Saw 3 Light orange underwing at Wolves wood this afternoon, all at the eastern end of the site along the regular ride. All were flying around rapidly in the warm sunshine. Also my first sightings of Green-veined white and Orange tip (female) butterflies for the year, plus Comma and Peacock.
Neil
Following on from Keith’s record of Angle shades, I caught one last night (30th), my earliest ever record of an adult. Not much else to report, low numbers of the usual common species.
Neil
Neil and myself popped down to Bawdsey Marsh last night and ran three lights out on the saltmarsh for a couple of hours. It was a little on the cool side and a gentle onshore breeze didn’t help too much.
Running the sheet near to the wooded area of the car park turned out to be a good idea as the two lights run out on the main area of saltmarsh had less than a handle of moths in them. At the sheet we had better success with a collection of Orthosias – Hebrew Character, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, Small Quaker and Twin-spotted Quaker. Other moths recorded at light included Red Chesnut, Engrailed and March Moth.
We had a couple of larval records – some Scrobipalpa instabilella mines on Sea Purslane found before setting up the lights and a Square-spot Rustic larva found by torchlight.
However, there was no sign of the target for the night – Northern Drab. We’ll have to try again.
Tony
A bit warmer last night after quite a few cold nights with frosts at IGC, but nothing exciting to report in the trap I ran. First Eriocrania subpurpurella for the year the only thing of note from 11sp.
Did see 2 Orange underwing today in the sunny weather that did make up for the poor night’s catch a bit, especially as one was fluttering around close to the ground looking for moisture on some damp grass. If the sunny weather continues it will be worth checking areas of Birch for this species.
I suspect the very warm daytime temperatures are causing later season moths to emerge. All that’s required is a warm night for them to get about. I had an Angle Shades at the kitchen window last evening! I think I will trap for a couple of hours tonight and see what is about! Am averaging two Butterflies a day here on favourable days with Comma on the 26th the most recent addition making four species. The first being Red Admiral on the 8th. Others Peacock and Small Tortoishell.
An unusual find today, resting on an outside window pane, was Choreutis pariana – Apple Leaf Skeletoniser. Flight period is listed as July & September, so this must be one that has overwintered.
Ran a couple of traps this evening more out of hope than anything. The thermometer showed 11 degrees at 8pm, but with clear skies it had dropped to 4 degrees by 10pm. Just over 100 moths trapped of 13 species of the usual ones for early spring, with just Brindled Beauty and Early Thorn being new for the year.
Brian
This is a technique for finding the larval cases of some of our longhorn moths that I was shown by Ian Sims at a British Entomological and Natural History Society meeting last autumn. Some of the longhorn moths will be quite familiar – the swarms of Adela reaumurella that fly on sunny spring days are a common sight around the county and Nemophora degeerella is also relatively common although more usually encountered in ones or twos.
 Nemophora degeerella |
 Adela reaumurella |
The larvae of these and related species feed as larvae in amongst the leaf-litter, forming neat cases from fragments of dead leaves. They occur as larvae generally from summer through to spring of the following year and the cases are probably best searched for in late winter and early spring when they are larger and easier to spot.
Searching for these larval cases is quite simple and involves the minimum of equipment, which is a white sheet, say 4′ x 3′ in size, a garden sieve, a plastic brushpan and some pots.
 Plenty of leaf litter |
 Equipment needed |
Once you have your equipment find a patch under some trees/shrubs that has a good amount of leaf-litter. Spread the sheet out on the ground, put the sieve on it and then use the brushpan to scoop up some leaf-litter. Then gently shake the sieve over the sheet, spreading the sievings out over the entire sheet. Then it’s a matter of looking closely and trying to spot some of the larval cases.
 Sieve of leaf-litter |
 Sieved leaf-litter |
 Larval case in leaf-litter |
 Larval case |
Once you have found some cases you can pop them in a pot with some of the leaf litter or put all the sievings into a larger pot. Keep in an airy container with occasional sprays of water to dampen things down a bit if they get dry. Then it’s wait and see what hatches out in spring and early summer.
Although, its getting a little late for this technique this year you may still have some luck. However, it may be of more interest during winter-time when there isn’t so much in the way of field work to be done.
Tony
I popped along to Wolves Wood on Sunday afternoon (25th March) and saw three adults flitting around in the sunshine in the eastern part of the wood.
Mark Nowers, the warden, would like all details of adults seen this year, including any visits where none are seen. You can send the information to me if you want and I can then send it on to Mark.
Tony
Numbers of Small quaker continue to rise here in Ipswich, although I did have 2 traps out which certainly boosted the total. 463 recorded, again smashing the record for one night here. I do remember whilst beating Oak last year that large numbers of Small quaker caterpillars were found, now I’m seeing the result! Low numbers of the other Orthosias however, especially Hebrew character which is only being recorded in single figures at present. Yellow horned and Small brindled beauty on the way down now, only 2 seen of each. Other notables Diurnea fagella (14), Oak beauty (5 including a very dark one) and Brindled pug (1).
Neil
Final reminder that it’s the indoor meeting this Saturday at Bucklesham Village Hall from 2.00pm onwards, or 12.00pm if you’re going to the pub beforehand. Don’t forget your exhibits and/or presentations! Further details here.
Tony
