Havergate Island 21st July

In common with Neil and hopefully others it has been busy on the moth front recently. Late July has now reached the numbers peaks found in early July of recent years. I shall report home catches later but thought it worth-while to report a decent catch on Havergate Island. A total of 109 species whilst not great if it were at home is good there.

Common were Dusky Sallow, Synaphe punctalis but particularly the Scarce Footman. Amongst the Footmans were also Common and Dingy and one smaller one with bright yellow/orange forewings and deeper orange head. A Pigmy Footman var. pallifrons. There are areas of bushy lichen growth in the vicinity of that catch as on Orford Ness. I am of the opinion it did not fly up from Dungeness nor across the North Sea but is resident.

Ground Lackey had started flying, there were a number of Starwort, a couple of Rosy Wave and four Oak Eggars. Four Eucosma species turned up; cana, obumbratana, conterminana and the salt-marsh speciality E. lacteana which was new to me as too was Batia lambdella which is much larger than the more familiar B. lunaris. Six Coleophora were identified of which C. adspersella and C. artemisicolella were the most abundant with C. salinella also present. Only two species of Scrobipalpa were found, the commonest being S. nitentella but also present was one with characteristically few large spots, S. salicorniae (ex-salinella). Turned up Pediasia aridella which I have been hoping for at home but not spotted yet and two Caryocolum species marmorea and viscariella. Altogether a pleasing catch especially considering my previous very poor ones.

Eucosma conterminanaEucosma lacteanaBatia lambdella

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