Comments on: A decent week’s trapping at IGC. http://suffolkmoths.org.uk/blog/index.php/2013/04/27/a-decent-weeks-trapping-at-igc/ Topical information from the Suffolk Moth Group Tue, 25 Feb 2020 18:38:33 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: Neil http://suffolkmoths.org.uk/blog/index.php/2013/04/27/a-decent-weeks-trapping-at-igc/#comment-266 Neil Sat, 27 Apr 2013 20:24:52 +0000 http://suffolkmoths.org.uk/blog/?p=2663#comment-266 Also on this subject of moths feeding last year during the wet spring I saw evidence that the continual heavy rain knocked a lot of larvae out of the trees. A walk through any area of woodland on the site last year at that time revealed many dead and dying caterpillars on the ground. Birds took full advantage of this temporary glut of food, saw many Great and Blue tits picking up beakfuls to feed their young. Unfortunately this food didn’t last long and during my regular nest box check for the BTO I found quite a few abandoned broods. With all the damp conditions around I would say diseases would have wiped out a lot of larvae too. Be interesting too see what the rest of the year is like, especially as it has been a cold winter. That is supposed to be good for a lot of moth species. My only thoughts on Brindled pug is that the larvae of those feed on the Oak flowers, so perhaps they fed up quickly, with the flowers being more nutritious.

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By: Brian http://suffolkmoths.org.uk/blog/index.php/2013/04/27/a-decent-weeks-trapping-at-igc/#comment-265 Brian Sat, 27 Apr 2013 18:19:49 +0000 http://suffolkmoths.org.uk/blog/?p=2663#comment-265 Similar results with Small Quaker for me Neil. In 2012 I recorded 661 individuals trapped over 25 trapping sessions with a highest one-night haul of 166. This year so far in 18 sessions that I have had Small Quaker in the traps, I have recorded just 53 individuals with highest one-night catch of 11 and as you say their season is just about ending.
I noted some observations on this 12 months ago (dated 17/4/2012), saved it to the computer, but never got as far as putting them on the blog-spot. This is what I wrote at the time:-

Small Quaker prospects for 2013.
“The large numbers of Small Quaker in March this year and then this cold weather in April, set me wondering about what their prospects for next year might be.
Small Quaker seems to favour oak as a food source; I think this is backed up by the fact that the majority of adults are trapped in and around oaks.
In 2011 the oak trees leafed up very early due to the very warm spring weather and the Small Quaker larva would have had an abundance upon emerging from the egg stage. Large numbers of larva were seen last year 2011, especially on oaks and very large numbers have been trapped this spring (the recordings listed on ‘Norfolk Moths’ is one evidence of this). Because of the present long cold spell this year 2012, there is going to be a long gap between when the eggs laid in March and early April start to emerge about a week or so after being laid and when the oaks finally come into leaf, so the larva from eggs laid on oak trees will have to go looking elsewhere for food and many will be picked off by the birds.
Just a personal observation. Time will tell if it’s correct!”

On the other hand, in 2012 my records for Brindled Pug show just 12 individuals trapped. This year they are still going strong with plenty of fresh individual being trapped and my count so far is at least 63, with very high numbers on 25th when I stopped counting when they got to 45.
As yet, I haven’t thought about the reason for this!

Brian

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<![CDATA[ Also on this subject of moths feeding last year during the wet spring I saw evidence that the continual heavy rain knocked a lot of larvae out of the trees. A walk through any area of woodland on the site last year at that time revealed many dead and dying caterpillars on the ground. Birds took full advantage of this temporary glut of food, saw many Great and Blue tits picking up beakfuls to feed their young. Unfortunately this food didn&#039;t last long and during my regular nest box check for the BTO I found quite a few abandoned broods. With all the damp conditions around I would say diseases would have wiped out a lot of larvae too. Be interesting too see what the rest of the year is like, especially as it has been a cold winter. That is supposed to be good for a lot of moth species. My only thoughts on Brindled pug is that the larvae of those feed on the Oak flowers, so perhaps they fed up quickly, with the flowers being more nutritious. ]]>
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<![CDATA[ <p>Also on this subject of moths feeding last year during the wet spring I saw evidence that the continual heavy rain knocked a lot of larvae out of the trees. A walk through any area of woodland on the site last year at that time revealed many dead and dying caterpillars on the ground. Birds took full advantage of this temporary glut of food, saw many Great and Blue tits picking up beakfuls to feed their young. Unfortunately this food didn&#8217;t last long and during my regular nest box check for the BTO I found quite a few abandoned broods. With all the damp conditions around I would say diseases would have wiped out a lot of larvae too. Be interesting too see what the rest of the year is like, especially as it has been a cold winter. That is supposed to be good for a lot of moth species. My only thoughts on Brindled pug is that the larvae of those feed on the Oak flowers, so perhaps they fed up quickly, with the flowers being more nutritious.</p> ]]>
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<![CDATA[ Similar results with Small Quaker for me Neil. In 2012 I recorded 661 individuals trapped over 25 trapping sessions with a highest one-night haul of 166. This year so far in 18 sessions that I have had Small Quaker in the traps, I have recorded just 53 individuals with highest one-night catch of 11 and as you say their season is just about ending. I noted some observations on this 12 months ago (dated 17/4/2012), saved it to the computer, but never got as far as putting them on the blog-spot. This is what I wrote at the time:- Small Quaker prospects for 2013. “The large numbers of Small Quaker in March this year and then this cold weather in April, set me wondering about what their prospects for next year might be. Small Quaker seems to favour oak as a food source; I think this is backed up by the fact that the majority of adults are trapped in and around oaks. In 2011 the oak trees leafed up very early due to the very warm spring weather and the Small Quaker larva would have had an abundance upon emerging from the egg stage. Large numbers of larva were seen last year 2011, especially on oaks and very large numbers have been trapped this spring (the recordings listed on ‘Norfolk Moths’ is one evidence of this). Because of the present long cold spell this year 2012, there is going to be a long gap between when the eggs laid in March and early April start to emerge about a week or so after being laid and when the oaks finally come into leaf, so the larva from eggs laid on oak trees will have to go looking elsewhere for food and many will be picked off by the birds. Just a personal observation. Time will tell if it’s correct!” On the other hand, in 2012 my records for Brindled Pug show just 12 individuals trapped. This year they are still going strong with plenty of fresh individual being trapped and my count so far is at least 63, with very high numbers on 25th when I stopped counting when they got to 45. As yet, I haven’t thought about the reason for this! Brian ]]>
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<![CDATA[ <p>Similar results with Small Quaker for me Neil. In 2012 I recorded 661 individuals trapped over 25 trapping sessions with a highest one-night haul of 166. This year so far in 18 sessions that I have had Small Quaker in the traps, I have recorded just 53 individuals with highest one-night catch of 11 and as you say their season is just about ending.<br /> I noted some observations on this 12 months ago (dated 17/4/2012), saved it to the computer, but never got as far as putting them on the blog-spot. This is what I wrote at the time:-</p> <p>Small Quaker prospects for 2013.<br /> “The large numbers of Small Quaker in March this year and then this cold weather in April, set me wondering about what their prospects for next year might be.<br /> Small Quaker seems to favour oak as a food source; I think this is backed up by the fact that the majority of adults are trapped in and around oaks.<br /> In 2011 the oak trees leafed up very early due to the very warm spring weather and the Small Quaker larva would have had an abundance upon emerging from the egg stage. Large numbers of larva were seen last year 2011, especially on oaks and very large numbers have been trapped this spring (the recordings listed on ‘Norfolk Moths’ is one evidence of this). Because of the present long cold spell this year 2012, there is going to be a long gap between when the eggs laid in March and early April start to emerge about a week or so after being laid and when the oaks finally come into leaf, so the larva from eggs laid on oak trees will have to go looking elsewhere for food and many will be picked off by the birds.<br /> Just a personal observation. Time will tell if it’s correct!”</p> <p>On the other hand, in 2012 my records for Brindled Pug show just 12 individuals trapped. This year they are still going strong with plenty of fresh individual being trapped and my count so far is at least 63, with very high numbers on 25th when I stopped counting when they got to 45.<br /> As yet, I haven’t thought about the reason for this!</p> <p>Brian</p> ]]>
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