Mini-pond +

Wow, time flies and all that. I've been keeping myself busy, though it doesn't feel like I've ever got near to being ahead on work, chores and tasks. So having not posted for a couple of weeks or so, and seeing as I'll be heading back on Wednesday to see if that surgery gets done this time, here's a mix of stuff.

First up, although these photos are from back on 29/05/2022, you may recall I mentioned making a mini-pond using a raised planter. It's a c64x54mm rectangular box, and I've got the water at c20mm deep. It is far from an ideal pond, and of course I have no intention of it being anything other than (hopefully) a habitat for small inverts. I washed some stones and laid them on the bottom, filled it up and left it for a couple of days before adding some oxygenating weeds and then another couple of days or so before adding some potted marginal plants. Other than these plants, I'll not be deliberating adding anything .... but it was inevitable that the plants would have brought something.

The plants are a Water Forget-me-not, Water Mint with a bonus Monkeyflower that has appeared in the same pot, and a couple of irises. As expected, it seemed to develop a load of algae quite quickly, and then almost as quickly it cleared and I started to notice things. I was certain that the first things to turn up would be fly larvae, and sure enough a load appeared. So whilst it felt completely wrong, I decided to take the plunge as it were and shove the TG-6 below the surface. It survived .... despite me forgetting that I was supposed to remove the light guide.

Lots of mosquito and chironomid larvae making light work of the algae. Whilst these probably arrived naturally, I also noted that there were actually loads of snails that certainly arrived with the plants. I also noted some water boatmen nymphs which again I assume arrived with the plants ....

Whilst I was messing about trying to get shots of these, I noticed a completely unexpected 'newtpole'. In fact I've since seen at least five at the same time. I will have to ensure they get out once they're ready, but the whole point of this being raised was to ensure it doesn't attract frogs or newts!

So the scene is set, and I'll enjoy staring into the nooks and crannies etc waiting for the odd beetle that will hopefully turn up in due course.

Talking of beetles, I saw this one scuttling about in the garden on 07/06/2022 and luckily had a pot to hand. I could see that it was a small Carabid, but that was it until I got a couple of shots and then it was quite simple to sort out ....

It keys through to Asaphidion curtum, a new one for me.

Over the completely ridiculous nonsense that was the Jubilee bank holiday and weekend, we nipped down to Devon. The weather wasn't great, but I'd decided to take a light trap and was intent on using it regardless. I managed to set it up under the overhang of the garden summerhouse, so the trap stayed dry despite a bit of heavy rain in the early hours. The catch wasn't massive, but there was a good mix and a couple of new moths plus a couple I've only seen away from Leics. before. The two ticks were ....

Toadflax Pug

Double Line - sadly a bit knackered!

And a couple of nice species I don't see here ....

Small Seraphim

Sharp-angled Peacock

There were few micros, but there was this Grapholita sp. that I've retained for gen det ...

It may well be Grapholita funebrana, and this one from the garden on 02/06/2022 probably is too ....

Whilst I'm posting tortrixes, here a couple more from the garden ....

Grapholita janthinana - one of five flying about in the garden today

Gypsonoma oppressana from the trap last night

Clearwing lures in the garden have so far brought both Currant and Red-belted - so good to confirm that last years purple patch with the garden lures was not a fluke. I've also managed to see a few new species whilst out and about including Solomon's Seal Sawfly, Broad-leaved Helleborine and Stigmella floslactella.

Otherwise, here's some larval life from Watermead CP North on Saturday ....

Mullein

Willow Ermine

We went to see The Wonder Stuff on Saturday night, and they were absolutely brilliant - it was just like stepping back 31 years to when we last saw them. We were also meant to see Manic Street Preachers at Peterborough but that got cancelled at the last minute due to James Dean Bradfield having Covid!

For a musical interlude though, I've been listening to loads of the ridiculously massive works of Klaus Schulze. c50years of electronic ambient stuff. Another one that is gone this year along with Vangelis.

Catch up

I've neglected the blog for a few days for various reasons. I've got a few garden trap list summaries, but first here's a cracking caterpillar to share:

This is a first instar Oak Eggar. I had a few eggs from the female I caught in the garden on 11/07/2010 and all hatched on 28/07/2010. I'm rearing them on sallow at the moment. Even at first instar and newly hatched they are a fair size, c10mm. Hopefully I can get a few to final instar, and hopefully a few of those will be big fat females for assembling with next year.

Now for the garden trapping:

23/07/2010
Total catch 162 of 52sp.
(125W MV 84 of 36; 80W/100W actinic/tungsten combo 78 of 31)

First for year in garden:
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 3
2064 Ruby Tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa) 1

Highest counts:
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 29
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 22
1036 Acleris forsskaleana 12
1304 Agriphila straminella 9
1424 Endotricha flammealis 7
1390 Udea prunalis 5
2318 Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina) 5

Best of the rest:
2044 Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 2
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1


25/07/2010
Total catch 311 of 86sp.
(125W MV 175 of 62; 80W/100W actinic/tungsten combo 136 of 54)

FIRST FOR GARDEN:
1016 Cnephasia longana 1
2165 Small Ranunculus (Hecatera dysodea) 1

I'd missed that longana was new for the garden - I'd let it go before realising as it was not the smartest individual for a photo. Small Ranunculus is triple-tick for me (British, County, Garden).

First for year in garden:
0411 Argyresthia goedartella 1
0425 Orchard Ermine (Yponomeuta padella) 1
1362 Pyrausta purpuralis 1
1839 Bordered Pug (Eupithecia succenturiata) 1
2049 Buff Footman (Eilema depressa) 1

Highest counts:
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 46
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 30
1405 Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) 21
1036 Acleris forsskaleana 20
0873 Blastobasis adustella 12
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 12
1439 Trachycera advenella 9
2318 Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina) 8
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 6

Best of the rest:
0898 Limnaecia phragmitella 1
1183 Epiblema foenella 1
1207 Pine Leaf-mining Moth (Clavigesta purdeyi) 1
1424 Endotricha flammealis 5
1513 White Plume Moth (Pterophorus pentadactyla) 1
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) 2
2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina) 1
2030 Yellow-tail (Euproctis similis) 2
2031 White Satin (Leucoma salicis) 1
2044 Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 1
2064 Ruby Tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa) 1


26/07/2010
Total catch 152 of 56sp.
(125W MV 91 of 41; 80W/100W actinic/tungsten combo 57 of 32)

FIRST FOR GARDEN:
0366a Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner (Cameraria ohridella) 4

This is the first time I've picked up this species at light.

First for year in garden:
0428 Willow Ermine (Yponomeuta rorrella) 2
1139 Nut Bud Moth (Epinotia tenerana) 1
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1

Highest counts:
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 22
1405 Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) 14
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 10
1304 Agriphila straminella 8
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 8
1036 Acleris forsskaleana 6

Best of the rest:
0125 Emmetia marginea 1
0602 Elachista apicipunctella 1
2030 Yellow-tail (Euproctis similis) 1
2044 Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 4
2434 Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) 1

Willow Ermine

Bird-cherry Ermine - a bit worn

Dun-bar

Copper Underwing

Copper Underwing - underside of hindwing

28/07/2010
Total catch 125 of 57sp.
(125W MV 71 of 37; 80W/100W actinic/tungsten combo 54 of 34)

First for year in garden:
1790 Tissue (Triphosa dubitata) 1

Highest counts:
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 19
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 11
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 9
1439 Trachycera advenella 7

Best of the rest:
0254 Laburnum Leaf Miner (Leucoptera laburnella) 1
0602 Elachista apicipunctella 1
1398 Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella) 1
1653 Buff Arches (Habrosyne pyritoides) 1
1726 Large Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata) 1
2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina) 1
2030 Yellow-tail (Euproctis similis) 1
2044 Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 2
2319 Lunar-spotted Pinion (Cosmia pyralina) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1

Trachycera advenella