Suffolk Moths Blog

Wednesday night 27 May I had only my 8th trapping session of the year and this night it was at Scale Marsh, St Olaves. I haven’t trapped at all at home this season so far and have restricted my nights, focusing on the few very best nights that have come along. The site was chosen for it’s shelter, but the wind for an hour or so to 23.30 was way stronger than I had anticipated leaving me wondering why I had bothered coming out at one stage. However, although a much smaller species total than when out with Brian, it proved very worthwhile in the end. Setting up took place under the watchful eyes of a small herd of Red Deer out on the marsh. Three traps placed along the wooded edge of the marsh and one by Monk’s Hole Pond, the latter, the actinic, shut down after the first trap round due to the strong wind at that location contributed two or three species to the 65  total count.

Firsts for year included lots of Common Marbled Carpet, also Bordered White, Pine Hawk-moth, Figure of Eighty, Small Clouded Brindle. Surprise macro of the night was a very early Silky Wainscot, my second Wainscot species of the year, unusually seen the same night as a lingering, but perfect, Hebrew Character. However despite the wind it was night of the micros, not many seen but some really good ones; Ancylis upupana, Metendothenia atropuncta and Roeslerstammia erxlebella (thanks for the id on that one Neil) were all new for the area and for me. Epinotia rubiginosana also seen and the only Pug I recorded, with several specimens, was White-spotted.

Following a poor Spring there was hope for an improvement during May. May did improve for mothing but was not especially inspiring. Advantage had to be taken of the handful of good moth nights. I have however picked up a few good catches with 6 species new to my home site at Hollesley.

The moth species started with domination by the Orthosias and Waved Umber was common here this year too. Prominents then appeared and now the Hawk-moths are around. Notably common this May have been Least Black Arches, Mullein and the 2 Spectacles. The expected moths Light Brocade and at the end of the month the Treble Lines have been dominant species amongst the macros with Aspilapteryx tringipennella abundant in the micros and turning up regularly at other sites visited too. Notocelia trimaculana turned up before the commoner N. cynosbatella this year. I was also pleased to pick up Hysterophora maculosana again this year, encouraging me to believe that it is establishing in my garden bluebells. Other catches of interest at home have been a Bordered Straw 21st, early Cameraria ohridella 15th , early Latticed Heath 16th and in the later part of the month regular Nematopogon schwarziellus that seems the commonest species of the genus here.

Six new species for my home site: Gravitarmata margarotana 10th and previously posted, Bucculatrix bechsteinella 22nd, Pseudatemelia flavifrontella, Pleurota bicostella and Eupoecilia angustana all on 24th. Then on the 25th a Cydia that proved difficult to identify. A genitalia prep proved it to be Cydia conicolana, however by looking up images on Suffolk Moths, UK Moths and Sterling and Parsons it fits C. cosmophorana much better. Norfolk moths image is off kilter. Two differing textual keyings gave different results. The genitalia are distinct.

Two other site visits are worth reporting. Up at Snape on 10th was a catch of only 31 species but had interest. Eyed Hawk-moth, Purple Thorn and Reed Dagger amongst the macros and Elachista maculicerassella common at the site and a Phyllonorycter corylifoliella. Then at Staverton Park on 22nd. A good site and a good moth night that stayed warm through the night until around 6 am when the cold air and drizzle arrived. Dispersed from the nearby Rendlesham Forest the catch included a Pine Hawk-moth, Pine Beauty and Cedestis subfasciella. An early Peppered Moth was a surprise. Pebble, Scalloped and Oak Hook-tip abound. I was delighted to pick up Roeslerstammia erxlebella last autumn however this catch picked up many examples of its Spring brood. They appeared less metallic than the Autumn ones. The site is generally good for micros. Carpatolechia proximella and Teleiodes luculella are common. Two attractive micros Eulia ministana and Ancylis mitterbacheriana also common. A number of leafminer species too; Bucculatrix ulmella, B. bechsteinella, Stigmella lapponica, S. confusella, S. continuella, S. perpygmaeella and S. samiatella.

A spell of cooler wetter and windier weather now for a while, fingers crossed for an improved summer.

The group meeting tonight (29th May) at Reydon Wood SWT Reserve is being cancelled. Given the rain this afternoon and the poor numbers of moths at last week’s meeting it is not expected to be a very productive meeting.

The daytime meeting tomorrow should still be going ahead. After spending some time at Old Broom reserve we’ll be moving on to one or more other Breck sites in the afternoon.

Tony

It would seem that last Thursday was a bit of a false start as moths have become largely absent from the garden trap once again. Last night was no exception, but the appearance of a Netted Pug (venosata comes from the word venosus, meaning marked with veins) helped raise the spirits. It is only the third time that I have recorded this species in Woolpit, the last two having both occured on the 17th May – in 2011 and 2014.

Update: Photo of last nights pug below:

Last year at this site on 20 May the tally was 118 species, so how would this season compare? A perfect night to start, the wind got up late on and spoiled the total no doubt with the best performing traps out in the open, as again, as others have reported, Chafers and bugs dominated those in the wooded areas.

Brian and I still managed 112+ species. Seraphim seen again, 4 this time. Broken-barred Carpet, Dark Spectacle Flame, Flame Wainscot, Common Lutestring, Barred Hook-tip, Light Emerald, Silver Y, Alder Kitten, Eyed,Poplar, Lime Hawk-moth among the many macros. A few A. mitterbacheriana, with A. trifasciata, Glyphipterix fuscoviridella, A. microdactyla among the micros. Best moth is probably a micro too but we must wait and see on that one as it will be going to Jon later in the year.

Friday 22nd May was forecast to be a good night for moth recording, so I went all out here at IGC with 4 traps – 2 in the garden and 2 around the worksheds (3 125w + twin 30w). Plenty of insects including good numbers of moths found in the traps in the morning for the first time this year for me. One trap running under the Oak woodland canopy had noticably less moths in but loads more chafers as seen before here. List so far for the night from all the traps just under 100sp, with a couple more idents to do. Best capture was the single Tawny shears in one of the garden traps, a new site record and species number 1200 for the IGC lepidoptera list!
Other moths of note here included: Brindled white spot, Pine beauty (still going), Argyresthia trifasciata, Alder moth (3), Red-green carpet (2), Miller, Silver Y (1, first for year), Ancylis mitterbacheriana, Seraphim (4, all different forms), Early grey (another sp still going) and Incurvaria oehlmanniella. Even though it was a warm night, some of the commoner species of moths like Treble lines, Orange footman and Heart and dart were seen in smaller quantities than I would expect for the time of year, be interesting to see if they get going more in the near future.

Neil

Tawny shears

Alder moth

I’m doing a survey of a site near Blythburgh this year and last night I put out 3 traps at the site – covering areas of reed-bed, young woodland and scrub – just over 60 species recorded. The woodland trap was full of chafers and bugs and not so many moths – I was half-expecting this having seen the numbers of chafers flying over the adjacent meadow the evening before.  Species recorded included Great Prominent, Orange Footman, Alder Moth and Yellow Belle.

The reed-bed trap turned up species more of interest – with several Flame Wainscot, Reed Dagger, a couple of  Monopis monachella, Brachmia inornatella. Also Shoulder-striped Wainscot, several May Highflyer, Aspilapteryx tringipennella and more Orange Footman.

Tony

Trapping has been dire here in Woolpit but, after last night, it looks like things are finally on the up. OK, the hoped for Striped Hawk never materialised but I did manage to record 18 species, which included a fine Poplar Kitten – only my 5th garden record.