The highs and lows of August at IGC.

Metrological summer is now over so here is my review on August at IGC. A very dry month with little rain and quite a lot of sunshine. Season still appeared to be running late following the trend in July. Some good nights for moths, but others truly awful with clear skies and a bright moon, particularly in the third week. Average of 30 species noted then!  Best night the 5th, 131sp noted in the garden with some interest. Cydia amplana (2), Tree-lichen beauty (8 seen), Acrobasis tumidana, Marbled green, Caloptilia semifascia, Leucoptera laburnella (second site record) and Scrobipalpa atriplicella (2nd site record) all found that night of note for here. Another good night later in the month on the 25th, when warm winds from the south made for a great catch of 119 species. Almost the first moth seen on the side of the trap at daybreak was a Rest harrow, a rare migrant in Suffolk with only a few records. Moth of the month for me as it was a UK tick and a first site record. Seen next sitting close by on the sheet under the trap was a Vestal, what a combination! Also present in the very full traps was a Nephopterix angustella (3rd site record, almost certainly a migrant with no foodplant close by).

Other notables seen during the month include: Caloptilia cuculipennella (already reported in an earlier blog, a new site record), Bulrush wainscot (6th), Beautiful yellow underwing (2 records), Dark spinach (11th), Cydia amplana (in addition to the record above also noted on 12th, 14th and 24th – with few others reported at the time is it breeding locally?), Grass emerald (24th), Crambus hamella (24th, 25th (2) and 31st, first records for a few years), Celypha rosaceana (2nd site record 24th), Vestal (another on the 27th following the first on the 25th), Birch mocha (31st), Streak (31st, an early-ish sighting here).

Signs of the season moving on towards the end of the month with Hedge rustic first noted on the 23rd, Feathered gothic on the 31st (2) and Heath rustic also on the 31st (2).

What of the winners and losers? Winners this month included Tree-lichen beauty, Dusky thorn, Antler, Maiden’s blush but especially Light emerald and Brimstone. Losers included most of the underwings, Black arches, Square-spot rustic, Common wainscot (only 2 seen) but especially Lesser yellow underwing with less than 10 seen all month. Wetland moths seemed low too, maybe because they didn’t wander away from the habitat as it wasn’t warm enough. Generally despite a few good nights I would agree with Tony, feels a poor summer for moths. Will have to see if the data bears this out once all my records are entered.

Neil

Rest harrow (female)

Rest harrow (female)

Crambus hamella

Crambus hamella

Celypha rosaceana

Celypha rosaceana

Heath rustic

Heath rustic

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3 Responses to The highs and lows of August at IGC.

  1. Paul Kitchener says:

    Hi Neil,

    Do you ever get Beautiful Yellow Underwing coming to light? The reason I ask is that one came to my 125W MV Robinson trap at Dunwich recently and that really surprised me.
    I had another C. cuculipennella at home recently and also a Crambus hamella which was a first for the garden.

    Paul

  2. Neil says:

    Both the sightings I had of the underwing Paul were at light, in fact I see it in traps every year here. Also see it too in the daytime, probably more commonly.
    Crambus hamella has had a good year, I see from the Norfolk Moths site it has been found at many places there.

  3. Raymond Watson says:

    Cydia amplana definitely seems to be established as a resident in the Ipswich area. I regularly get Nephopterix angustella and don’t consider it as a migrant. It is double brooded with me. Congratulations on the Rest Harrow. I have been inundated with Setaceous Hebrew Character and Large Yellow Underwing recently.

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