A round up of my catches over the first half of July in this superb mothing year. Apart from catches at home I visited Captain’s Wood on 7th and The Patch on 14th. The Captain’s Wood catch was good at around 200 species where I picked up my first Broom-tip in Suffolk and a second site for me for Cedestis gysseneliella. The sorting was somewhat irritated by swarming gall wasps for-ever tickling and irritating especially in the hair. Otherwise the catch was average but up to the current standard.
I got my first White-mantled Wainscot at home on 19th that I put down to a wanderer from the established population on Hollesley Marshes however I then captured one at The Patch on 14th. The species may well be resident there as the habitat is suitable.
A first for year of Blastobasis adustella at home on 6th, ffy Marbled Green at The Patch on 14th. My second Catoptria verellus this year at home on 8th. My first coincided with one caught by Matthew and a few others coming into the country but I think the second was a wanderer from The Patch where I caught 2 on 14th. Looking back on last years records of this species I suspect at least one of them was also a wanderer from The Patch now I am aware of it’s presence there. It has been a good year for catching Pyralidae for me. Apart from the regulars Cryptoblabes bistriga is a routine at The Patch with an enormous amount of variation. I take it occasionally at home. Also at The Patch is Assara terrebrella with a few also turning up at home. At home a lot of Pempelia palumbella now tailing off, a couple of Pempelia genistella and Gymnancyla canella that are found on the coast. At The patch the Twin-spot Carpet has turned up in two catches (a rarity at home). The Large Emerald is a regular there as is the Suspected and a Gothic on 14th. Two species abundant there at present are Thiotricha subocellea without doubt feeding on the Water-mint and Adaina microdactyla. The Hemp Agrimony is there in abundance for it. There is still a plume from The Patch to identify. I have had good catches of plume moths at home too. 2 Merrifieldia baliodactylus on 3rd and one (possible recapture) on 6th and the lovely Cnaenidophorus rhododactyla on 8th. For the third year running now at home I have captured Agonopterix curvipunctosa and less rare but interesting Bryotropha basaltinella. Nice to find a couple of Acleris schalleriana and also on 14th an A. kochiella. Lots of Silver Y recently along with ever greater numbers of Nutmeg and a few Dark Sword-grass. They report a possible long distance migrant invasion for Tuesday. We shall see.