Lazy

A quick post today, a bit of a lazy pre-meat aperatif. Not been anywhere and not intending to do anything other than fire up the barbie, enjoy the evening and crack open some bottles of Doombar. Oh, and then fire up the moth trap.

First up though, I spotted and potted this beetle yesterday and although I recognised it I checked it out. I then realised that whilst I recognised it, and think I've seen it before, it's not on my list so happy days!

Poecilus cupreus

There were a couple of these in the moth trap last night, though they can't be taken to species from a photo ....

Psallus varians sl

And otherwise here's a few moths taken over the last few days ....

Maiden's Blush

Siver-ground Carpet

Heart and Dart - first of the year was abberant, and I've had three or four like this over the week

Scorched Wing

Freyer's Pug

Small Phoenix

Coronet

Hell, I can't even be arsed to think of a musical interlude that matches the post.

Pug Parade

Been getting a lot of pugs to the garden traps lately, just about more than all other geometrids combined. Nothing unexpected though. Lots of moth recorders struggle with pugs, but once you've seen loads of each of the commoner species you can almost name them from size, jizz and time of year ... in the dark. I say almost, because there's always one oddly marked bugger that throws you. But just accept that once they're worn there's not much point dithering about them; ignore them unless you're going to get every worn pug gen detted.

Green Pug

Common Pug

Mottled Pug

Grey Pug

Freyer's Pug

And here's a couple of carpets whilst I'm at it .. 

May Highflyer

Spruce Carpet

From The Garden Trap 01/06/2012

No trapping last night as the conditions were poor (and today is downright bloody miserable) but Friday night was okay ....

Total catch 45 of 26sp.
(125W MV 30 of 20sp., 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL 15 of 11sp.)

0017  Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus)  8
0409a  Argyresthia trifasciata  1
0648  White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella)  1
0822  Scrobipalpa acuminatella  1
0874  Blastobasis lacticolella  1
0892  Mompha subbistrigella  1
0936  Cochylimorpha straminea  1
0998  Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  2
1082  Plum Tortrix (Hedya pruniana)  1
1174  Epiblema cynosbatella  1
1428  Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella)  1
1764  Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata)  1
1776  Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)  4
1819  Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata)  1
1827  Freyer's Pug (Eupithecia intricata arceuthata)  1
1834  Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)  5
1837  Grey Pug (Eupithecia subfuscata)  1 (NFY)
1906  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  5
1920  Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata)  1
1937  Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria)  1
2061  Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum)  1 (NFY)
2089  Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis)  1 (NFY)
2126  Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum)  1 (NFY)
2160  Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea)  1
2334  Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens)  1
2384  Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua)  1

Freyer's Pug

From The Garden Trap

Another belated catch up. Garden moth trapping from the last four nights, none of which were spectacular!

24/05/2011
Total catch 28 of 11sp.
(125W MV 8 of 7, 80W/11W actinic/CFL combo 20 of 7)
0017 Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus) 1
0449 Ash Bud Moth (Prays fraxinella) 1 (NFY)
1083 Marbled Orchard Tortrix (Hedya nubiferana) 1 (NFY)
1827 Freyer's Pug (Eupithecia intricata arceuthata) 1
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 1
2028 Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda) 1
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum) 1
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 15
2326 Clouded-bordered Brindle (Apamea crenata) 1
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 3
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 2

25/05/2011
Total catch 53 of 24sp.
(125W MV 29 of 18, 80W/11W actinic/CFL combo 24 of 11)
0332a Firethorn Leaf Miner (Phyllonorycter leucographella) 3
0417 Argyresthia spinosella 1 (NFY)
0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 1
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
1076 Celypha lacunana 3
1376 Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) 1
1727 Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 1
1860 Green Pug (Pasiphila rectangulata) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1931 Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) 1 (NFY)
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
1958 Clouded Silver (Lomographa temerata) 2
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 18
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 2
2098 Flame (Axylia putris) 1 (NFY)
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 2 (NFY)
2326 Clouded-bordered Brindle (Apamea crenata) 1
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 6
2337x Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1

Argyresthia spinosella

26/05/2011
Total catch 33 of 13sp.
(125W MV 19 of 10, 20W actinic CFL 14 of 6)
0017 Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus) 5
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 1
1011 Pseudargyrotoza conwagana 1
1076 Celypha lacunana 1
1083 Marbled Orchard Tortrix (Hedya nubiferana) 1
1168 Gypsonoma sociana 1 (NFY)
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 1
1827 Freyer's Pug (Eupithecia intricata arceuthata) 2
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 1
1860 Green Pug (Pasiphila rectangulata) 1
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 14
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 2
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 2

Freyer's Pug

27/05/2011
Total catch 36 of 15sp.
(125W MV 18 of 11, 20W actinic CFL 18 of 7)
0409a Argyresthia trifasciata 1
0409b Argyresthia cupressella 1 (NFY)
1083 Marbled Orchard Tortrix (Hedya nubiferana) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 3
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 1
1827 Freyer's Pug (Eupithecia intricata arceuthata) 1
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 18
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1 (NFY)
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 1 (NFY)
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 2
2337x Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 1
2387 Mottled Rustic (Caradrina morpheus) 2

Argyresthia cupressella

Large Yellow Underwing

Dayglo Snails, Larval Tales, Orchids and Garden Moths

I've got a couple of garden trap summaries to catch up on, but first some rambling nonsense about garden snails, orchids and larvae.

You may remember that last year (way back on 14/06/2009) we marked up some Garden Snails so that the kids could track them over a few days. This was initially a total failure as the snails disappeared and we forgot about them. Then in August they popped up again .. see:

Snails Pace
More Marked Mollusc Mumblings

After this I stopped noticing them again and forgot about them over the winter. On Sunday night, after the rain earlier in the day, I went out to check the moth traps and noticed a lot of snails on the lawn. A quick check and bugger me - there was Orange-spot ..

Orange-spot

After a quick photo I chucked it back into the border. Half an hour later, another trap check and more snails. Another search and unbelievably I also found Yellow-stripe and Pink-spot. No sign of Orange-stripe though.

Yellow-stripe

Pink-spot

This is obviously not unique science, but I'm pleased to have proven that:

- dayglo nail-varnish is a robust marking method for shelled molluscs
- Garden Snails are sedentary

As for their longevity, the are several conflicting possibilities ..

- colour marked snails are not more susceptible to predation
- there are not enough snail predators visiting my garden
- colour marked snails are avoided by predators (inadvertent aposematism)

If nothing else, it is amazing that in a year I have managed to avoid treading on at least 3 of 4 colour marked snails! I think we'll mark a few more up with different (more subtle) colours to see if we can establish anything more.


A bit earlier on Sunday evening after we got home from The North, I checked on the Emperor caterpillars - they were big, fat and alive but foodless and in need of a big sprig of fresh sallow. I nipped down the lane to get some, nosing around the hedgerow on the way as you do. I quickly found a Magpie Moth caterpillar on hawthorn - nice! I collected it and the sallow and headed back home. Whilst sorting the sallow I found a Common Quaker caterpillar already feeding on it. Two more larvae to try and rear through.

Magpie Moth

Common Quaker

The only emergences over the weekend were four coleophorids from the hawthorn collected on 11/05/2010. Inspection of the tarsal segments, general appearance and recheck on the cases (tri-valved) confirmed them to be Coleophora spinella (Apple and Plum Case-bearer) - a new one for me.


Yesterday evening I nipped over to Huncote Embankment with Josh to look for various flowering plants in support of his 'Naturalist' Cubs Badge. Amongst them we found just a couple of Bee Orchids. They weren't the best either, being a bit washed-out looking on the petals.

Bee Orchid

Last year on I found quite a few at the same site on 3rd June - either the winter has not been to their liking or the site is quickly becoming non-ideal for them?


Before heading north on Friday, the traps were out on the Thursday night. Not a bad catch at all with several new for the year species. Trouble was that knowing I was going to be away I didn't pot anything up for photos - nothing too unusual or exciting anyway.

03/06/2010
98 of 48sp (125W MV 45 of 31, 80W actinic 53 of 30)

First for year in garden:
0787 Bryotropha terrella 1
1333 Scoparia pyralella 1
1458 Thistle Ermine (Myelois circumvoluta) 1
1808 Sandy Carpet (Perizoma flavofasciata) 2
1827 Freyer's Pug (Eupithecia intricata arceuthata) 1
1837 Grey Pug (Eupithecia subfuscata) 1
1860 Green Pug (Pasiphila rectangulata) 1
1904 Scorched Wing (Plagodis dolabraria) 1
1931 Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
1991 Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) 1
2280 Miller (Acronicta leporina) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 1
2326 Clouded-bordered Brindle (Apamea crenata) 1
2333 Large Nutmeg (Apamea anceps) 4
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2474 Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) 1

Latest for garden:
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 1 (prev 29/05/2000)

Highest counts:
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 11
1819 Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata) 9
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 8
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 5
1958 Clouded Silver (Lomographa temerata) 4
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 4

Best of the rest:
2164 Broad-barred White (Hecatera bicolorata) 1

Sunday nights catch was surprisingly good after the rain during the day and (I understand) torrential thunder storms on the Saturday night. Again the actinic outperformed the MV - changing those tubes was probably a good move! Seeing the first LYU in the trap this year was not the best result though ...

06/06/2010
149 of 50sp (125W MV 63 of 29, 80W actinic 86 of 37)

First for year in garden:
0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 1
0893 Mompha epilobiella 1
1082 Plum Tortrix (Hedya pruniana) 1
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 1
1955 Common White Wave (Cabera pusaria) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1
2173 Lychnis (Hadena bicruris) 1

Highest counts:
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 32
1376 Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) 10
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 8
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 7
0017 Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus) 6
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 5
1076 Celypha lacunana 5
2337x Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 5

Best of the rest:
0610 Elachista argentella 1
1778 May Highflyer (Hydriomena impluviata) 2
1827 Freyer's Pug (Eupithecia intricata arceuthata) 1
1980 Eyed Hawk-moth (Smerinthus ocellata) 1

Green Pug

Freyer's Pug

Silver-ground Carpet

Silver Y

From the garden trap - 31/05/2008

Back home and out came the garden traps. Pretty good overall, with a garden tick being the highlight.

Total catch 140 of 34sp.
(125W MV 81 of 27sp., 80W actinic 59 of 20sp.)

First for the garden:
Bactra lancealana 1
First for the year:
Paraswammerdamia nebulella 1
Timothy Tortrix (Aphelia paleana) 1
Celypha striana 1
Celypha lacunana 4
Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella) 1
Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe ferrugata) 1
Lime-speck Pug (Eupithecia centaureata) 1
Grey Pug (Eupithecia subfuscata) 2
Green Pug (Pasiphila rectangulata) 6
Large Nutmeg (Apamea anceps) 1
Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 1
Highest counts:
Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 28
Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 14
Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 13
Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata) 11
Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 10

I should point out that there are a few species groups which are not reliably separable from each other unless a genitalia determination is carried out. Sacrificing every individual for the sake of recording is a non-starter, so these are listed as aggregate species. The three main groups as far as my garden goes are Marbled/Tawny Marbled/Rufous Minors, Dark/Grey Dagger and Common/Lesser Common Rustic.

The garden total for May 2008 was 617 of 87sp. from 16 nights trapping.

As ever - click on images for bigger versions.


Bactra lancealana - garden tick!


Lime-speck Pug


Bee Moth


Green Pug


Freyer's Pug


Bright-line Brown-eye