weekend round up

brindled green

brindled green

centre barred sallow

old lady

setaceous hebrew character (unfamiliar wing open pose)

silver y

silver y

willow beauty

Several new moths on to the list this weekend, with a brindled green being recorded Sunday morning and a beaded chestnut today. Plenty of moths about at present, with latticed heath, cebtre barred sallows, lunar underwings and large yellow underwings all turning up in the trap in numbers in excess of 20. Also, the regular setaceous hebrew characters,, common wainscot, light emeralds and several burnished brass. Other moths that appeared alone were Old Lady and willow beauty

Westland Green mothing 09.09.11

angle shades

forest bug

A new species for the year was trapped last night in a private garden in Westland Green. Many thanks to Amanda and her family for permitting me access to her garden. The trap was set up underneath mature beech, running from 9.00pm to 5.45am The contents featured numerous wasps (at least 50) and 2 species of shield bugs; forest bug (43 specimens) and birch shield bug (26 specimens) On the moth front, the highlight was a superb red underwing, whilst the rest of the catch was as you'd expect in the second week of September. Setaceous hebrew characters and large yellow underwings were both counted in excess of 25 whilst there were several square spotted rustics, lesser yellow underwings and common wainscot. Smaller numbers were supplied by brimstone, snout, several micros as well as both a 22 spot ladybird and an orange ladybird. Singles of angle shades, light emerald, centre barred sallow and feathered gothic were also taken.

centre barred sallow

common wainscot

copper underwing

feathered gothic

large yellow underwing

light emerald

chequered fruit tree tortrix

red underwing

red underwing close up

setaceous hebrew character

snout

square spot rustic

 Whilst sitting adjacent to the trap, 4 tawny owls called, 2 little owls and a muntjac barked away from the nearby golf course.

Wet moth trap 06.09.11

Cochylis atricapitana

dark arches

flame shoulder

green carpet

unusual shade of large yellow underwing

A soggy moth trap this morning, with a total of 25 moths. Nothing noteworthy, but an unusual shaded large yellow underwing, a green carpet (worn) and the 1st of the 2nd generation of a dark arches. Several micros await identification

new moth: 5.9.11

mint burnished brass

helluva hair do

burnished brass

dusky thorn

upperwing view: dusky thorn

dusky thorn

acleris variegana Garden rose tortrix

A new moth in the form of a dusky thorn was in the trap this morning. Unlike many of the thorn species, this one hung around for a few photos. Also of note, an immaculate burnished brass along with the micro acleris variegena Garden rose tortrix. In all over 40 moths in the trap mad eup of 18 species, with 11 large yellow underwings.

Quiet moth morning

A quiet night at the trap with a total of 37 moths caught. Majority were large yellow underwings, setaceous hebrew characters and square spot rustics. Photo shows a riband wave in superb condition. Probably one of the most common moths in the garden, but this is the 1st record for several weeks. This signals the beginning of the 2nd generation emergence and as such, will last until October.
Also of note: newly emerged specimens of red admiral and ruddy darter in the garden
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Dragonfly 2.9.11

A wander in Millennium Wood yesterday gave good views of both migrant hawker dragonfly and this female common darter.
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Snout

Having missed a photo opportunity when this moth shot out of the trap the other morning, I returned home last night to find it had taken up residence in the house. A second generation moth, the first being a fawn/brown shade with the same patterning. The 2nd generation is also, invariably smaller. Photo shows why it is such an apt name.

New moth 3.9.11

centre barred sallow

light emerald

A new moth was found inside the trap this morning: a centre barred sallow. After what promised to be a really good moth night, with the temperature above 14C at midnight, the clouds lifted and the temperature dropped. However, 3 sallows were found, along with this newly emerged light emerald as well as the usual suspects. These included 6 striped rustics, large and lesser broad bordered yellow underwing, latticed heath, emmelina monodactyla, catriopa pinella and common wainscot. Most of these species counting into double figures.

Westland Green mothing

Took the trap to a private garden in Westland Green. Mature woodland with grassy patches. Mainly deciduous but trap placed under a large conifer. Over 200 moths trapped, still sorting out micros and a fair collection of macros. However, photos below give an idea of what was about. Maiden's Blush being a new moth for me. Left the trap at 11.00pm with the temperature at 11C, returning at 5.15, by which time the temperature was 6C. Might be the reason not more moths were trapped.

The square spotted clay is a nationally scarce moth, placed on the B list. Up until a few years ago its presence meant that a bio diversity priority status could be granted upon the area where it was trapped. However, over the last few years it has moved south west in its range, with 84 specimens being recorded for Hertfordshire between 2000 and 2006

The photos at the bottom show a variety of the rustic family, including square spot rustic, vine's rustic and 6 striped rustic. These show the complexities of moth identification. The rarer sqaure spotted clay is not too dissimilar, either!

angle shades

brimstone

common wainscot

feathered gothic

latticed heath

latticed heath



light emerald



maiden's blush

orange swift

rosy rustic

turnip moth



square spotted rustic



six striped rustic



 

square spotted clay



vine's rustic

Last day of August

Not too much in the trap on the morning of the 30th August, but a purple bar was only the 2nd record. Apart from this, usual underwings etc.The micro moth, shown above is still awaiting to be identified: 1 of the bird dropping tortrixes.