Still Around

Not had a chance to do much lately; busy at work, back into hospital for another op (last one I hope) and then some indifferent weather. So not a lot to report, but I have managed to pull in some new for garden moths ... although only one of them looked nice!

Tree-lichen Beauty - 29/07/2019

Still a good rarity in VC55, first was recorded last year and there was one this year prior to mine in Rutland. First time I've recorded it anywhere, though I have seen one before when we trapped in Suffolk and one was taken up the road.

Also a couple of NFG micros, but neither were very attractive!

A moribund Small China-mark - 16/07/2019

A worn Eana incanana - 16/07/2019, with one even less well marked the night before

Aside from running the moth trap, I've been attracting a range of species to rotting fruit and sugar, as well as to my pathetically small garden buddleija. But mainly I've been luring Old Ladies.

17/07/2019

22/07/2019

03/08/2019

A walk down the lane on Sunday brought a few expected larvae, and an unexpected orthopterid .....

Various instar Small Ranunculus on Prickly Lettuce

A load of Cinnabar on one Common Ragwort plant that they'd stripped

Never seen Roesel's Bush-cricket anywhere near here before

Aside from all that I've been setting up and getting to grips with a new family PC, almost exactly nine years since the last time I went through this. Of course that means having to accept the inevitable Windows 10, but so far all good and I've got all my software working (including MapMate, a new version of Photoshop Elements, my USB microscope, and I've got all my music and synth software working). It's not the best on the market but the best for a reasonable price; 2.9GHz hex-core 9th gen i5 chip, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 2TB HDD, more USB ports than I know what to do with. Should last the best part of another decade ..... perhaps!

Anyway. I'm back up to full physical functionality just in time for a beer n balti night at the T20 blast cricket tomorrow and the start of the Premier League at the weekend.

Sugar, do do do do do do

Ah honey, honey, do do do do do do ....... sorry, is it just me that remembers the popular music hit by the manufactured band The Archies - loved that when I was a toddler.

I've not gone completely mad by the way, it's just that I've had the mothing sugar out a couple of times lately. It's not a new batch of sugar, in fact it's the same recycled batch that I've had going for years - the same batch I was using back in 2009 at least. I've re-heated it, given it a stir and added some more alcohol (Drambuie this time) which helps give it a lift as the alcohol evaporates and carries the scent. Anyway, it still works .....

Old Lady - two on 14/07/2017

Old Lady - one of three to the dried-up dregs on 15/07/2017

Both these shots were complete point, shoot and hope efforts with my phone - not too shabby I reckon. I'll keep trying the sugar through the autumn, leading up to the National Moth Night Ivy & Sugar theme. So far just the Old Ladies and one Large Yellow Underwing. And one mahoosive unidentified Teg.

Doubt it was actually imbibing!

Otherwise, here's a few recent noctuids from the garden traps .....

Knot Grass

Rustic

Nutmeg

Least Yellow Underwing

Lesser Common / Common Rustic agg.

Although I'd bet a large sum on this actually being Lesser if detted.

Dot Moth

Sugar going sour

Not too much on the sugar last night, just 8 individuals of 5 species: 3 Large Yellow Underwing 2 Common Rustic agg. 1 Mouse Moth 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character 1 White-shouldered House Moth White-shouldered House Moth - small moth, long name My recent sugaring experiences were dampened a little this morning when I noticed that a load of wasps had latched onto the free meal and were on the fence and on the ground immediately below where the sugar drips. I don't mind one or two but 20 - 30 at a time is pushing it when the sugaring spot is right next to the entry/exit to the garden. Drunken Wasps Reminds me that wasps are a clear Mothing Villain - these buggers in the trap will occasionally set about decapitating and eating a load of moths.

More Sugar Shots, 21/08/2009

Gave the sugaring a miss yesterday, but tonight I've tried again despite the conditions (clear and cool). Final tally is 10 individuals of 8 species: 2 Square-spot Rustic 2 Brimstone Moth 1 Old Lady 1 Silver Y 1 Svensson's Copper Underwing 1 Willow Beauty 1 Large Yellow Underwing 1 Lesser Yellow Underwing Can't fathom why, but using the same camera, torch and settings as on previous nights every shot is too burnt out - almost like the flash unit is working more powerfully! Ended up taking shots by torch light alone which was not ideal but you get the gist. Square-spot Rustic Brimstone Moth Willow Beauty No Gold Spots at the sugar though I can see a few in the actinic trap at least. The 80W Actinic The 125W MV

Crystal Moth, 19/08/2009

Last night was another good one for the garden sugar, with the coated fence panel dealing out the evening fix to the addicted. 13 individuals of 7 species in total: 5 Large Yellow Underwing 3 Gold Spot 1 Straw Dot 1 Mouse Moth 1 Common Rustic agg. 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1 Old Lady Can't ever see too many Gold Spots - superb ... ... unlike the Mouse Moth, 'dull' is not descriptive enough Common Rustic / Lesser Common Rustic (or aggregate for sake of ease)

Super Sugar 14/08/2009

The arcane art of sugaring!! Last night - zilch. The previous two nights, 1 or 2 moths. Tonight, by far the highest total at sugar in my garden - its the 'brown sugar' of the mothing underworld out there. My current batch is a bit runny for some reason, so it runs down the fence and pools up at the bottom. There are moths at the top on the main strips, down the fence along the runs, and on the ground at the pools. Nothing special about the mix - though I add a few drops of brandy and vanilla essence every now and then. Just gone out for a last recount at 23:45 - 26 moths of 14 species Large Yellow Underwing - 7 Gold Spot - 4 Willow Beauty - 2 Lesser Broad -bordered Yellow Underwing - 2 Old Lady - 2 Angle Shades - 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart - 1 Dark Arches - 1 Straw Dot - 1 Cloaked Minor - 1 Square-spot Rustic - 1 Lesser Yellow Underwing - 1 Mother of Pearl - 1 White-spotted Pug - 1 Old Lady Gold Spot Lesser Yellow Underwing

Cloaked Minor

Angle Shades Dark Arches

Bitter Sweet

Re-sugared the fence last night, though not as successfully as the previous night with only 1 moth - the dreaded Large Yellow Underwing. Numbers of these are picking up in the traps at the moment, which is a pain in the arse as they flap about dementedly and disturb everything else. Large Yellow Underwing Whilst out in the garden with the camera, thought I'd snap a couple of molluscs - macro and flash work well as long as you use a torch to give the camera something to focus on first. Yellow Slug Garden Snail - or Song Thrush food as I prefer to think of them

Sugaring 11/08/2009

Aside from light trapping, every now and then in the late summer I also paint a strip of 'sugar' onto the garden fence. Occasionally had success with sugaring out and about in woodland but results in the garden range from modest to nothing. Last night I sugared and quickly got a couple of species - though the actual target was Old Lady which completely ignored the sugar and dived straight into my actinic trap (I'll post the trapping summary tomorrow). Photography at night is always a challenge! Sugar Least Yellow Underwing Shuttle-shaped Dart