Mothing Landmarks

Small phoenix: 200th macro of the year.

Over the last few days been able to get out and trap away from home as well as leave the garden Skinner running as usual.
the 1st Aug was a colder than usual night and just  17 species to the trap and just the regular visitors: footman, waves, rustics and expected August micros.
On the 2nd I set the Heath Trap in Millennium Wood with a view to spend a few hours netting. I did, in the rain, so consequently, not too much taken, with, in total 43 moths with Aclersi emargana and Grapholita funebrana being new for year micros and the Small phoenix, shown above, the only macro. However, this was the 200th macro of the year. A moth that is found in most years, but in low numbers.
At home, a suspected well marked Brindled green and Orange swift took the total of macros for the year to 202 whilst Yponomeuta padella and a new for parish record, Acentria ephemerella became the 186th and 187th micros of the year, respectively. However, a message from Graeme corrected my error in identification as he pointed out the Brindled green was infact a tree lichen beauty. This is a new moth for parish records, one I had expected as the chapel roof, some yards from the trap is covered in lichens. Yp padella was the 300th garden moth species of the year.

Tree lichen beauty. New for parish records.

Acentria ephemerella

Acleris emargana

Last night, I ran the Heath trap along Valley Fields, returning to empty about 11.15. Several hornets had got into the trap, so were potted and put to one side to begin with! Plenty of moths, but many the same species: 9 Endotricha flammealis, 5 Blastobasis adustella, 6 Flame shoulder and 4 each of common rustic and Eudonia mercurella. Nothing new for the records in a haul of over 50. The garden trap gave up an Yponomeuta malinellus as new for year in a total of 68 of 42 species.

These additions mean records are presently at:
2016: 202 macros, 187 micros of 4465 moths
Total for parish records: 322 macros, 303 micros: 625 species
Below, 2 species, whilst not new for any records, were only the 2nd of each taken this year

Swallow prominent

Nomophila noctuella

Next targets: 5000 moths, 400 species for the year, 650 species in total. Some easy, i.e. the former will happen next week, the 2nd target sometime in August and the latter will need some considerable luck on the micros to achieve this year.