Beauty Full

I'm going to go with a quick moth-based post for a change. Although sadly the highlight for me in terms of garden mothing - a garden tick Ypsolopha horridella - does not feature as it is currently lurking somewhere in my kitchen after doing a pre shutter-release bunk.

Still, the trap was happily a bit busier with moths last night, but notably fewer other inverts. The main highlight other than the aforementioned was two Tree-lichen Beauty. These two comprise the third garden record after a singleton on Friday night. One was more smartly marked than I've seen up to now ....

The other was not quite as bright, and not quite as in focus - the photo is perfect of course ....

An attempt to get them to pose together was a bit of a fail.

Alongside this pair was a good dozen or so Marbled Beauty. For such a common moth it is one I have a liking for due to the variability in size, colour and markings. Some were not pristine with worn thoraxes, but here's a selection.

The rest of the catch was not quite so beautiful, but both of these are new for the year.

Hedgehog Wax Moth

Flounced Rustic

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