Homefield Wood

Three hours with two lights in Homefield Wood near Marlow, Bucks last night produced mostly seasonal moths but they did include Pretty Chalk Carpet (a pair) which must be further evidence that this species is becoming double-brooded.  I've had late-September records previously, in 2015 also at Homefield and in 2016 at Brush Hill near Princes Risborough.

Pretty Chalk Carpet, Homefield Wood 20th September

Dogwood was growing close to one of the trap sites and contained several active and vacated mines of Antispila petryi, my first records of the species under that name (it had previously been erroneously identified as A.treitschkiella which is still a British species but feeds on Cornus mas rather than Cornus sanguinea).  While photographing a leaf with two active mines this morning it became clear that one of the larvae was in the process of creating its distinctive cut-out, within which it would pupate.

 

                                

                               

 

 

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks