Mid-August Hollesley

The turn in the weather gives me the opportunity to review the last two weeks for a report. Numbers in catches have decreased as the season moves on with fewer micros and some autumnal species emerging such as Red Underwing, Frosted Orange and Dusky Thorn. Migrants have continued in a similar vein to my last report with many Bordered Straw and Small Mottled Willow probably being UK bred. I have also picked up a couple of Ethmia bipunctella 11th and 14th, a Vitula biviella 14th and two Convolvulus Hawk-moths 11th and 21st. I have also had a large number of Sharp-angled Peacocks. Now whilst I do normally have the occasional individual these have coincided with immigrants such as the Dark Sword-grass which leads me to believe they are immigrant too. Quite a few third brood Double-striped Pugs appearing along with my usual Tawny-speckled and Lime-speck for this time of the year. A Vapourer on 21st was a new for site record. The 22nd was quite windy but warm and added a further two species to my site list; a Cacoecimorpha pronubana (Carnation Tortrix) with its striking orange underwings and a very colourful Scrobipalpa with patterning in shades of ochre, brown and with white scales was S. salicorniae (ex-salinella). The 22nd also provided me with the second Butterbur for my site. The Butterbur plant is quite common a little way down the road towards the Black Ditch so hopefully it is a steady resident and will see it again.

Butterbur

Convolvulus hawk-moth

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2 Responses to Mid-August Hollesley

  1. keith says:

    Nice photos, Raymond. I have never seen a parasite like the one on the Convolvulus H-m wing. What is it ?Are they common?

    Keith

  2. Raymond Watson says:

    No parasite Keith. It is a small beetle, the catch was plagued by 100s possibly 1000s of them. I didn’t notice it till after taking the photo and releasing the moth.

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