Atishoo

Ran the garden traps last night, against my better judgement considering the conditions, but all turned out okay with a nice fresh one of these ...

Tissue

Otherwise, nothing beyond the ordinary and relatively low numbers.

Total catch 80 of 34sp.
(125W MV 30 of 21, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 50 of 22)

First for year in garden:
1790 Tissue (Triphosa dubitata) 1
2133 Six-striped Rustic (Xestia sexstrigata) 1

The rest:
0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 3
0420 Cherry Fruit Moth (Argyresthia pruniella) 1
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 2
0658 Carcina quercana 2
0819 Scrobipalpa costella 1
0868 Helcystogramma rufescens 1
0873 Blastobasis adustella 2
1036 Acleris forsskaleana 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
1076 Celypha lacunana 1
1138 Epinotia nisella 2
1294 Crambus pascuella 1
1304 Agriphila straminella 11
1313 Catoptria pinella 2
1424 Endotricha flammealis 1
1439 Trachycera advenella 2
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 2
1838 Tawny Speckled Pug (Eupithecia icterata subfulvata) 1
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 6
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 1
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 8
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 3
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 2
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 3
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 11
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2450 Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 1

Six-striped Rustic

Square-spot Rustics - expecting these very outing for the next few weeks now. These go down in the notebook as XEXAN - much easier to type into the database for speed.

The only other thing to mention is that the Phyllonorycter kleemannella from 01/08 is indeed a first for VC55. Sadly it croaked before I got a decent shot, but here it is on the other side of life.

8mm wing-span

Memorabilia ...

.... and other great tracks from Soft Cell is what I have mostly been listening to lately, staying stuck in an early 80s soundscape and loving every bar.

Some Moths, and Memory Lapse

First up, here's the summary from the last garden trap outing on 05/08 - haven't bothered since for various reason including apathy, fatigue and uninspiring conditions.

Total catch 291 of 71sp.
(125W MV 145 of 50, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 146 of 46)

First for year in garden:
0819 Scrobipalpa costella 1
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 1

Highest counts:
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 37
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 37
1304 Agriphila straminella 17
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 16
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 13
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 13
1331 Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella) 11
1036 Acleris forsskaleana 10
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 10

Best of the rest:
0987 Ptycholomoides aeriferanus 1
1236 Pammene fasciana 1
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 3
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 5
1777 July Highflyer (Hydriomena furcata) 1
1825 Lime-speck Pug (Eupithecia centaureata) 2
1835 White-spotted Pug (Eupithecia tripunctaria) 1
1838 Tawny Speckled Pug (Eupithecia icterata subfulvata) 1
1883 Yellow-barred Brindle (Acasis viretata) 1
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) 1
2044 Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 1
2047 Scarce Footman (Eilema complana) 1
2112 Least Yellow Underwing (Noctua interjecta caliginosa) 1
2293 Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica) 2
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1

Ptycholomoides aeriferanus

Epinotia nisella

Silver Y, very small (about half normal side) and therefore a presumed f. gammina

Note how I have measured it with a very precise instrument calibrated to National Standards in a thermally conditioned UKAS accredited lab ...... no, it's not a childs ruler .... how very dare you

Silver Y

Lime-speck Pug

Now then, every year we I seem to make subjective comments based on nothing more than perception that it is a fantastic, good, bad, shite month/year for moths in the garden. This happens especially in July - mainly because I do expect to have a lengthy task every morning emptying the masses from the egg trays. This year, my perception was that it was a relatively poor year. Now the month is gone, and the records are up to date, I decided to check just how bad it was.

A key constraint for me in comparing one year to the next is that I do not run the garden traps in any sort of regimented frequency. So, the number of trap nights varies both dependant on the prevailing conditions and my availability. Ironically, in a good year I am more likely to be out and about at every opportunity and therefore not running the garden traps. I also have parental duties and family committments after mid-July when the schools shut up shop for the summer. The other factor is that prior to late summer 2007 I ran a single 125W MV trap. Since then, I have tended to run two traps - a 125W MV and some additional actinic, combo or other to compliment it. This means (in theory) that I have increased the potential for attracting greater species diversity and higher numbers. So, I started gathering the data to compare year to year based on the average number of species and individuals rather than the totals outright. I plotted the data for 2000 but left it out from the averaging as I am sure I ignored a lot of things that I couldn't identify at that point.

A quick check to see how bad 2011 was .....

Oh .... Seems I had completely forgotten that 2007 was in fact so poor that opportunities to run the garden traps in between rainy spells were few and far between indeed. I checked back and found e-mail correspondence remarking about how completely rubbish and depressing July 2007 was. In fact the mothing in July that year was so bad that I had to omit it from the averaging to avoid skewing the data too much.

Digging further, I found that 2011 was indeed poorer than 2010 for species, though not as bad as I thought for numbers. I also found that 2010 was actually a good year (in fact the best to date). This then means that 2011 wasn't that bad after all. So much for the perception.

Here are some charts for you to glance at, scratch your head and wonder WTF I am doing wasting my time on such trivial nonsense. First, the comparison of the averages and then the outright totals so you can see what a difference it makes to the analysis (such as in 2005, when I was unable to trap as frequently hence reduced overall totals but good averages). I use the term analysis, but what I actually mean is unscientific and statistically unsound comparative wibble. I have split the multi-year average line to account for the change in number of traps, my inexperience in 2000 and the utter shiteness that was 2007.

Long over-due mothing update

I have at long last overcome the now regular summer MapMate malaise and have finally got the mothing records up to date (though the traps are out again as I type so I'm only up to date for a few hours!). Here are the headline summaries for the garden just before and after the Devon weekend:

28/07/2011
Total catch 358 of 81sp.
(125W MV 143 of 56, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 215 of 60)

NEW FOR GARDEN:
0401 Argyresthia laevigatella 1
1804 Barred Rivulet (Perizoma bifaciata) 1

First for year in garden:
0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 2
0363 Phyllonorycter platanoidella 1
0366a Cameraria ohridella 1
0602 Elachista apicipunctella 1
0695 Agonopterix alstromeriana 1
0993 Cyclamen Tortrix (Clepsis spectrana) 1
1016 Cnephasia longana 1
1197 Eucosma campoliliana 1
1260 Cydia splendana 2
1309 Agriphila geniculea 1
1838 Tawny Speckled Pug (Eupithecia icterata subfulvata) 2
1919 Purple Thorn (Selenia tetralunaria) 1
2112 Least Yellow Underwing (Noctua interjecta caliginosa) 1

Highest counts:
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 49
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 32
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 25
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 18
1424 Endotricha flammealis 16
1304 Agriphila straminella 11
1036 Acleris forsskaleana 10
1439 Trachycera advenella 10

Best of the rest:
0125 Emmetia marginea 1
0878 Batrachedra praeangusta 3
1038x Acleris laterana/comariana 3
1378 Phlyctaenia coronata 1
1417 Meal Moth (Pyralis farinalis) 1
1470 Euzophera pinguis 1
1651 Chinese Character (Cilix glaucata) 1
1811 Slender Pug (Eupithecia tenuiata) 3
2044 Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 4
2293 Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica) 2
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1


31/07/2011
Total catch 467 of 72sp.
(125W MV 176 of 44, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 291 of 59)

First for year in garden:
Nothing!

Highest counts:
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 84
1304 Agriphila straminella 28
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 27
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 25
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 25
1036 Acleris forsskaleana 23
1439 Trachycera advenella 22
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 20
1424 Endotricha flammealis 18
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 12
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 11
1138 Epinotia nisella 11

Best of the rest:
0411 Argyresthia goedartella 1
1016 Cnephasia longana 1
1313 Catoptria pinella 1
1452 Phycita roborella 1
1742 Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata) 5
1811 Slender Pug (Eupithecia tenuiata) 1
1883 Yellow-barred Brindle (Acasis viretata) 1
1884 Magpie Moth (Abraxas grossulariata) 1
2044 Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 1
2064 Ruby Tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa) 1
2112 Least Yellow Underwing (Noctua interjecta caliginosa) 4
2293 Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica) 2
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1


01/08/2011
Total catch 503 of 87sp.
(125W MV 261 of 71, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 242 of 51)

NEW FOR GARDEN:
0360 Phyllonorycter kleemannella 1

(Actually this may well be a VC55 first aswell!)

First for year in garden:
0284 Caloptilia rufipennella 1
1113 Eudemis profundana 1
1126 Ancylis badiana 1
1348 Ringed China-mark (Parapoynx stratiotata) 1
2452 Red Underwing (Catocala nupta) 1

Highest counts:
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 71
1304 Agriphila straminella 58
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 28
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 24
1036 Acleris forsskaleana 22
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 22
1439 Trachycera advenella 20
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 18
0263 Apple Leaf Miner (Lyonetia clerkella) 16
1138 Epinotia nisella 16
1424 Endotricha flammealis 16
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 12
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 11

Best of the rest:
0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 1
0266 Bucculatrix nigricomella 1
0363 Phyllonorycter platanoidella 1
0366a Cameraria ohridella 2
1415 Orthopygia glaucinalis 1
1452 Phycita roborella 1
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1742 Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata) 1
1777 July Highflyer (Hydriomena furcata) 1
1811 Slender Pug (Eupithecia tenuiata) 3
1884 Magpie Moth (Abraxas grossulariata) 2
2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina) 1
2064 Ruby Tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa) 1
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
2112 Least Yellow Underwing (Noctua interjecta caliginosa) 4
2145 Nutmeg (Discestra trifolii) 1
2293 Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica) 2
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 1


03/08/2011
Total catch 263 of 59sp.
(125W MV 106 of 39, 22W/18W Synergetic/CFL combo 157 of 46)

First for year in garden:
1842 Plain Pug (Eupithecia simpliciata) 1
1913 Canary-shouldered Thorn (Ennomos alniaria) 1
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 1

Highest counts:
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 33
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 32
1304 Agriphila straminella 18
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 16
1424 Endotricha flammealis 15
1439 Trachycera advenella 14
1331 Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella) 11
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 11

Best of the rest:
0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) 2
0411 Argyresthia goedartella 2
1113 Eudemis profundana 1
1316 Catoptria falsella 1
1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1742 Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata) 2
1825 Lime-speck Pug (Eupithecia centaureata) 1
2030 Yellow-tail (Euproctis similis) 1
2112 Least Yellow Underwing (Noctua interjecta caliginosa) 2
2293 Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica) 3
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) 3


I haven't done too much photography lately either, though I grabbed one or two earlier this evening. The main disappointment on that front was losing the Plain Pug in the kitchen - a bit of a bugger that one as it's only the second I've ever seen, the first being from the garden way back in July 2000 before I had a digital camera. I need to have another go at photographing the Phyllonorycter kleemannella aswell.

Orthopygia glaucinalis

Anclyis badiana

Epinotia nisella

And here's a few hoverflies from the garden on Wednesday evening - loads of Episyrphus balteatus knocking about at the moment, and also a fair few of what I think are Eupeodes corollae (I may well be wrong on that one though!).

Pied Hoverfly - Scaeva pyrastri

Migrant Hoverfly - Eupeodes corollae

Marmalade Hoverfly (shit vernacular name) - Episyrphus balteatus

Also noticed Median Wasps building up again nectaring, like this one face deep in whatever the bush is that is really good for bees, wasps and hoverflies (must find out what it is exactly).

Median Wasp

30/07/2011 North Devon Mothing + Stuff

Saturday night was another chance to run traps in the inlaws garden in North Devon - we were down there for a short visit to pick up the kids (they'd been there all week). Turned out to be another good night with the total catch being 309 of 89sp.

0411 Argyresthia goedartella 1
0453 Honeysuckle Moth (Ypsolopha dentella) 1
0460 Ypsolopha parenthesella 2
0647 Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0713 Agonopterix angelicella 1
0787 Bryotropha terrella 1
0873 Blastobasis adustella 2
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 1
0972 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis heparana) 2
0994 Clepsis consimilana 1
1038x Acleris laterana/comariana 1
1063 Celypha striana 1
1155 Epinotia brunnichana 1
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 1
1294 Crambus pascuella 1
1302 Crambus perlella 3
1304 Agriphila straminella 4
1305 Agriphila tristella 3
1331 Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella) 10
1338 Dipleurina lacustrata 1
1378 Phlyctaenia coronata 1
1388 Udea lutealis 1
1390 Udea prunalis 4
1395 Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 1
1405 Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) 6
1428 Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella) 1
1433 Cryptoblabes bistriga 1
1498 Amblyptilia punctidactyla 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1640 Drinker (Euthrix potatoria) 2
1653 Buff Arches (Habrosyne pyritoides) 2
1657 Common Lutestring (Ochropacha duplaris) 1
1702 Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata) 5
1708 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata) 2
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 7
1724 Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia) 9
1732 Shaded Broad-bar (Scotopteryx chenopodiata) 1
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 1
1759 Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata) 8
1777 July Highflyer (Hydriomena furcata) 1
1811 Slender Pug (Eupithecia tenuiata) 1
1858 V-Pug (Chloroclystis v-ata) 2
1875 Small White Wave (Asthena albulata) 1
1884 Magpie Moth (Abraxas grossulariata) 2
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 2
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 5
1919 Purple Thorn (Selenia tetralunaria) 1
1921 Scalloped Oak (Crocallis elinguaria) 7
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 3
1945 Brussels Lace (Cleorodes lichenaria) 1
1947 Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata) 1
2003 Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac) 1
2037 Rosy Footman (Miltochrista miniata) 3
2044 Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 22
2049 Buff Footman (Eilema depressa) 1
2050 Common Footman (Eilema lurideola) 25
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum) 1
2064 Ruby Tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa) 1
2091 Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon) 1
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 7
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 22
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 1
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 2
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 40
2118 True Lover's Knot (Lycophotia porphyrea) 1
2128 Double Square-spot (Xestia triangulum) 1
2160 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) 3
2173 Lychnis (Hadena bicruris) 1
2176 Antler Moth (Cerapteryx graminis) 1
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 1
2284x Dark Dagger / Grey Dagger (Acronicta tridens/psi) 1
2289 Knot Grass (Acronicta rumicis) 3
2291 Coronet (Craniophora ligustri) 1
2305 Small Angle Shades (Euplexia lucipara) 1
2318 Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina) 3
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 16
2335 Slender Brindle (Apamea scolopacina) 2
2338 Rufous Minor (Oligia versicolor) 1
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 4
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 4
2379 Small Rufous (Coenobia rufa) 1
2381 Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines) 3
2425 Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli) 6
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 2
2443 Plain Golden Y (Autographa jota) 1
2449 Dark Spectacle (Abrostola triplasia) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1
2489 Fan-foot (Zanclognatha tarsipennalis) 1
2492 Small Fan-foot (Herminia grisealis) 1

Dark Spectacle

True Lover's Knot

Common Lutestring

Small Rufous

Whilst out checking traps after dark, I couldn't resist getting a couple of shots of toads and molluscs.

Always entertaining to watch the toads climbing up the dry stone walling

Let the meal come to me

Great Grey Slug, artily located off-center in the frame (by accident)

Garden Snail

It was also a pleasure to be up early emptying the trap with Ravens and Buzzards overhead, and nesting House Martins in full swing.

You can just about make out two nestlings waiting. What a bloody mess they make below the nest

Here's a couple of garden shots from the day for good measure:

Foxglove

Flower Crab Spider - same colour and flowers as one I found last year

Corrr - look at the mandibles on that!

Nipped into Warwick Castle on the way home from Devon yesterday for a brief stop. Couldn't resist a look at the various raptors that are flown in displays there (they always have a few different birds on show). Sadly we were too late for the actual display on this visit, but it was still good to see the birds up close - especially as center-stage was this ....

Steller's Sea Eagle - awesome

Absoloutely massive - made the accompanying White-tailed Eagle and Bald Eagle look like Merlins. All of the birds below are perched on the same sized post.

White-tailed Eagle - pathetic

Incidentally, this is what they look like Dave ....

Bald Eagle - a bit more like it, but still a bit 'cute' looking

Steller's Sea Eagle - aarrrghhh - run for your lives