Suffolk Moths Blog

Ran 2 traps in an area of wet woodland and fen at IGC last night. Some notable species for the site seen and included the following: Dark spectacle, Ghost swift (3, 1 male 2 Females, few records here), Shaded fan foot, Caloptilia stigmatella, Orange moth (2nd site record, in the same area as the last one so maybe a small colony is present. Moth worn unfortunately!), Coleophora albitarsella and Phalonidia manniana. Also first records for year of Large emerald and Privet hawk. Just under 100sp.

I see that others are reporting ‘huge’ catches. This doesn’t seem to be the case here at IGC in my experience (having trapped this site for over 15 years). I would still say numbers of moths and species are way below where they should be for the time of year given the perfect conditions we have been getting recently. Normally after a warm night I would walk up to a trap with its sheet underneath covered with moths and this is not the case. Maybe it is just local fluctuations and the moths near me have been hit particularly hard by the weather. I would be interested to know if other recorders who have trapped their sites for a number of years are finding the same.
As an example I would normally be seeing over 100 individuals of Chysoteuchia culmella each night on average, this year I’m only getting a handful.
If I run lights tonight be interesting to see if the trend continues, with thundery conditions predicted could well be very good if the rain holds off until I get the traps in!

Neil

An enormous catch of moths at Bawdsey overnight in the sultry, humid conditions. Micros included: Argyresthia cupressella (many), the adventive Tachystola acroxantha, Metzneria lappella, Monochroa palustrella, Helcystogramma rufescens, Lozotaeniodes formosanus, the stunning Epiblema foenella, the exquisite Catoptria pinella, Evergestis extimalis, European Corn-borer (2), Phlyctaenia perlucidalis, Orthopygia glaucinalis, Pempelia formosa and Myelois circumvoluta.

Amongst the macros were Buff Arches, Dwarf Cream Wave, Small Dusty Wave, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Barred Straw, Small Phoenix, May Highflyer, Foxglove Pug, Scalloped Oak, Barred Red, White Satin (2), Dingy Footman, Short-cloaked Moth, Clay, L-album Wainscot (4), Bird’s Wing, Cream-bordered Green Pea (2) and singles of Fan-foot, Shaded Fan-foot and Dotted Fan-foot.

The only migrants were a single Diamond-back Moth and six Silver Y.

Had a couple of L-album Wainscot in the garden trap last night. Along with a Small Ranunculus.

Brought me 93 species with 14 new to my list: Marbled Clover, Lunar-spotted Pinion, Sycamore, Southern Wainscot, Scalloped Oak, a female Ghost, Agonopterix yeatiana, Eana incanana, Endothenia marginana, Cataclysta lemnata and Ephestia parasitella. Also of interest is regular Pexicopia malvella. Clearly well established on the Hollyhocks in my garden.

Would you believe it – having never seen this species before I’ve now managed to find it at 2 locations in 3 days! Both a male and a female found at Shingle Street today (4th) within yards of each other. The first, a female was found easily at waist height. The male was found resting deep in the vegetation on dead nettle only a foot off the ground. Whilst accepting that this is a known scarcity even so, perhaps this hidden low position of the male is another indication of why this moth is so difficult to find.

Steve G

Highlights from my traps from last few days include: Barred red (green form), Acleris logiana, Blotched emerald, Capperia britanniodactyla, Lilac beauty, Gold swift, Shaded fan foot (3), Southern wainscot, Archips crataegana (3rd site record). Also first Scalloped oak for year. Moderate numbers of moths caught, as has been the pattern so far this year. Surprisingly no records of things like Dun bar, C. repandana or Large emerald yet, normally very common moths for me at this time of year. Maybe this shows the season is running later and the real peak of moths is yet to come, we can only hope so!

Neil

A late morning walk at Waldringfield on 2nd July – a location I had not visited for more than a year soon found me enthralled by this most beautiful moth. I was passing a hedgerow when this sparkling moth caught my eye. I was soon taking pics of this gem of an insect which on my return home, I was able to identify as a female N. fasciella.

Referring to The Moths Of Suffolk web-site, I found as expected that it was classified as nationally scarce. Also, I found that what I had passed off as Red dead-nettle was indeed the food-plant, Black Horehound (Ballota nigra).  Neil tells me that it is also a BAP species. 

So, a good trip out and to think, I could have chosen to go anywhere!  Although the records seem to show that it is seldom found, I am now spurred on to look for more.

Steve G

Although a week ago now and with those lovely warm nights behind us here are some moths of possible interest for the night of 26 June with the first 3 being new for the Heath: Cedestis gysselenniella, Brachmia inornatella, Aethes cnicana, Psyche casta (new for garden but not Heath), Festoon, Bryotropha affinis, Bryotropha terrella, Clavigestis purdeyi, Anania verbascalis, Pempelia palumbella (3) & Silver Y. What B. inornatella was doing in my heathland garden I don’t know being a wetland species and scarce at that! However, in identifying a number of these species for me (thank you again, Neil), Neil told me that he first found it at his site last year and it now appears to be resident. Perhaps this species is having a good year having wandered my way!

Steve G

For me the catch of the 27th was huge. I had 149 species with 48 of them new to my site list. Whilst judging from one of Neil’s recent posts 149 is perhaps not exceptional for the time of year it has been hard work for me identifying the new ones whilst I am still getting to know the moths of the area. Many were additions of common species but some not so. I had a surfit of Hawk-moths at 20 of 5 species but also many micros. I still have one outstanding. This is a small (18mm span) plume with white forewings and dark cilia with dark hindwings and cilia. It appears to be a Scarce Goldenrod Plume and I hope to confirm this with a dissection. But it is female and I shall wait until it is off the board before tackling this.
As for the new to my list these are: Dwarf Cream Wave, Barred Yellow, Dingy Shell, Small Yellow Wave, Peacock, Sallow Kitten, Rosy Footman, Red-necked Footman, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Dot Moth, Small Angle Shades, Marbled White Spot, Fan-foot, Ectoedemia albifasciella, Stigmella svenssoni, Parornix betulae, Phyllonorycter dubitella, Argyresthia cupressella, Argyresthia brockeella, Argyresthia curvella, Coleophora atriplicis, Metzneria lappella, Bryotropha affinis, Pexicopia malvella, Acompsia cinerella, Brachmia blandella, Cochylis hybridella, Archips podana, Cnephasia longana, Cnephasia genitalana, Aleimma loeflingiana, Tortrix viridana, Gypsonoma sociana, Notocelia uddmanniana, Pammene regiana, Cydia amplana, Catoptria pinella, Schoenobius gigantella, Eudonia mercurella, Evergestis extimalis, Pyrausta aurata, Phlyctaenia perlucidalis, Rhodophaea formosa, Dioryctria sylvestrella, Myelois circumvoluta, Euzophera pinguis, and Phycitodes binaevella.
The much lesser catch of 30th June brought in a Bordered Straw, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Clay, Barred Straw and Thiodia citrana new to the site list. Whilst the 1st July added Grey Dagger, Metzneria metzneriella, Exoteleia dodecella, Epiblema foenella and Evergestis limbata to my site list. Wet evenings and nights now and the forecast is mixed.