Suffolk Moths Blog

This was our third trip for Matthew and me and again we set up three traps, this time all Robinson MVs. Two in the ride and one in the field. 138 species were identified and with some interest but no great rarities. The pretty Peach Blossom and two Leopard moths. White Satin and Water Ermine that are flying at present. A single Clouded Buff and a Bordered Beauty. Several Garden Tiger moths around and one Cream-spot Tiger which has turned up on all three occasions. We also had the Round-winged Muslin and Dotted Fan-foot and one Grey Arches. To bring the point home that it has an established local population we counted 30 Double Darts. Amongst the micros that were quite low in numbers were Notocelia roborana, Acleris comariana, Cochylidia implicitana, Schreckensteinia festaliella and Coleophora mayrella.

The Bawdsey traps were absolutely heaving again this morning and I was somewhat overwhelmed! This has been the best period for numbers since the balmy nights of 2006.   Over 2,000 moths were light-trapped and it took two hours to sort the catch!

At least 185 species were trapped last night (15 July).

Amongst the micro-lepidoptera highlights were Blastodacna hellerella, Mompha ochraceella, Celpha rosaceana, Acrobasis repandana, Anerastia lotella, Udea Prunalis, Evergestis limbata, Evergestis extimalis and European Corn-borer (2).

A single Leopard Moth, Bordered Pug, Shaded Pug, Swallow-tailed Moth, Sharp-angled Carpet, Lesser Cream Wave, White Satin (2), Brown-tail (first of year), Marbled Brown (late example), Water Ermine (2), Garden Tiger (6), Star-wort (first of year), Archer’s Dart (first of year), Gothic (2), Bordered Sallow, Striped Wainscot, Olive (first of year), Dun-bar (3 – first of the autumn), Miller, Peach Blossom and Dark Sword-grass (1).

Highlight of last night (15th July) was a Brown Scallop, presumably a wanderer from Breckland as I am not aware of any Buckthorn around here. Other moths of note included Dingy Shears, Small Rivulet, Least Carpet, True Lover’s Knot (first record for here) and Campion.

I am running the trap every other night at the moment and recorded a Suspected on the 13th July and a Syncopacma larseniella/cinctella. I also saw a Hummingbird Hawk-moth around a window basket in the centre of Eye on the 14th.

Occasionally I decide to put in extra effort to record difficult to reach places and last night was one such occasion. It took twenty minutes to barrow my equipment, on an overgrown footpath in two loads to a site in Blundeston I had wanted to trap for years as it looked so appealing. The air heavy with the scent of Honeysuckle in a piece of Carr where there is a wooden walkway. And was it all worth it? Not really! 83 species recorded, Best macro was Privet Hawk-moth, first one for me this season. Also seen Maple Prominent. Best micro was Nascia cilialis with three seen, but I’m coming accustomed to seeing this species. There were quite a few moths but not much in variety. Hoards of Aleimma loeflingiana. I left the site at 2.30am, surprised to find a foggy journey home as there was no sign of mist at my marsh side location.

Tony and myself went along to trap the sand dune area at Southwold last night, hoping for Sand dart, a moth which has been recorded at the site a few years ago but not recently. We did try last year and failed, and, again this year we didn’t see that species. Still, some nice moths were found amongst the 59sp recorded. Highlights: Shore wainscot (common), Drinker (adults of both sexes plus a large caterpillar also found), Rosy wave (a few), Archer’s dart (common), Anerastia lotella, Bordered sallow (common), Barred yellow, Dusky brocade, Lyme grass (a few), Dotted fan foot (2), Dog’s tooth, Striped wainscot, White colon, Water ermine and Small elephant hawk. It was interesting that the best traps were placed along the top of the dune ridge, even though it was a bit breezy there, whilst the inland traps in what looked like better vegetation and out of the wind didn’t do quite as well. Quite noticeable at dusk that there did seem to be a lot of moths flying along the dune ridge.

Neil

Ran 2 traps in an area of wet Alder carr woodland on the site on Thursday night, has produced some interesting moths in previous years. Pleased to find the outside of both traps covered with moths in the morning, mainly Mottled beauty (c.35 seen), Dingy shell (c.15), Common white wave and lots of tortrix sp. Certainly the best night I’ve had this year so far for numbers of moths, but the species count still didn’t break the 100 with around 95sp noted. Moth of note included Shaded fan foot (first record for the year, over 2 weeks later than normal), Scarce silver lines, Blotched emerald, Olindia schumacheriana, Scallop shell, Bucculatrix cidarella, Nemapogon metaxella, Archips crataegana (2) and Blastodacna hellerella. Other observations of note were the good numbers of May highflyer (c.15) next to around 6 July highflyer, something I’ve not seen before. I’ve had the odd May along with Julys before but not this kind of number and not in fresh condition. Crambus lathoniellus has now been replaced with Chrysoteuchia culmella. Tortrix viridana, Aleimma loeflingana, Archips xylosteana and Gypsonoma dealbana now out in numbers.

With warm weather set to carry on hopefully moth numbers will continue to increase.

Neil

An interesting moth haul from the garden trap last night with Orange Moth, Lobster Moth, Blue-bordered Carpet, Scallop Shell, Beautiful Hook-tip, Ghost Moth, Cream-bordered Green Pea and another Purple Clay.

I came across a good colony of Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnets (30+ individuals) on Wortham Long Green yesterday around Meadow Vetchling, Red Clover and Bird’s-foot Trefoil. I have been recording odd individuals here on nearby Burgate Great Green so they probably came from Long Green.

Mark

News this week from Bawdsey Hall has been dominated by Shark moths.   A fine example of the Wormwood Shark was captured at tungsten light on Tuesday night.   In my experience, this species is rarely seen at light and more often found as a larva, so it was interesting that it was attracted to the tungsten light trap.   On Wednesday night the same trap attracted a specimen of the Shark!