After the hectic times as from last Friday through to the middle of the week, things have begun to calm down a little. Wednesday night gave 71 moths of 38 species, with Gypsonoma dealbana being a new for parish records whilst a heavy electric storm, very localised, cut numbers last night to 43 moths of 27 species. Many others were just too worn to bother with. However, pine hawkmoth and cloaked minor were both new for the year whilst footman sp and crambids made up the bulk of the numbers.
An hour netting on Westland Green this afternoon gave first views for the year of a single 6 spot burnet moth, along with a few crambids, silver Y, shaded broad bar and Aphelia paleana. Also, an as yet unidentified Eucosma species looks interesting. Shall require gen det to name to species and even then this may be inconclusive. However, chance that it is a good moth for the county, so worth persevering.
Edit:The interesting Eucosma species turned out to be a new for my parish records, a Eucosma hohenwartiana. A very difficult family to identify, even with dissection, so huge thanks to Graeme for carrying this process out. A good local record.
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| Gypsonoma dealbana, new for my parish records |
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| relatively unworn V pug |
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| 6 spot burnet |
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| Essex skipper......................... |
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| .....................but identifying by colour of end of antennae does preclude it has them!! The left one looks dark enough to rule out Small skipper |
Also at Westland Green, plenty of skippers, mainly small and Essex along with 50+ meadow browns, 5 marbled whites, 2 small whites, 3 large whites, 8 ringlets and 3 gatekeepers.
Afterwards, a quick trip on to Ash Valley golf club gave up no moths apart from a few crambids but the ragwort was covered with cinnabar moth larvae. At least 50 caterpillars in a small area. More marbled whites and meadow browns.
The just into bloom garden buddleia is attracting small tortoiseshells, meadow browns, a solitary comma and 2 gatekeepers. Keeping a look out for both hummingbird hawkmoth and painted lady.
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| cinnabar larvae on ragwort. |
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