Moth Review of the Year: Part 4 : August and September 2016

A nearly full period of uninterrupted mothing meant I was out with the heath 15W actinic on many occasions as well as running the Skinner 125W MV trap in the garden each night except 5th and 6th August.
A visit to Millennium Wood on the 2nd gave records of Acleris emargana, Grapholita funebrana and Small phoenix. The latter being the only record for the year. On the same night I took a new for parish records of Acentria ephemerella and Tree Lichen Beauty ( the first of 4.) An Orange swift was the 200th macro of the year.

Plutella porrectella

Acleris emargana

Tree lichen beauty

The following night a trip to Valley Fields gave plenty of moths but nothing new whilst a Yponomeuta malinellus was a new for year record. A further micro, Mompha choragella was trapped on the 5th. However, whilst I was away giving a presentation for the RSPB in Lowestoft and then running an owl pellet show for the weekend at Ipswich Water Festival, Graeme Smith (GJS) ran several traps in Millennium Wood. Amongst good number he and Steve Easby managed to net a Tissue, a singularly rare moth for Herts.
The first Square spot rustic was taken on the 7th, Maple pug (8th), Lime speck pug, Plain pug and Borkhausenia fuscescens all on the 9th, followed by Dusky Thorn (10th,) Cloaked minor and a new for parish Cochylimorpha straminea on the 11th
By this time, the early autumn moths were to be expected, so 5 Svennson's copper underwing from Millennium Wood on the 11th were no surprise, neither were Plutella porrectella and Parornix angicella the following night in the garden

Coxcomb Prominent

Cypress pug

Dusky thorn

A trap in the graveyard at the bottom of the garden the following night resulted in Parapoynx stratiotata and Eudemis profundana as well as Toadflax pug and Juniper pug to the garden trap.
The next successful for new records night was the 15th, when Coxcomb prominent and Gelechia senticetella entered parish records with Currant pug and Nutmeg new for year. A first for the year Rosy Rustic on the 16th from Alder Wood, Copper Underwing (18th) from Hoecroft Lane and the same night another new parish moth, a Cochylis hybridella in the garden Skinner.
Brick Kiln Hill opposite the pub realised a solitary Vapourer on the 19th in amongst a selection of over 30 moths. A Galleria mellonella  was the 200th micro of the year before Udea fulvalis (22nd) Oak hooktip and Depressaria radiella (Hadham Hall 23rd.)
Also on the 23rd a good selection in the garden trap, with Enarmonia formosana, Marbled Beauty, and Udea ferrugalis. However, the night will be best remembered for the arrival of my 1st Vestal, a true immigrant and one that was recorded throughout Herts this year. In total, I had 9, all to the garden trap, with the last one on 13.ix.16.
Few late August moths such as Centre barred sallow meant I finished August with 208 micros and 228 macros. Late additions to records were Digitvalva pulicarie (garden 27th) Cypress pug and Mompha propinquella in the garden on 31st.

Centre barred sallow

Enarmoria formosana

Frosted orange

September kicked off with good numbers to the traps but nothing new for year or parish until 2 white points turned up unexpectedly on the 3rd, an Epinotia ramella (5th), Nymphula nitidulata (6th) and Brown spot pinion (8th)

Black rustic

Deep brown dart

Epinotia ramella

A yellow line Quaker on the 9th let us all know it was Autumn and this was more evident with the arrival of the stunning Black Rustic on the 12th. The 13th gave up new for year records of Agonopterix alstromeriana and Mompha subbistrigella from the garden whilst Phyllonorycter corylii, Ancylis mitterbacheriana and Catoptria pinella and Pink Barred sallow from Millennium Wood.
A community moth night in Millennium Wood on the 15th was well attended with over 20 locals and local press meant a good article in the Herts and Essex Observer. Of particular interest was Ypsolopha horridella, an uncommon moth for Herts, but one we have already taken in this wood. Also, Emmetia marginea, Caloptilia semifascia and Argyresthia albistria.
Autumn truly arrived on the 24th with Beaded chestnut and Grey Pine carpet in the garden, Red Line quaker and Deep Brown Dart (26th) and a Herald in Chapel Lane on bramble (28th.)

Ypsolopha horridella

Yellow line quaker

Red line quaker.

Vestal in smart plumage

Another superb Vestal

September totals now stood at 242 macros and 218 micros, a total of 460, so 40 more species to reach 500 for the year. Still on, I thought at the time.
In total, 9094 moths had been recorded since Jan1st, so 10,000 was also a reasonably feasible total. However, it looked like some leaf mining work was going to be required to get the species list going, so October and November were already looking busy. My fingers were crossed for some warm, calm nights to finish the year.

Selected first and last macro records:
Orange Swift: 02.viii.16 - 30.xiii.16
Maple pug: 08.viii.16 - 23.viii.16
Dusky Thorn: 10.viii.16 - 17.ix.16
Svennson's Copper Underwing: 11.viii.16 - 21.ix.16
Copper Underwing: 18.viii.16 - 21.x.16
Lunar Underwing: 15.ix.16 - 10.x.16

Numbers were supplied by: Orange swift (25) Dusky Thorn (36) Lesser Yellow Underwing (57,) Lunar Underwing (90) and Beaded chestnut (44)

Selected micro dates:
Acleris emargana: 02.viii.16 - 15.ix.16
Acleris variegana: 03.viii.16 - 09.x.16
Udea ferrugalis 22.viii.16 - 07.ix.16
Cochylis hybridella: 18.viii.16 - 01.ix.16

Numbers supplied by: Acleris variegana (61) Agriphila tristella (124), Acleris emargana (14) Udea ferrugalis (9)

Graeme and Steve's Tissue. A superb find in Millennium Wood. (photo GJS)