ancylis achatana  2
1169  Gypsonoma dealbana  2
1175  Bramble Shoot Moth (Epiblema uddmanniana)  3
1178  Epiblema roborana  3
1192  Eucosma conterminana  95
1197  Eucosma campoliliana  1
1200  Eucosma hohenwartiana  9
1201  Eucosma cana  13
1205  Bud Moth (Spilonota ocellana)  6
1211  Rhyacionia pinicolana  1
1219  Lathronympha strigana  1
1236  Pammene fasciana  1
1293  Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)  24
1294  Crambus pascuella  1
1302  Crambus perlella  1
1304  Agriphila straminella  23
1305  Agriphila tristella  3
1306  Agriphila inquinatella  52
1313  Catoptria pinella  27
1316  Catoptria falsella  1
1332  Scoparia subfusca  1
1336  Eudonia pallida  12
1338  Dipleurina lacustrata  16
1344  Eudonia mercurella  1
1362  Pyrausta purpuralis  32
1390  Udea prunalis  1
1405  Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis)  9
1413  Gold Triangle (Hypsopygia costalis)  1
1415  Orthopygia glaucinalis  1
1421  Large Tabby (Aglossa pinguinalis)  1
1424  Endotricha flammealis  42
1438  Trachycera suavella  6
1439  Trachycera advenella  5
1470  Euzophera pinguis  1
1483  Phycitodes binaevella  3
1509  Stenoptilia pterodactyla  3
1523  Oidaematophorus lithodactyla  2
1653  Buff Arches (Habrosyne pyritoides)  1
1673  Small Emerald (Hemistola chrysoprasaria)  1
1702  Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata)  15
1705  Dwarf Cream Wave (Idaea fuscovenosa)  4
1708  Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata)  1
1713  Riband Wave (Idaea aversata)  54
1722  Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata)  1
1724  Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia)  5
1726  Large Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata)  5
1732  Shaded Broad-bar (Scotopteryx chenopodiata)  72
1738  Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata)  5
1742  Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata)  6
1776  Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)  2
1777  July Highflyer (Hydriomena furcata)  36
1781  Small Waved Umber (Horisme vitalbata)  8
1782  Fern (Horisme tersata)  1
1791  Brown Scallop (Philereme vetulata)  2
1792  Dark Umber (Philereme transversata britannica)  5
1811  Slender Pug (Eupithecia tenuiata)  8
1830  Wormwood Pug (Eupithecia absinthiata)  1
1838  Tawny Speckled Pug (Eupithecia icterata subfulvata)  2
1858  V-Pug (Chloroclystis v-ata)  1
1862  Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)  3
1867  Treble-bar (Aplocera plagiata)  1
1887  Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata)  15
1906  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  1
1917  Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria)  5
1919  Purple Thorn (Selenia tetralunaria)  3
1922  Swallow-tailed Moth (Ourapteryx sambucaria)  1
1931  Peppered Moth (Biston betularia)  3
1931  Peppered Moth [melanic form] (Biston betularia f. carbonaria)  1
1937  Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria)  2
1941  Mottled Beauty (Alcis repandata)  3
1947  Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata)  2
1956  Common Wave (Cabera exanthemata)  2
1961  Light Emerald (Campaea margaritata)  1
1976  Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri)  1
1981  Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi)  6
2006  Lesser Swallow Prominent (Pheosia gnoma)  1
2007  Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula)  2
2029  Brown-tail (Euproctis chrysorrhoea)  1
2030  Yellow-tail (Euproctis similis)  5
2031  White Satin (Leucoma salicis)  3
2038  Muslin Footman (Nudaria mundana)  1
2044  Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola)  2
2047  Scarce Footman (Eilema complana)  9
2049  Buff Footman (Eilema depressa)  33
2050  Common Footman (Eilema lurideola)  39
2077  Short-cloaked Moth (Nola cucullatella)  2
2082  Garden Dart (Euxoa nigricans)  2
2089  Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis)  2
2092  Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)  2
2107  Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)  10
2109  Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes)  21
2110  Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata)  3
2111  Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe)  12
2128  Double Square-spot (Xestia triangulum)  6
2131  Square-spotted Clay (Xestia rhomboidea)  3
2192  Brown-line Bright Eye (Mythimna conigera)  1
2193  Clay (Mythimna ferrago)  4
2198  Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura)  8
2199  Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens)  1
2278  Poplar Grey (Acronicta megacephala)  1
2284x  Dark Dagger / Grey Dagger (Acronicta tridens/psi)  5
2291  Coronet (Craniophora ligustri)  16
2303  Straw Underwing (Thalpophila matura)  1
2314  Dingy Shears (Parastichtis ypsillon)  1
2318  Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina)  17
2321  Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha)  46
2337x  Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.)  1
2341  Cloaked Minor (Mesoligia furuncula)  3
2342  Rosy Minor (Mesoligia literosa)  1
2343x  Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.)  27
2345  Small Dotted Buff (Photedes minima)  1
2349  Mere Wainscot (Chortodes fluxa)  5
2360  Ear Moth (Amphipoea oculea)  1
2381  Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines)  59
2382  Rustic (Hoplodrina blanda)  39
2387  Mottled Rustic (Caradrina morpheus)  1
2410  Marbled White Spot (Protodeltote pygarga)  2
2441  Silver Y (Autographa gamma)  2
2470  Small Purple-barred (Phytometra viridaria)  1
2473  Beautiful Hook-tip (Laspeyria flexula)  3
2477  Snout (Hypena proboscidalis)  6

I will post this photo though of one from Adrian's trap ... Ketton Quarry is a now a regular site for this pRDB2 species, and I want to maintain my spurious unadjudicated British record for having photographed the most individuals ........

Epiblema grandaevana

Friday 27 July 2012

Mothing

Out for some mothing tonight - for the first time late May! Going to Ketton Quarry so hopfully some good moths to photograph tomorrow and post about. The garden traps have been doing well this week - though nothing new (my MapMate database is not up to date so no summaries or idea on actual numbers).

Pempelia formosa - second garden record

Calamatropha paludella

Dingy Footman

Thursday 26 July 2012

Garden Flies

Anomoia permunda

Meiosimyza decempuncta

Eristalis arbustorum

Saturday 21 July 2012

Nymphomania in the Stonecrop

Had a nice long walk down the lane today; not long as in distant, but long as in taking my time and pointing the camera at various bits. Lots of shieldbug nymphs, even more soldier beetles mating everywhere, and I also remembered to go and check the flowering stonecrop and found that there were indeed two species .......

Pied Shieldbug nymph

Green Shieldbug nymph

Common Red Soldier Beetle


Biting Stonecrop

White Stonecrop

Bramble

Friday 6 July 2012

Busy ......... break ...........

It's been a busy week, it's been a crappy mothing year, and I need to do stuff around the house. Time for a bit of a blogging sabbatical ........ not sure how long (maybe a few days, a couple of weeks, or just hours if something exicting happens) but I will be back, though maybe less often ........

Before I go, here's a few shots from an excellent day spent around Ketton Quarry last Sunday. I turned up early to check for Hornet Moths (no sign at all), and shortly after John Hague turned up. After a bit of mooching about and chatting to another naturalist on site, we tracked down the Yellow Bird's-nest colony (a quite frankly underwhelming plant) and I showed John some parts of the reserve that he'd never been to including the 'Bat Cave', the glade in the middle of the wood and the quarry boundary road area. Lot's of good stuff seen, including a few new plants for me (Yellow Bird's-nest, Southern Marsh Orchid, Perforate St John's Wort, Hairy St John's Wort and Common Restharrow), a new cranefly (Epiphragma ocellare), some smart pink-phase Meadow Grasshoppers, Centrosus cornutus, and loads of Common Lizards. Also a few other bits still to check when I get some time.

Yellow Bird's-nest

Knapweed Broomrape

Perforate St John'sWort

Broad-bodied Chaser

Pink-phase Meadow Grasshopper nymphs

 
Common Lizards

Centrotus cornutus

Crown Vetch

Ephiphragma ocellare