An Autumnal feel with extras

With a prospect of windy weather for later in the week and my not being able to set the traps this evening I thought it time to take stock on the last few weeks. With the exception of one trip out to Abbey Farm on 23rd September, that was a very poor catch at only 18 species. my trapping has been at home. The ‘standard’ autumnal species have been caught though not especially diverse. Lunar Underwing, Black Rustic and Autumnal Rustic have been the commonest so far. Also have Brick, Red-line Quaker, Brown-spot Pinion, Sallow, Barred Sallow, Dusky Lemon Sallow plus a single Pale Pinion. An unusually large number of Feathered Brindle this year. Must have caught as many so far as the last 5 years altogether. Also taken one Deep-brown Dart at home but four at Abbey Farm (the only interest in that catch). A few micros still around including 3 Caloptilia species and Calybites phasianipennella, Clepsis consimilana, Crocidosema plebejana, Monopis crocicapitella and Ypsolopha sequella.

From the point of view of unseasonable species I feel it is becoming increasingly difficult to decide what is unseasonable with the continuing warm autumns, however there is a prominent ‘second’ emergence of Pediasia contaminella.  A Grey Dagger and Small Fan-footed Wave on 29th. Pempelia palumbella on 13th, Rosy Footman on 14th and a Buff Footman on 23rd. All of these were in good condition rather than having ‘survived’ from the usual time of appearance.

Immigrants have continued to arrive here at Hollesley, I have added the Scarce Bordered Straw to the list for the year, Convolvulus Hawk-moth has arrived in pairs again on two occasions. Others have been Palpita vitrealis, Gem, Vestal, Small Mottled Willow and Dark Sword-grass. The routine immigrants of Silver Y, Udea ferrugalis and Nomophila noctuella have been regular and though U. ferrugalis is down to ones and twos now the number of Nomophila is still high. Plutella xylostella is now down to countable numbers too, many of them home bred I suspect. Also of interest is Tuta absoluta. They came in as immigrants around 13th and I have taken three. Suffolk moth-ers should look out for them. They are small and very active, so need to be spotted in the trap as likely they will be the micro that gets away as you pull the egg trays out. And, it happened this late last year too; small white Blastobasis that dissect as B. adustella. I suspect these are immigrant though they could be a second brood. They are the right size for B.adustella and B. lacticolella usually has some cream/ochre tint.

This entry was posted in Sightings. Bookmark the permalink.