Finally caught my first Pine Hawk-moths of the season last night – two were in the traps – the eighth species of hawk-moth this year at the Hall. Convolvulus is usually a sure bet in September or October. It would be nice to catch one of the rarer ones this year!
Also caught Privet, Poplar, Eyed, Elephant and Small Elephant last night. Not had Lime for a week or so now.
Like everyone else I have been enjoying this excellent weather and last night I recorded 65+ species of macros (micros are still a work in progress with me). Highlights included Beautiful Hook-tip, Purple Clay, Slender Pug, Cream-bordered Green Pea (a good year for this species), Small Emerald, Maple Prominent, Short-cloaked Moth and Marbled White Spot.
Mark
I ran the traps at home last night, 87 species, The best for me was (see added comment). Small Elephant Hawk-moth which Brian and I have never seen in this North- east corner. It would be interesting to discover when it was last recorded in the Lothingland area. Other good moths included Water Ermine, Cream Bordered Green-pea, Southern Wainscot, Magpie, White Satin, Peach Blossom, 2 Marbled Brown still around, 3 Ghost moth, S gigantella, A beatricella. I still haven’t seen a Privet Hawk-moth this season! Migrants were Dark Sword-grass and Silver Y.
This time expecting to find Red-necked Footman but non the less focus was more out in the open than in the woodland. The three traps among trees all had at least one with a total of 5 recorded. On the night I was most impressed with the number of Common Lutestring 20 or more seen, previously all my sightings of the species added together would fall well short of this total. Amongst the catch A handful of Striped Wainscot, 3 or 4 Alder Kitten at MV. Reed Dagger and Cream Bordered Green Pea, Goldspot, Round-winged Muslin, Miller, Pinion-streaked Snout, Short-cloaked Moth, Rosy Footman, Dotted Fanfoot, S. gigantella, Nascia cilialis, European Corn-borer, Monochroa palustrellus, E. demarniana ( frequently recorded on the estate) Ancylis diminutana or geminana awaiting confirmation, either a good record.
A massive haul of moths at Bawdsey Hall this morning (153 sp identified and 5 more still to do). I didn’t bother collecting any coleophora or cnephasia, as I don’t have the time to process them, so the overall total actually exceeds 160 species which is one of my highest all time totals.
This is why I am writing a more extensive round-up! Micro-lepidoptera highlights included Argyresthia cupressella, Luquetia lobella, Bryotropha terrella, Brachmia inornatella, Mompha epilobiella, Phtheochroa inopiana, Cochylis molliculana (regular here now), Lozotaenia forsterana, Bactra furfurana, Ancylis achatana, Gypsonoma sociana, Platytes cerussella, Evergestis extimalis, Phlyctaenia coronata, Anerastia lotella, Pempelia formosa and Pima boisduvaliella.
Macros were represented by Satin Wave, male Gem (first of the year here), Barred Yellow, May Highflyer, Currant Pug, Shaded Pug, Scorched Carpet, Sharp-angled Peacock, Lilac Beauty (only second ever Bawdsey record and first since 2005), Pale Oak Beauty, Barred Red, (five sp. hawk-moths inc. Privet, Eyed, Poplar and both Elephants), Round-winged Muslin, two Garden Tigers, one Lunar Yellow Underwing, Broom Moth, six wainscots (Striped, Smoky, Mathew’s, L-album, Shoulder-striped and Silky), Alder Moth, Bird’s Wing, Small Angle Shades, Dusky Brocade, Bordered Sallow, Marbled White-spot, Dark Spectacle and Small Fan-foot.
What a night it was!!
I was out for a lunch-time walk in Tattingstone, near Alton Water during the week and spotted some blotches on Hogweed, which turned out to be due to some Epermenia chaerophylella larvae. This is the first time I’ve found this species as a larva even though I’ve kept my eyes open for it in the past. Something to look out for if you’re out and about in the current sunshine.
You may also come across the pretty tortrix Pammene aurana on the flowers of Hogweed as this is still on the wing.
Tony
The nationally rare Ethmia terminella appeared at Bawdsey Hall this morning.
I was also astonished to catch both Garden and Cream-spot Tiger moths in the same trap! I hope the Garden Tiger is still on the wing for Moth Night 2013!
Yesterday I took mesomella, the Four-dotted Footman – there aren’t many records in south Suffolk. I’ve only seen it once before at Bawdsey – back in 2008.
Took a lunchtime stroll which saw me walking back down Broom Hill in Hadleigh. Along just the one path I counted at least 70+ Burnet moths … which I’m tempted to put down as Narrow-bordered … nectaring in small groups on the emerging thistle heads. I only had my mobile with me so apologies for image quality but I hope you get the idea.
The second excursion to the Hollesley marshes by Matthew Deans and I took place on Saturday 29th June on one of the better mothing days recently. We set out three traps, all MV, with the Robinson traps in the ride amongst the reedbed and old osiers and the Skinner on the wet meadow within range of other habitats. With a total of 113 species two stood out as of particular interest.
The Double Dart (Graphiphora augur) turned up in all three traps with a total of 4 specimens indicating a healthy local population. Carpatolechia notatella was taken in one trap amongst the osiers suggesting it is established in the old osier bed.
Amongst the list were Pinion-streaked Snout, Broom, Silky Wainscot, Red-necked Footman, Platytes cerussella, Sciota adelphella, Chilo phragmitella, Schoenobius gigantella, Donacaula mucronellus, Eudonia pallida and Caryocolum marmoreum.
Late June produced a few reasonable moth nights with Saturday 29th being the best of the year so far at 133 species. Generally in line with seasonal trend but still low on the grass moths and still no Pine Hawk-moths here in this part of Suffolk. Agdistis bennetii is turning up regularly this year and Dicrorampha acuminatana common as it is established on my Ox-eye Daisy along with D. alpinana in increasing numbers. Caught the Pea Moth (Cydia nigricana) flying around the peas in my garden too which is not so welcome! A few nice additions to my site list:- Fox Moth, Pearly Underwing, Clouded Buff, Sloe Pug, Pima boisduvaliella, Aethes tesserana, Phyllocnistis xenia and Callisto denticulella. Also of note is that I regularly get Bactra furfurana which I suspect many overlook as a variant of B. lancealana.
