Suffolk Moths Blog

An early start on the 4th and with great anticipation of what might unfold this night I text Matthew with the news of a Vestal already at light at 7.25pm. This particular trap had only been on for up to 5 minutes infact in the time it took me to plug in a trap just 50 metres futher down and come back again. Making my way back to the house to a trap which had been on twenty minutes I resisted the urge to give him an update as here by 7.40 was a Small Mottled Willow and a Scarce Bordered Straw! The mind boggled at what might turn up between then and dawn. A couple of further trap rounds in the evening turned up a couple more Vestals. Dawn inspection of the farthest trap revealed that it had indeed taken a specimen of Pale-lemon Sallow for which it had been placed near my largest Poplars. The third site record with annual singles since 2010 except last year. 6 Rush Veneer, a Dark Sword-grass and a few more Vestal among the catch on the trap round, but at this time of the year I recheck the traps and areas later in the day and a late morning check around the furthest trap I found Vestal number 7 in the grass. Even later at 2.30 pm when emptying the traps in preparation for the coming night I found a male Four-spotted Footman on a pile of twigs again near the furthest trap. Satellite was the only new for season. Dark Spectacle and Gold Spot seen. An abcense of Black Rustic noted although they appeared regularly before and after this date. Also the actinic hardly contributed at all as was almost empty and only added Monopis obviella to the nights total of 48 species.

The 5th and the first of three consecutive clear nights. Actinic did as well as any mv and better than one of them. It produced an L-album Wainscot which are very good records up here with 2 previously one night in September 2011 when the sole Norfolk record was taken the same night about 8 miles North of here. Also another Four-spotted Footman male at mv. Common Wainscot, Bright line Brown Eye and Nutmeg also recorded.

The 6th and I stuck to my plan with Nebb Carr at the Flixton end. Started packing up at 9pm as slow going and cool. Nothing exciting to report.

The 7th and a land mark catch. I’ve been after Convolvulus Hawk-moth for years. Doubling my traps up to four has definitely helped especially as it was the new 60w actinic Skinner that lured it. Found at dawn 12 feet from the trap on the side of a shed. Also recorded a very nice Delicate and single Vestal at Mv. Total 38 species.

The 8th; 42 species recorded including another single Vestal, 3 Dark Sword-grass, a worn Burnished Brass and Gold Spot, fresh Light Emerald and Brimstone, 12 mallow counted.

It’s been very interesting reading every ones reports and nice to see one or two more names coming up in the blogs. Quite amazing numbers of Vestal from Tony H.
However no blog from Raymond yet, perhaps he has out mothed us all put together?

Just been out to check my Ivy patch, and despite the cool windy conditions there were quite a few moths on there, clinging to the blooms for dear life! No micros or geometers not surprisingly, but the usual mix of Chestnut (55) and Yellow-line quaker moths (12). New for this year for me on the Ivy were Brick (4) and Brindled green. Why haven’t these moths turned up before I wonder? Have they been blown in?!

Neil

Of course, just as I say I’ve not caught any Large wainscot one turns up in a trap!
A few other species of note as well last night, with some migrants – Vestal (3), N. noctuella, Plutella xylostella and a Dark sword grass. I’m a bit nearer the coast and river Orwell on the east side of Ipswich, and there are less street lights around me which may be the reason I’m picking up migrants.
Resident moths still include a nice mix of the sallows, although Orange hasn’t appeared for a little while so may be over. Flounced chestnut again last night. Black rustic now seen every night, wasn’t that many years ago that this moth was a rarity in Suffolk. Same could be said for L-Album wainscot. Getting good numbers of Red-green carpet in the garden trap, 16 seen last night. In fact the garden trap is getting more moths and more variety now, probably to do with my large patch of Ivy close by. 32sp in garden trap, 25 in work-shed trap. Pebble hook tip, Willow beauty and Archips podana were a bit out of season.
Found a few larvae today too, just by chance: Yarrow pug (on Yarrow seedheads, check any patches near you now to find these), Oak eggar, Pebble prominent (on Poplar) and Maiden’s blush (larva beside my trap this morning!).
With the strong very cold north wind blowing outside, the traps are stored away until it warms up, if it does again this year!

Neil

I’m not complaining as I’ve had a pretty good year, but I was wondering if I’m the only one who’s missed out on the recent immigration excitement. I’m in Ipswich, so relatively near the coast, but in the last two weeks, in spite of trapping every night, I’ve had one Vestal, one Rush Veneer and three Diamond-back moths. I previously lived in Eye, 30 miles from the coast, and regularly did better than that in an average year. Just down to luck I guess and absolutely nothing to do with the Bawdsey blockade (I’m only jealous Matthew!).

Paul

I am a lucky chap and really appreciate what I catch.  Last night (8th Oct) produced a Cosmopolitan!  This is a moth I have only seen once before in Suffolk – at Bawdsey Manor in the vintage migrant year 2006.  I am only aware of one other county record which was from Landguard in the year 2000.  The accompanying migrants were much the same as in recent nights, so I won’t list them; though it’s worth mentioning that a Delicate was in the same trap as the loreyi.

Of the resident species, Large Wainscots are now out in some numbers at Bawdsey Hall.  53 species were noted this morning including Tachystola acroxantha – I haven’t seen for a month or so.  Most of the rest were species I have recently mentioned.

I went out looking on Ivy for an hour at East Lane, Bawdsey and recorded over 100 moths of 25 species.  The first moth I saw was a Delicate!  The species list was as follows:

Agonopterix arenella 1, Emmelina monodactyla 1, Acleris variegana 1, Epiphyas postvittana 5, Common Marbled Carpet 2, Angle Shades 50+, Dark Sword-grass 30+, Pearly Underwing 2, Delicate 1, Barred Sallow 1, Pink-barred Sallow 1, Grey Shoulder-knot 1, Large Yellow Underwing 4, Lesser Yellow Underwing 2, Beaded Chestnut 1, Setaceous Hebrew Character 2, Silver Y 3, Autumnal Rustic 1, Chestnut 2, L-album Wainscot 20, White-point 2, Brick 3, Snout 2 and Black Rustic 1.  Herald was only noted on bramble.

My trap last night was rather quiet but this is nothing too unusual for this time of year.

Species included Red-green Carpet (one of them a nice vivid green that escaped, so no photo of that), Black Rustic, L-album Wainscot, Mallow, Blair’s Shoulder-knot, Large Yellow Underwing, Pale Mottled Willow, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Caloptilia elongella, Monopis obviella, lots of Epiphyas postvittana, Acleris sparsana.

No Large Wainscot yet.

Tony

I can feel the temperature dropping. I suspect it will be a while before I get the moth trap on again, and the garden list is going to a lot shorter and more autumnal. Last night’s catch included red underwing, yellow-tail and straw dot, November moth, merveille du jour. But some migrants too: scarce bordered straw, another vestal, (making 26 in five days), a rush veneer, 2 dark sword-grass, 2 pale mottled willow, 2 white-point, 2 silver Y. In a few days time I’ll be remembering silver Ys with affection…

Since the future weather prospect doesn’t look too bright, I put the Robinson trap last night (8th October) and was delighted to find 28 species waiting for me in the morning.
The best of course was a very fresh-looking four spotted footman- a new species for me.
The rest of the haul included both large and bulrush wainscots, l-album wainscot,mallow, merveille du jour, flounced chestnut, black rustic and red-green carpet.

Found this in my garden on Sunday, on a comfrey, under a holly bush. Would anyone be able to i/d it for me please? About 2 cms length. Liz