Suffolk Moths Blog

I trapped a typical form Box Tree moth Cydalima perspectalis last night (7th September) in my garden MV. My first site record of this species and I’m sure it won’t be the last going on the sightings of this moth in London for example that I’ve seen on the web recently.
I know that Matthew has taken this moth at Bawdsey both last year and this year and I was wondering if there have been any other sightings in Suffolk by other recorders. I believe Tony is planning to write an article on this moth for the Butterfly conservation local branch newsletter so any other records will be important to report.
This blog is also going out as a warning to watch out for the moth, especially in the Ipswich area as there will be plenty of foodplant for it in the urban landscape. Coincidentally I do have a small Box bush in my mixed hedge, did it draw the moth in?

Neil

The IGC Box tree moth

Just catching at home during this period and with moth numbers relatively low though there are immigrants around. Shall probably branch out a little locally to try and capture the Butterbur that is in flight now.

Setaceous Hebrew Character seems to have taken its place as the most abundant moth species recently replacing a short lived peak of Turnip. As others have reported the Latticed Heath has been common as too has the Brimstone here. Also been catching a few Small Dusty Wave at light as I did last autumn. A moth that is often thought not to come to light does seem to do so during late summer/autumn. Also taken 2 Old Ladys at light too. Some interest in second brood emergence of Chrysoteuchia culmella, Heart and Dart, White Ermine and Buff Ermine. Cypress Pug turns up in low numbers regularly and Ancylosis oblitella is still going strong with another Pyrale , Nyctegretis lineana as a first for me. Three specimens caught so far. It has been a very good year for this family for me.

Immigrants have been regulars in this period. Short of listing them, I have not taken anything exceptional, but in common with others the Scarce Bordered Straw has been particularly common, very few Plutella xylostella and only one Vestal so far but also one Evergestis limbata that I put down as an immigrant individual. The reason being that I saw a local second brood some considerable time back.

To coin a birding phrase, last nights seemingly unpromising clear skies delivered a classic migrant moth in the form of a single Scarce Bordered Straw. It has been eleven years since this species last graced the garden trap – in the classic autumn of 2006 when I took six individuals between 11 Sept and 21 Oct. Otherwise, things have been pretty mundane with just two sightings of Rush Veneer, the odd Latticed Heath and a Hummingbird Hawk seen briefly nectaring in the garden on the evening of 23 Aug. As others may have reported elsewhere, Square-spot and Flounced Rustic are thin on the ground, while Set’ Hebrew Character seems to be doing quite well.

August has primarily been a disappointing month at IGC for moths. The start of the month saw a massive decline in catches due to poor weather. On top of this some work and family commitments reduced trapping opportunities. Moth numbers improved later from 20th onwards, with a very big catch of moths of 117sp on the 21st, a very high total for the time of year here. Interest has been limited though, with fewer scarce species recorded and hardly any migrants. What has been good has been the strong second brood showing of some moths, including Light emerald (150+ on the 21st for example), Brimstone, both peacock species and the prominents (especially Maple). Be interesting to see if others have noticed this too. All down to the better weather earlier in the summer.
Macros to comment on included the following. Sandhill rustic (second site record on the 14th), Square-spotted clay (17th), Leopard (a late record on 23rd), Tree-lichen beauty (numbers still increasing year on year), Latticed heath (seen most nights later in the month with a high of 25 on the 17th), Yellow-legged clearwing (female found in polytunnel on the 18th, the 5th record at least this year), Satin wave (good numbers of second brood), Dusky thorn (a few), Vestal (7th, 21st and one seen by day on the 14th). Common wainscot has been around in better numbers this year, it’s best season for some while.
The micros have been of more interest during the month. Best record was Cochylis molliculana on the 16th, the only new site record for the site, a long expected arrival of this quite common species on the coast. Was always going to take some time to arrive at IGC as there are only 2 specimens of the food-plant Bristly ox-tongue on the whole site! Another was caught on the 21st. Others seen: Cydia amplana (7th – 2, 21st – probably local bred specimens rather than migrants), Ypsolopha alpella (14th), Stenolechia gemmella (regular), Anania verbascalis (a late record on the 17th), Nephopterix angustella (20th), Eucosma tripoliana (22nd), Ocnerostoma friesei (22nd) and Ptocheuusa paupella (21st and 28th, the 3rd and 4th site records).
An interesting beetle was found in the traps on the 8th – a Hornet rove beetle. This distinctive large black species normally lives inside Hornet nests and is known to be drawn to moth lights. First time I’ve seen it.

Neil

Latticed heath

Sandhill rustic

Cochylis molliculana

Ptocheuusa paupella

Hornet rove beetle

A very quiet August here near Halesworth. No migrants until the last week or so when things kicked off with a flurry of migrant hawker dragonflies and a couple of painted ladies in the garden, but no hummers or even Silver Ys. Nothing unexpected in the garden MV. Over the last week I’ve had 7 scarce bordered straws, a few rush veneer and dark sword-grass, and yesterday morning (27th) a small mottled willow.

Took the grandchildren down to Southwold beach yesterday and found a cypress pug sitting on the toilet-block window. Not sure how excited I should be about this but I thought I’d share it with you; over the years, toilet blocks (i.e. their lights!) seem to have figured large in my moth-hunting adventures.

Tony H.

I managed to get transport out to Havergate Island on a good night for estuarine moths. It is always a pleasure to be there. In part because the weather will be calm when I request the opportunity and allows me to enjoy the hares and this time also a Chinese Water Deer that are relatively unconcerned by the human presence. The diversity of moth species is not high but the interest is. Species count of 94. In addition to salt-marsh and vegetated shingle the island also has gorse so Pempelia genistella and Epinotia ulicetana were captured. Coleophora albicosta has been captured earlier in the year. Yellow Belle is generally common and amongst the macros on this occasion the Sandhill Rustic was abundant. Also spotted one Flounced Rustic. The Ground Lackey and Rosy Wave were present. Wanderers add to the site list. The catch of micro moths was huge and the catch took some considerable time to sort. Further identification by dissection was also necessary on specimens returned home.

The catch of salt-marsh Scrobipalpa species was excellent and I have photoed the salt-marsh species recorded. Photography is not my speciality so please excuse some of the lack-lustre images. However the Scrobipalpa show the characteristic markings of the species concerned. Perhaps the poorest represented is S. ocellatella where the two ‘eye-spots’ are far clearer earlier in the season. Click on the image to enlarge them. S. acumiatella (not salt-marsh specific) was also captured.

I have also photoed three Clepsis spectrana. This species is common on the island and exceptionally variable. In addition to those photoed it also occurs as a completely unmarked cream colour with some darker shading towards the head rather like Aphelia paleana except that the shading is fuscous. Coleophora species were less diverse than the Scrobipalpa with C. salinella being abundant plus versurella, saxicolella, salicorniae and a single Coleophora aestuariella. This is a second record for Suffolk not a first as I originally posted. Several Lobesia littoralis, a regular, on this occasion. Three Caryocolum species that I have recorded previously were C. marmorea, vicinella and viscariella. Lots of Eucosma lacteana, a few E. obumbratana and one E. tripoliana. Of the cochylids there was Cochylis molliculana, hybridella and atricapitana. Cocylidia implicitana was abundant and Phalonidia affinitana less so but annoyingly I have yet to record Gynnidomorpha vectisana on the island. It should be there. Also photoed is Monopis monachella which is a constant feature on the coast and Endothenia oblongana which is a small tortricid moth that should be recorded more frequently that it appears. The larvae feed on the roots of plantain so there should not be an issue with its distribution on that score.

Being coastal there were also immigrants, Convolvulus Hawk-moth, Silver Y, Nomophila noctuella and Plutella xylostella.