Suffolk Moths Blog

A few extra migrants recorded last night at Bawdsey Hall.  Yet another Palpita vitrealis to light and single Delicate and two Scarce Bordered Straw of note – these latter two species were not recorded on the 24th.

Resident species recorded which were not noted on the previous night included: Phyllonorycter messaniella, Blastobasis lacticolella, Dark Chestnut, Black Rustic and Pink-barred Sallow.

Fingers crossed for more migrants tonight, then I am packing the traps away due to the severe gales forecast for sunday night!

Traps were out last night with good potential in South East winds. 24 Species recorded, with 2 Dark Sword-grass the highlights of the 4 possible migrants. My first Chestnut recorded and the tiny micro Phyllonorycter messaniella also seen. On the subject of dubious migrants I personally wouldn’t be counting E. angustea, the well established White-point or Turnip ever in that category, the list of common natives that could be possible migrants would be a large one!

I had an absolutely cracking night at the Bawdsey Hall traps with a big arrival of migrants which included: 3 Diamond-back Moth, 3 Crocidosema plebejana, 1 Eudonia angustea, 4 Rusty-dot Pearl, 2 Palpita vitrealis, 5 Rush Veneer, 1 female Gem, 1 Convolvulus Hawk-moth, 32 Dark Sword-grass, 3 Turnip, and 3 Silver Y.

An impressive 45 species were recorded at the lights including resident Acleris rhombana, Acleris variegana, Acleris sparsana, Epiphyas postvittana, Caloptilia semifascia, Agonopterix heracliana, Emmelina monodactyla, Streak, Mallow, Grey Pine Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Red-green Carpet, November Moth (abundant now), Feathered Thorn, Vapourer, Angle Shades, Blair’s Shoulder-knot, Beaded Chestnut, Lunar Underwing, Large Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Green-brindled Crescent, Large Wainscot, L-album Wainscot, Vine’s Rustic, Yellow-line Quaker, Red-line Quaker, Brick, White-point, Feathered Ranunculus, Satellite, Chestnut, Merveille du Jour, Brindled Green and Barred Sallow. 

Clocks going back, gales on the way, and I think the season is about done. Nice day yesterday – a tortoiseshell on the wing in the garden. Last night was mild and part-cloudy, wind southerly-ish. Should have been good, but was a bit disappointing. A few interesting things – eg l-album wainscot, grey pine carpet and a bright-line brown-eye, and a dark bush cricket (had a long-winged conehead a couple of weeks ago). Migrants included rush veneer, white-point, silver y. Not the most exciting night, and it’s going to get much quieter soon. But it’s hard to resist putting a trap on when conditions are favourable.

Nothing very exciting here either – 15 species last night – plus the biggest queen hornet I’ve ever seen. Still getting some worn setaceous hebrew character and large yellow underwing. First feathered thorn was 7th Oct; several a night now. First December moth was 21st. November moth regular. Commonest species: yellow-line quaker, green brindled crescent and beaded chestnut, but all looking worn.

Only migrants this week, 2 silver y, 2 dark sword-grass and a white-point.

Chestnut is never a numerous moth with me – one or two a night at MV. Usually in the most sheltered part of the garden (close to my ivy patch, but I’ve looked a few times and only seen one or two on the flowers!).

The Bawdsey Hall traps were graced by the presence of singles of Diamond-back Moth, Rusty-dot Pearl (rare this year here), Palpita vitrealis (incredibly yet another), Rush Veneer, Delicate and Scarce Bordered Straw last night (22nd).  Four Dark Sword-grass and two Silver made up the migrant complement.

Another Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing was a surprise!

Given the temperature didn’t drop below 15 degrees last night, my trap here was pretty empty, with 46 moths of 12 species present. Thought there might be more about but I see from the Atropos ‘flight arrivals’ blog that the same was noticed at many other sites across the country last night too. I guess its just down to the lateness of the season now, there just aren’t the species numbers out there to catch anymore (around here anyway, seems to be plenty still around Bawdsey in Matthew’s traps). Nothing unusual seen in the catch, of interest to others maybe but common here were 4 Streak. Single Setaceous hebrew character is a late record for me. Only seen 2 November moth agg. so far this year, more to come later I’m sure. Commonest moth still Chestnut with 20 seen.Were there low numbers in other people’s traps too?

Neil

Amongst the 38 species in the Bawdsey Hall traps this morning was this autumn’s first December Moth.  It looked rather incongruous with Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and Red Underwing also in the traps!

A short Ivy session last night along Red House Lane, Bawdsey was dominated by Angle Shades with over fifty seen in the torch beam.  Four Dark Sword-grass were present and smaller numbers of the usual expected species.  New on the Ivy for me was a single Crocidosema plebejana – I haven’t heard of anyone else reporting the species this autumn on Ivy?