After reading Matthew’s reminder about Moth Night 2012, I remembered the idea was to trap brownfield sites if poss. The nearest brownfield site to me is 10 min. drive away, an old caravan site at the back of the beach, abandoned about 20 years ago and left untouched and weedy. The rain had stopped but the wind was getting up, not good for a very open site. I ran a couple of traps close to a bit of shelter from a low bank, but gave up at midnight when drizzle set in. Just 6 moths in 1 and half hours – Homoeosoma sinuella, Aethes smeathmanniana x 2, Epiblema uddmanniana, Heart & Dart and Large Nutmeg. Three larva crawled onto the sheet (for warmth I think) and they turned out to be Five-spot Burnet, or is it a six? It was supposed to be midsummer night; it felt more like midwinter night.
Probably a good site on a better night.
Brian
if that is what it is, can you tell by the colour of the hairs? I expect Tony or Neil will know!
This looks like Six-spot burnet to me, doesn’t seem to have the very obvious yellow spots Five spot should have. Five-spot burnet is a wetland species in Suffolk as well, feeding on the Greater birds foot trefoil and the habitat doesn’t sound right either.
Neil
There is an abundance of Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil around where I had the trap. I’ll have a look for adults at the site next month. Both species have been recorded in the past, on dunes nearby.
Brian