It’s been a long time since I’ve had a chance to write a report on the moths seen at the golf course, simply because I’ve had limited time. Various work, home and other commitments plus a couple of holidays has kept me very busy but a recent slight let-up has given me a bit of time.
This summer so far has been pretty poor for moths in my opinion, with only a few nights with what I would call good catches. With high pressure being dominant this summer, the days have been warm and sunny but the nights have been clear, not good for decent catches especially when the moon starts to get bright. Coupled with the drought affecting flowers and moth food-plants I can’t see things improving and I even think 2019 could be bad as the larvae of next year’s moths have very little to eat!
There have been a few highlights seen here however, including new species. First, I found a Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella on the outside of my kitchen window on 9th May. Not too far away is a large clump of Honeysuckle, the foodplant, so I guess it came from there. Probably an overlooked resident species. Then, on one of the only really good moth nights this summer on the 1st June I found a superb Agrotera nemoralis amongst the hordes of common species. Just slightly worn, was a most welcome record. Coincided with another record away from the breeding areas in the UK so could have been a migrant or dispersive individual. On 1st July found the final new species for the period covered here, an Obscure wainscot. Again, could be a migrant or dispersive individual, following on from Matthew’s sighting in June.
Due to the large period covered I’ll only list a few other interesting observations (there haven’t been many anyway). Dog’s tooth (11th May, less than annual here), Broom-tip (15th May), White colon (3 records in June, all different ones – only 3 previous records in 3 different years so best year ever), Cream-spot tiger (rare here so good to get 2 records), Nemophora fasciella (male found dead in greenhouse in June), Red-belted clearwing (2 to pheromone on 23rd June), Garden dart (28th June), Plain pug (1st July, second site record). Caught a strange form of Heart and Dart too with all the dark scales colourless (see photo). Also has been regular sightings of Evergestis limbata so probably breeding and OK numbers of Shaded fan-foot and Vitula biviella.
With the lack of much moth news (apart from Matthew who always seems to do well compared to the rest of us!) I’m guessing other people have been struggling too.
Hopefully the rest of the summer will buck the recent trend of poor catches and we will get some rain, we are certainly pretty desperate for it now at the site.
Neil
Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella
Agrotera nemoralis
Obscure wainscot
White colon
Weird Heart & Dart
Yes this year seems to have been bad so far for the environment as a whole, birds, plants and insects. Big catches have been low in diversity and species counts haven’t reached the peak numbers of other years. There have been a few goodies amongst them though. Matthew does well because of the location and the high number of traps he uses. I am sure you would do as well if you had the traps and persistence. You have a good site. I have a good location too. I am building a new type of light that I hope may be the answer to a MV replacement. Have you come across COB LED? I might be disappointed but it is worth a go.
Yes I have noticed too that there have been big catches but it has tended to be mostly common species, not a great number scarce or rare moths, especially micros. May be to do with the drought conditions.
I do have a number of traps would certainly run more each night, but the biggest factor for me without doubt is time. With the working day starting at 6am for me I would have to be up extremely early to either sort or just close up my traps for checking later. I can just manage 2 at a push at present. I like to record my traps as thoroughly as I can rather than just noting the scarce and rares, as records of common things are just as important in my view. With the current heatwave it is possible I may be starting work at 5am to avoid the heat of the day so that will give me even less time!
Not heard of a Cob LED. I know a few people are trying out LED lights for moths, not sure on the success rate of these at present. Be worth posting how you get on once you try the light.
My best night of the year so far was Tuesday 10th July on one of my Waveney Valley sites and on one of the very few nights we have had a good thick layer of cloud. I was joined by a couple of the Norfolk lads who particularly were hoping to see Shaded Fan-foot and it was a great help that they were with me to sort through a large catch of 221 species. This included site regulars such as Spinach, Balsam Carpet, Phoenix (15) Shaded fan-foot (5) and over 100 V-moth. Other good macros were Dotted Footman, Minor Shoulder-knot, Blackneck and White-mantled Wainscot (all new site records). The micro list was also impressive with Agonopterix angelicella, Monochroa cytistella, Monochroa palustrellus, Gelechia sororculella, Gynnidomorpha alismana (new site record), Apotomis lineana, Epinotia cruciana (25) Catoptria verellus (3) and Nyctegretis lineana (new site record) among some of the more interesting. Twelve new site records and 4 Rdb species in the catch was a successful nights recording and everyone went home having seen all they wanted too and much more. One of the lads who has been mothing a good number of years added 13 new species to his ‘life list’. But this one good evening with over 1100 moths counted in the catch has been the exception rather than the rule this summer. Most of the others have been average numbers without anything outstanding.
Looks like your catch is likely to be the best of the year Brian. Was it in Suffolk?
One of my catches has just made the 200 species but I usually get several over the 200 per year.