Early July Moths

Time for me to report my exploits. I looked at the weather fore-cast for the National Moth nights and decided not to trap on the Friday, though as it turned out the fore-cast was over pessimistic. So I trapped on 2nd July which held promise with warm southerly winds that yes started the migrants and then also on 3rd. I trapped at home and Hollesley Marshes on 2nd and home and Staverton Park on the 3rd and was nearly overwhelmed by the volume of the catches especially the many hundreds of micros at Staverton. Two further days at home brought my biggest catch to date of 206 species on 11th. Report on the Marshes will have to wait but for the others: I was a little disappointed that the Blotched Emerald did not show itself for a Woodland based moth night at Staverton where the traps were overwhelmed by Argyresthia brockeella, goedartella and glaucinella, Brachmia blandella, Tischeria ekebladella (one E dodonaea), Zeiraphera isertana, Parachronistis albiceps and Coleophora species of which still a large number to work through. Nothing unusual amongst the macros but perhaps of interest was the Red-necked Footman, a Drinker, a late Scorched Wing, Sharp Angled Carpet, Small Scallop and a Lunar Yellow Underwing. Two little runners turned up on the 3rd. The first was a second Niditinea striolella which is an encouraging sign that Staverton Park is a stronghold for the species, the other was a dark species from The Thicks that proved to be Tinea columbariella. It pleased me to take Monochroa cytisella that I had not seen before and a number of less common micros; Scoparia basistrigalis, Strophedra nitidana, Epinotia signatana, Cosmiotes freyerella and Phylloporia bistrigella. A species count of 155 in advance of the Coleophora still to ID.

At home; I have been hoping that Agonopterix assimilella would settle into my brooms, but it was A nervosa that has turned up first. Also took an A ciliella. Most abundant species have been Synaphe punctalis and Chrysoteuchia culmella but have yet to be invaded by the Large Yellow Underwing this year.  In addition to the Agonopterix, species new to my site list have been, the Mere Wainscot, Clouded Brindle, Anania verbascalis, Endothenia oblongana, Oegoconia caradjai, Phyllonorycter cerasticolella, Coleophora salinella and Dystebenna stephensi. Migrants that have started include Dark Sword-grass, Oncocera semirubella and Platytes alpinella.

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