August has been fantastic so far at the Hall. I am still working on the species lists for the Moth Night weekend and some micros still await determination, I will post these results once finalised.
Other recent highlights have included regular Cypress Pugs, Golden-rod Pugs and Bordered Pugs. One of the female Golden-rod Pugs laid eggs; the resulting larvae of which I am rearing on Common Ragwort. Several Dark Spinach, Sharp-angled Carpet, Scorched Carpet, Purple Bar and Maiden’s Blush in the traps. A Birch Mocha was a very exciting capture (extremely rare here) and best of the geometrids – a White-banded Carpet on the 21st August. Going on the SMG website maps this would appear to be new to VC25. I have never seen this species in West Suffolk and it appears to have become locally extinct there.
Still catching the odd Pine, Privet, Poplar and Elephant Hawk-moth and odd late Buff Ermine and Garden Tiger this week.
Ground Lackey and Sandhill Rustic have had a good year and still catching these this week. Also from the saltmarsh a late Rosy Wave a few days ago and regular Saltmarsh Plume Agdistis bennettii.
Silver Ys have been an absolute pain – the new pronuba here! Hundreds most nights causing chaos in two of the traps along with wasps. A few Gold Spot have appeared and a single Dewick’s Plusia was picked out amongst the gamma on 17 August and represents the fourth Bawdsey record; though the first for the Hall. Other migrants have included several obstipata, peltigera and exigua and reasonable numbers of ipsilon. Several janthina have been identified amongst the yellow underwings (also a single fresh orbona a few days ago). The migrant pyralids – noctuella and ferrugalis are putting in an appearance with a couple of the tortricid Crocidosema plebejana (sometimes considered a migrant) and the ever-present xylostella.
Wainscots have been well represented this month with regular Bulrush, Webb’s, Brown-veined and Twin-spotted but the local White-mantled has yet to wander in. Fen, Southern, Smoky and more recently second-brood pallens has appeared. Odd L-album Wainscots have occurred between the obvious broods and may well be primary immigrants.
Numbers of xanthographa are rising with Frosted Orange and Feathered Gothic now flying. Canary-shouldered Thorn numbers are rising too and three Red Underwings have come to light this week with a single Old Lady last week.
Micro captures have mainly centred around caloptilias – with several interesting ones retained for further examination. Ethmia bipunctella has appeared in good numbers again this season. Amongst the Yponomeuta have been several plumbella. A Lesser Wax Moth at light this week was a rare capture for here and also the Wax Moth which is much more regular. Several Agriphila latistria have appeared and Pima boisduvaliella still a regular. Summer Fruit Tortrix has appeared a couple of times and Cochylis molliculana is currently regular; Acrolepia autumnitella, an Epermenia falciformis and the tiny Bucculatrix albedinella have also appeared. Thanks to Raymond for assistance with the micros and pug determination.