Early May short warm spell moths.

Strange weather in recent years either good or bad with no compromise. The last 5 days or so have been good. The warmer weather bringing out moths after a dismal April. Are we going to have a second flush. I have been getting Common Quaker and Hebrew Character in good condition.

Species counts at home have not been particularly high though, just around the 40 mark but it has been interesting. New for the year has also included Tinea crocicapitella, Cameraria ohridella, Sharp-angled Peacock, Orange Footman and Cinnabar. The easterly winds have increased and along with a weather front brought immigrants from the south. The frequent Plutella xylostella and Dark Sword-grass have been around. Ethmia bipunctella could be included but might be local but two other quite certainly aren’t. A Zophodia grossulariella on 8th May and a Cydia strobilella on 9th. The latter has been seen in numbers in the southern and eastern corner of England.

A visit to Captain’s Wood on 7th gave me a good catch considering recent form with 54 species. I went hoping to find Pammene giganteana, having found it at Staverton Park (not so far away) but instead got two others with larvae inquiline in oak galls, P. argyrana and P. albuginana. Some attractive moths were caught such as Adela reaumurella, Barred Hook-tip, Purple Thorn, Dotted Chestnut and Maiden’s Blush. Common were Brown Silver-line, Early Tooth-stripe, Great Prominent and Dyseriocrania subpurpurella. Amongst the Dyseriocrania were no Eriocrania sangii as my last visit but one of the purple species with a silver tornal spot, E. semipurpurella. Two Phyllonorycter turned up; ulmifoliella and coryli and what really surprised me was 3 Agonopterix scopariella, not a rare species but I had not noticed any broom in the area which made me confirm them by dissection.

Seems it is going to get cold and windy again now but might run again on Tuesday before it really sets in.

Barstrobzo

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6 Responses to Early May short warm spell moths.

  1. keith says:

    Some great moths, Raymond. At last the season is well and truly on the way.

  2. Raymond Watson says:

    Ran the traps on both 10th and 11th but need to take a break now. 10th turned up another Cydia strobilella and also a small Agonopterix that was new to me: Agonopterix curvipunctosa. It was rather worn with the characteristic mark only left on one wing so a dissection proved the species as the markings were not so clear. Anyone else seen C. strobilella? There seems to have been a lot come into the country.

  3. paulb says:

    I ran the trap last night hoping for that a strobilella might stray my way but no luck. Best moth was a Scorched Carpet.

  4. Brian says:

    I took my traps to one of my woodland sites on the 10th on what looked like a promising night. About 10.45 a deluge suddenly set in and everything got soaked including me and although the rain stopped 20 minutes later it was impossible to carry on. I spent the following day drying out all the equipment. The first soaking of he year.

  5. Raymond Watson says:

    I keep feeling sorry for those who report that rain had stopped trapping. I guess if it is a skinner trap which is easy to pack away and transport then it is difficult to stop rain getting in but it should be possible with most Robinson type traps. I have designed my own Robinson type traps. They are not very easy to shift around though. I use a wheelbarrow when I am not at home. I have designed them not to let the rain in. They are always run with a large transparent rain cover with vanes. The only times they have got wet is when it has blown a gale to blow off the top (sometimes includes the bulb) and when stupidly I had unnecessarily drilled drain holes and placed it in a wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow filled up and went in through the drain holes. I get good catches when it rains. I think commercial traps constructors should reconsider design to prevent rain ingress.

    • Brian says:

      Mine are designed for easy transport, quick set-up and quick dismantling, but sometimes you get caught out by an unexpected deluge. When there are 5 of them spread out 50 to 100 yards apart, no matter how quick you are – you get wet!

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