Suffolk Moths Blog

A less windy 26th brought in 23 species along with my first Privet Hawk and three Poplar Hawks. The only other new to the site list was a fairly dark Peppered Moth. Also a picked up a second Plutella porrectella.

In common with the Dunwich experience the windy conditions reduced my garden catch to 16 moths and 12 species. Only one new for the list, a Tinea trinotella though I also got a stripy very worn Coleophora with not much chance of an ID.

I recently posted a message to say how pleased I was at having seen Micropterix tunbergella at Wolves Wood. I’ve since removed the blog following a return visit made last Wednesday and my subsequent study of the photo’s taken that evening. It’s now apparent that the moths I saw … and possibly all previous records of tunbergella at Wolves Wood … actually relate to the near identical M. mansuetella – an equally rare moth in Suffolk. It’s also interesting to note that (to date) the moth has only ever been recorded on the flowers of one hawthorn tree in the entire wood complex.

36sp recorded in my garden trap on the night of the 24th, so things are gradually getting better now some warm weather has arrived. Best moth was Lampronia fuscatella, a moth I’ve never seen before and hence is a new record for the site. Looks like a good record for the county too checking the map on the Suffolk moths site with the last sighting in the 80′s. Everything else pretty much expected species for the time of year but nice to find 5 Light brocade, a moth that has been in low numbers at this site for a few years.

Neil

Good to have my moth trap out at last here at Martlesham Heath – first time since March! I was very pleased to see 35 species in the trap and including 2 N. noctuella & 1 P. xylostella. Always good to see Pine Hawk making its first appearance and Neofaculta ericetella tested my memory once more although regular. Sandy Carpet, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Peacock, White Ermine & Small Phoenix good to see. My first Cinnabar sighting of the year too.

Been away for a few days visiting mum and dad so was hopeful of an improvement on my return but Neil’s best night only turned up 12 moths of 9 species. 4 list additions: Poplar Hawk, Pale Tussock, Lychnis and White Ermine. But last night (24th) gave an excellent count. Out of 72 moths there were 47 species and 23 were new to my list, hard work getting to grip with them all and still have 3 Tortricidae and a gelechid to identify. New to my list were: (sorry about the mixed order) Celypha lacunana, Chinese Character, Shears, Yellow Belle, Crambus lathoniella, Plutella porectella, Buff Ermine, Pebble Hook-tip, Common Swift, White Point, Coleophora albicosta, Evergestis forficalis, Least Black Arches, Pebble Prominent, Light Brocade, Mottled Rustic, Figure of Eighty and Treble Lines.

35sp noted in 2 traps last night, mainly expected species for the time of year. Two interesting records in relation to the site however – Coronet (not often seen here) and a Dark sword grass. Over 200 Chafers as well, bit of a pain really clambering all over the egg-trays disturbing the moths!

Neil

If anyone’s interested .. it may not be too late to go looking for Large Red-belted Clearwing. I was reading moth blog on ‘www.planetthanet.org’ the other night and noticed a posting which read …

“16/5/12. Afternoon visit to Blean Woods. Rather cloudy almost immediately with only short sunny spells and a surprisingly stiff breeze at times. Not really ideal, but 3 Large Red-belted Clearwings came in to the pheromones including the aberrant – flavocingulata with a yellowish white band.”

I was at Sutton Common on Sunday (for Wood Warbler) and checked a few birch stumps on my way back to the car for pupal cases, but drew a blank. I didn’t have time to try any of the other sites.