Moths 20th June 2013

A really nice selection in the moth trap this morning with some nice big fluffy ones for the kids to appreciate. The first Pine Hawk-moth for the garden was particularly well received:

 Pine Hawk-moth

 The Sycamore

 White Ermine

 Peppered Moth

I was most pleased with the next moth as I'm not sure I've ever actually pulled one out of my own trap before, just a shame it was a bit tatty. I thought it might be interesting to show how the colours change when photographed in the shade and in direct sunlight.

 Bird's Wing

 Dagger agg

 Foxglove Pug

Eudonia mercurella

Moths 18th June 2013 - more micros

Another half decent haul in the trap but nothing new on the macro moth front so had to settle for a couple of new micros for the year.

As ever, loads of time spent peering down the microscope and looking on the internet trying to determine a correct id - probably! The wonderfully named "Bird-dropping Tortrix Moths of the British Isles" by Clifton & Wheeler is always a great resource too and is the best laid out moth guide available I believe http://www.angleps.com/books.php

 Hedya pruniana

The next moth derives it's scientific name from the whitish streak along the costa, or forewing edge. The larva feed on gorse, of which there is plenty around here.

Coleophora albicosta

Moths 17th June 2013

By far and away the best night of the year so far with 152 moths of 36 species including some good micros. 

Nice to be getting the below species on a fairly regular basis in the moth trap. 

 Orange Footman

Another species which I don't think I've seen that many times before is this:

 Sharp-angled Peacock

 Small Yellow Wave

The next species shown is always a bit of a nightmare and I think I've got it right!

 Dusky Brocade

 Green Pug

Another species which I can't recall seeing that many of before:

 Marbled White Spot

Most Common Marbled Carpet I've been seeing down here have been dark ones so this individual threw me a swerve ball for a couple of minutes until the penny dropped.

 Common Marbled Carpet

Up until 2010 there had only been two records of the following micro but I suspect there's been plenty more since as has been witnessed elsewhere nationally.

Argyresthia cupressella 

As per the previous species this next one is surely under-recorded with only 4 records up to 2010

 Argyresthia trifasciata

Another tricky family of micros but I think the id is correct:

 Bactra lancealana

Pandemis cerasana Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix

I do like a nice Caloptilia, at least you can work the family out quick enough!

 Caloptilia azaleella

Cryptoblabes bistriga

Moths 10th June

A decent catch at home with 64 moths of 25 species but still not as good as it should be and not an awful lot to get excited about. A couple of highlights below:

 Scalloped Hazel

 Clouded-bordered Brindle

As Mumsy and Duffy were down for the weekend myself and Dr D went off to do a bit of sweeping on some chalk grassland in the afternoon but it was hard going with quite a stiff breeze and low temperature.
Only 5 species of moth were found as well as three species of Butterfly. On the bird front it was nice to hear a singing Yellowhammer.

 Adela fibulella

 Dingy Skipper

With news of a rather splendidly plumaged male Ruff on my patch at Swineham we headed off out again after dinner. The resplendent Ruff was soon located and this species is apparently not always an easy one to get in Poole Harbour so it was good to catch up with it. There wasn't an awful lot else to be seen so we carried on out to the point to carry out a bit more sweeping. As with elsewhere it seemed pretty quiet but we caught 30 or so of a micro we didn't recognise so we potted a couple up to id once home. They appear to be Bucculatrix maritima of which only 18 individuals have ever been recorded in Dorset so it seems it is well overlooked.

 Bucculatrix maritima

Otherwise we caught just 2 Elachista argentella and a Coleophora sp.

On reaching the line of bushes between the point and the pits I noticed a rather pretty little moth and swiftly potted it up. Photos of the stunner below.

Eulia ministrana

No moths were harmed in the taking of these photos and they were returned home safely.

Moths - 4th June 2013

A few new moths for the year in the garden but numbers still very low except for 15 Shuttle-shaped Dart

 Least Black Arches

Lychnis

 Cacoecimorpha pronubana or Carnation Tortrix

Tinea trinotella

If only all micros were as easy as this last one to identify!

A long awaited new moth

Trapping back at home on the night of the 3rd of June was quite productive with a total of 47 moth of 25 species, pick of the bunch was this Narrow-winged Pug

Narrow-winged Pug

However, I had to wait until the evening for something I've wanted to see since I was a young lad. A friend had let me know that he had bred a Broad Bordered Bee Hawk Moth from a larva he had found and that he was going to release it back from the same area. This was only about 20 mins from home so with the children in tow we headed off early evening. I won't go into the ethics of "ticking" such a moth because I don't really care too much as it's on my list!!

Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth

Once again William was a very happy bunny too and loves the fact that he's seen something that I've had to wait until now to see and he's only ten. Claira (5) was also entranced and insightfully stated that it looked just like a bee as it flew off.

So, Swallowtail on Monday, Broad-bordered Bee Hawk moth on Tuesday, was my son grateful for seeing these two delightful creatures - well yes he was but he also said what have you got lined up for tomorrow? Death's-head Hawk-moth?? I wish!!!

Norfolk leps

Well it's been a while...

I'll post some stuff soon about the great trip to India back in April as and when I get round to processing some photos but in the meantime here are some moths from a few days in north Norfolk in early June. It was Dr Duff's (step-dad) 60th birthday so we all went up for a bit of a do which was attended by some of Norfolk's finest, but thankfully none of the Norfolk mafia!

It was blooming cold with the temperature around the 14c mark but with a strong northerly it felt a lot colder.
Anyway, a few moths braved it out and here's a selection from the the trap in the West Runton garden from the 1st of June.

 Campion

 Light Brocade

 Esperia sulphurella

 Nemapogon cloacella or Cork Moth

Aspilapteryx tringipennella

The last moth was found whilst walking along the cliffs at West Runton and was a new species for Dr D leaving him less than 30 short off 1000 moths in the UK. I really should add up my list at some point, probably.

On the way home on Monday I thought I would go via Strumpshaw as I had only ever seen 1 Swallowtail before and I thought it would be a treat for my two children to see such a beautiful creature - what a great Dad I am! Anyway, we saw a couple of these stunning beasts and they were suitably impressed, especially William who was totally made up. I could never approach too closely but managed to get one shot I was happy with.

Swallowtail - phwooar