After what looked to be a promising start last night, heavy drizzle and then a full rain shower drove me indoors with a list of 20 or so. Upon returning, still in drizzle, at 5.30a.m. it was clear it had been another successful night trapping. Plenty roosting on the fence and perspex and only once these had been identified or potted did I venture to open the trap. Big numbers of crambids,
Crambus perlella and
Chrysoteuchia culmella along with riband waves. However, upon moving an egg box, a peach blossom was noted on the frame of the trap. A new for my parish records and 500th moth for these records. Unfortunately, anything but a mint specimen, but one all the same. A moth I had been expecting as it is common within Herts and, as it's larval foodplant is bramble, one I would have thought would have been taken much earlier due to the presence of much bramble on the footpath at the end of the garden.
Soon after, a
Pyrausta purpuralis, a moth I thought I had seen before, but not on my records, so 501st. When all had been identified or potted, a count of 114 specimens, I returned, somewhat damp, indoors where I noted what I thought was a small blood vein on the windowsill. On closer inspection, a small scallop, moth 502 for the records. An incredible record to have 2 macro species new for the list in one day. Also, new for 2015 were a mint condition wormwood pug and
Parapoynx stratiolata, so a good evening all round. The list contained 44 species with 20 Chrysoteuchia culmella, 12
perlella, 7 riband wave and 3 each of
Pterophorus pentadactyla, Pleuropyta ruralis, Carcina quercana, Cydia pomonella, Udea prunalis, heart and dart
, Eudonia lacustrata and Yponomeuta evonymella.
Sadly, although appearing torpid due to fridging, the small scallop beat a rapid and successful freedom as I placed it on a leaf for a photo. Rest shown here.
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| Peach blossom: lateral view |
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| Bird's eye view showing much wear and tear. |
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| 501st parish moth: Pyrausta purpuralis |
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| Parapoynx stratiotata: Ringed china mark |
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| Wormwood pug in great condition |
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