Another excellent night in Thrupp, Oxon, where I was really pleased to host my own Dotted Chestnut after recent reports from Marc and Dave. This one took an interest in my record-keeping and later cadged a lift indoors on my dressing gown.
Also new for me this year: Diurnea fagella and what I take to be Agonopterix alstromeriana, a most beautiful little mite (like my new grandaughter). Pic below with the head of a Common Quaker for scale.
Also in the eggboxes: 32 Common Quaker, 14 Small Quaker, 13 Clouded Drab, 12 Hebrew Character, four Early Thorn, a March moth, a Pine Beauty, a Twin-spotted Quaker and a Satellite which I make to be 82 moths of 12 species.
btw has any further research been done into the possible relationship between Dotted Chestnut larvae and ants, as referred to in the 2003 edition of Waring, Townsend and Lewington?
Thanks once again for all the fascinating info and help on this blog. Martin Wainwright
Hi Martin, yes that's Agonopterix alstromeriana, one of the prettier members of that family.
ReplyDeleteRe Dotted Chestnut and its relationship with the ant Lasius fuliginosus, there's a little bit more evidence here (http://www.vlinderstichting.nl/english.php?id=409) but I'm not aware of the results of any other research as yet. The moth has certainly expanded its range locally over the last year or two and I wonder if it still deserves its "Notable B list" status.
Thanks v much as ever. It's very encouraging to have moths on the increase. Interesting to know why. All warm wishes. M
ReplyDeleteThanks for that link Dave, very interesting, I had intended to try and do something similar with this species a couple of years ago but never got round to it. However, I can safely say that what they have hypothesised from females only ovipositing on twigs from ant nests is not what I have found in my experience. In fact, I have not really had any problem getting them to oviposit. They do it on kitchen paper when kept in a pot. Then the larvae are very easy to rear on a variety of deciduous trees and probably other stuff but I didn't try.
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