Bee / Fly

I think I may have struck very lucky today by pointing the camera at a couple of ticks. But, I'll reserve judgement for the moment. Annoyingly, both appeared whilst I had camer in hand and not whilst I had net in hand. I need to find a camera and net technique .....

This hoverfly literally appeared under my nose as I was about to snap something else. I grabbed a couple of quick shots, but it zipped off never to be seen again when I reached out for the net. I think it is Cheilosia caerulescens.

Post-script - record confirmed and accepted by Roger Morris

And this mining bee appeared briefly on the lilac bush ....

Andrena nitida

And whilst I'm at it, another green fly that I'd ignored from a few days ago.

Lucilia sericata

I've been posting the odd weed from the garden. How the hell did I miss this one!

Sycamore Norway Maple

Every spring I literally pull up around a hundred sycamore/maple seedlings, and it never ceases to amaze me how several get missed and overlooked until suddenly it's there in your face poking through other plants.

Also from today, another beetle caught in flight though not one I needed to pot and scrutnise.

14-spot Ladybird. In hand.

I've also got a nice-looking Ichneumon type thing to look at, and an Amara type carabid to key out.

The moth trap was pants last night, and then to top it off the control gear literally fell to bits, so I've had to quickly knock something up this evening which is not pretty or safe but hopefully will work! Trouble is the only control chokes I have are for double-tubes. And I only had spare actinic rings, so have had to run a 22W synergetic and a 22W actinic together (with the extant 12W blacklight LED).

Choke dangling from loose wires, no housing for electrics, precariously balanced double-decker tubes. It does not meet any safety standards .....

All The Bs

The Bs in question through this post being bats, blossom, beer, barbeque, beetle.

Last evening after posting, I went down to join the family females watching Jesus Christ Superstar the stage show. Luckily I was distracted by the sight of the first bats of the year hawking outside the front window. When I nipped out to check the moth traps, one was swooping around very low over the garden. I didn't bother checking them with the detector - every one I've ever checked here has been a standard 45k Pipistrelle.

The moth trap was a little better, not so much in numbers but at least some NFY species starting to turn up.

Oak-tree Pug

Oak Nycteoline

Least Black Arches

Remember early last year when our neighbours had a lovely big plum tree cut down? Turned out the neighbours were worried about some minor subsidence of their conservatory. The photos from then showed our large flowering cherry. That was actually starting to get too big for it's own good and we had it pruned later in the year. Today it was just about in full bloom and looking okay - at least it wasn't completely decimated ... or felled!

We've also got another blossoming tree in the garden that we acquired last year, albeit still a spindly twig in a pot. It's a peach that should produce some fruit. Except that so far this year I've not seen a single bee or other insect go anywhere near it. Today I spent a few minutes carefully brushing and cross-contaminating the flowers - no idea if that will make any difference!

I confused myself briefly when I noticed Peach Blossom in the labels index .....

A cursory look at the Hart's-tongue Fern at the bottom of the garden for any sign of either Psychoides sp. produced an early instar surprise ..

Common Footman

And then the rest of the day was taken up drinking beer and barbequeing various meats and halloumi skewers ...

Just like buses, a couple of Ravens soared overhead for a few minutes but nothing new birdwise. A Holly Blue butterfly fluttered through, the first here for the year. Later this evening, the first of another garden pests appeared ...

Vine Weevil

And then sitting out this evening with a coffee, the bats were out in force and the skies looked very promising indeed. It was warm, still and with a bit of cloud cover. I felt it was worth going to the effort of running both traps, especially as the forecast was for a dry night with min temp c8deg.

22W Synergetic / 12W Blacklight LED

125W MV

And then whilst I've been typing this, it has absolutely hammered it down with rain .......

Garden Trap Catches

Struggling to keep up with blogging this year, and not just on here. Posted a big 1000 in 1km square update yesterday which was the first for a couple of weeks, and likewise updated the Garden Moth Challenge.

I haven't posted daily updates from the garden traps, not that they've run everyday. The early part of last week was by far the best so far this year, with lots of NFY moths and quite a few other bits. Since getting the Synergetic trap back in use it has outperformed the 125W MV on every outing except last night - and that's mainly down to the wind gusting through the garden right into the trap path whereas the MV is a little more sheltered. The opposite may be having an effect on calmer nights but the 80W actinic did not routinely out-do the MV, and in particular when the conditions were a little better (eg 7th and 20th May) the MV completely outclassed it. All in all I'd have to say that the Synergetic trap has got to be the trap of choice for the garden - at least for the complimentary trap to the 125W MV (can't see me ever being brave enough to ditch one of those).

Here's a side-by-side comparison of the 125MV versus the 80W actinic and 22W Synergetic on the nights they've been run this year (actinic only running in early season):

17th - 19th June by far the best period so far this year with 41 species added to the garden yearlist, torrential rain in the afternoon and early evening on 20th so no trapping, and very blustery with some rain last night. Hopefully things will pick up again soon.

Garden tick on the 13th, Cydia ulicetana (326th micro, 629th moth).

From the garden trap 11/08/2011

Ran two traps last night - early evening conditions were mild and overcast, though it cleared a little by midnight. I intended to get up early anough to beat the birds and empty that traps, but before the alarm went off I was awoken by rain and prompty turned off the alarm - I hate nothing more than trying to empty traps in the rain. When I did empty them somewhat later than I should of, I was pleased to find this sitting on the fence behind the Synergetic trap ...

Mompha propinquella - Garden Tick

Excellent. The Synergetic trap was actually running in the position half way down the garden where I usually run the MV. This was so I could run another new combo variant further up the garden - a 2x20W CFL Actinic/20W CFL combo.

The 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo - really pleased with this so far

The 40W/20W CFL Actinic/CFL combo - trying to get the best out of these new CFL Actinic bulbs.

Both traps did well considering the conditions and late emptying.

Total catch 121 of 55sp.
(22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 102 of 40, 40W/20W CFL Actinic/CFL combo 119 of 38)

FIRST FOR GARDEN:
0888 Mompha propinquella 1

First for year in garden:
1042 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana) 1
1425 Wax Moth (Galleria mellonella) 1

Hedgehog Wax Moth - pleased to see this (despite it being a bit manky) after it went missing for a few years

In fact I checked the garden records and found I recorded it annually between 2001 - 2006, all records being of singles except for an unusual four on 13/09/2006. Wonder why it suddenly disappeared? I've only ever recorded it twice when out and about in the county and further afield aswell.

Highest counts:
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 28
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 23
1138 Epinotia nisella 14
1304 Agriphila straminella 14
1036 Acleris forsskaleana 11
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 11
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 11

Best of the rest:
0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 3
0288 Caloptilia stigmatella 1
0789 Bryotropha domestica 1
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 2
1702 Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata) 1
1708 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 1
1811 Slender Pug (Eupithecia tenuiata) 1
2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina) 1
2044 Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 1
2293 Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica) 3
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 4
2341 Cloaked Minor (Mesoligia furuncula) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 3
2474 Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) 1

Agriphila straminella

Agriphila geniculea

New Trap n Stuff

As most readers of this blog will have realised by now, the art of mothing involves trying a variety of methods and techniques - including different light sources in traps. I found a cheap source of some 22W Synergetic tubes which are used in some electric fly killer traps. They are supposedly better than standard actinic tubes as they have a dual peak output at 350nm and 540nm. Anyway, I bought a couple whilst Adrian sorted the control gear and utilised an existing vane concept for circular tubes. The most obvious thing about these lights is that they glow green rather than blue. Here is mine, coupled up with a standard CFL to give some extra visible light (all actinics seems to work better in combo with a standard tungsten or CFL light source).

How well it works is another matter - we'll see in a after a few outings. Meanwhile, here's some stuff from yesterday around Whetstone.

Teasel

St John's Wort - no idea which one!

Is this Zigzag Clover?

Tansy - I think

I think the above are both the same plant? What is it?

Gatekeeper in the garden yesterday

The controversial local wind farm near Gilmorton. Supposedly a total 8MW output sufficient for 5000 homes, though every time I've seen it the vanes are stationary even in the strongest wind. No idea whan it is going to be fully operational - was supposed to be June.

Charnwood Lodge - Traptastic

After a fair bit of effort last night, me and Adrian had managed to deploy no less than 16 traps between us running of 5 gennies, plus a light over a sheet on the small Honda. This morning we made a start at 5ish, which was a good 45 minutes or so after dawn but there you go. This heralded four and a half hours of collating traps, reeling in cables, collecting gennies and emptrying traps. Lots of filled pots with stuff to check and photograph, lots of bytes of digital dictation of trap contents, and of course the obligatory coffe and bacon sarnies to smooth the process. It's going to take a while to get the list sorted, IDs checked and photography finished.

In the meantime, here's some trap-porn! Phwoar - look at the filaments on that .....

16 traps x c10mins emptying = c2 hours and 40 minutes of anticipation

The MAD trap - 160W blended, 20W CFL actinic, 11W standard CFL

The CFL actinic delux - 5 x 20W (except 1 didn't work)

A 125W clear MV - more UV, less eye protection ...

The 11W Synergetic (new dual-peak green actinic) on a debut outing

The 250W metal halide, with the 80W/100W actinic/tungsten combo in the background

A 22W actinic ring with tungsten filling

This is en entirely natural occurrence, and in no way contrived. The two elephants often meet up on Rhododendron ...

From The Garden Trap 02/06/2011

Ran the 3 traps again, but swapped the position of the 80W actinic combo and the 20W CFL traps. Slightly fewer individuals than the previous night, but a couple more species. Total catch was 149 of 54sp.

125W MV - 56 of 28sp (of which 8 were in this trap only)
20W CFL actinic - 39 of 25sp (of which 9 were in this trap only)
80W/11W actinic/CFL - 54 of 35sp (of which 14 were in this trap only)

0017 Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus) 5
0125 Emmetia marginea 1 (NFY)
0216 Cork Moth (Nemapogon cloacella) 1 (NFY)
0227 Skin Moth (Monopis laevigella) 1
0246 Tinea semifulvella 2
0247 Tinea trinotella 1
0263 Apple Leaf Miner (Lyonetia clerkella) 2
0409a Argyresthia trifasciata 3
0409b Argyresthia cupressella 1
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 8
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 3
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 3
0883 Mompha raschkiella 1
0892 Mompha subbistrigella 3
0970 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis cerasana) 5
0994 Clepsis consimilana 6 (NFY)
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) 2
1063 Celypha striana 1 (NFY)
1076 Celypha lacunana 8
1083 Marbled Orchard Tortrix (Hedya nubiferana) 2
1115 Ancylis achatana 1
1133 Epinotia bilunana 1
1174 Epiblema cynosbatella 1
1175 Bramble Shoot Moth (Epiblema uddmanniana) 2
1176 Epiblema trimaculana 4
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 1
1334 Scoparia ambigualis 2
1378 Phlyctaenia coronata 1 (NFY)
1428 Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella) 2
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 2 (NFY)
1727 Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 2
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 1
1817 Foxglove Pug (Eupithecia pulchellata) 1
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 4
1860 Green Pug (Pasiphila rectangulata) 4
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 2
1958 Clouded Silver (Lomographa temerata) 2
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum) 5
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 31
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2098 Flame (Axylia putris) 1
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 3
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1
2302 Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea) 3
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 1
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 2
2337x Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 2
2340 Middle-barred Minor (Oligia fasciuncula) 1
2387 Mottled Rustic (Caradrina morpheus) 1
2492 Small Fan-foot (Herminia grisealis) 1

Aside from this lot, I also have a small brown tineid from the combo trap to ID which may well be a garden tick. A few photos to follow tomorrow. No garden trapping tonight as we're heading back out for another multi-light overnighter at Charnwood Lodge.

Whilst the 20W CFL has looked promising, my gut feeling is that it will perform better as part of a combo trap like the 2x40W actinics I run. I have therefore knocked up something ridiculous to try tonight. I am calling it the "Mass-entomological Attracting Device". Or the MAD Trap. It has a 160W blended bulb in the middle, flanked by the 20W CFL actinic and a standard CFL. Will it work .......

Waiting For The Night To Fall

Conditions tonight are not great for mothing. It was a bit dull and showery today, and it's cloudy but windy tonight and a bit cool. Nevertheless I'm running the traps as Im keen to see whether my newest light source attracts anything. Obviously it'll need a few outings before I pass judgement. It's a 20W compact fluorescent actinic, ostensibly with the same output/power as 120W actinic. It certainly seems bright for a small bulb, and has the advantage of no control gear ...

Since I got home from work and unpackage the bulb, I've been waiting for the night to fall ....