The night of 19th May was easily best of the year so far in Wolvercote, Oxon, (and caused quite a headache in terms of finding time to do the catch justice), much as for Adam a mile or two further south. Over eighty moths, of thirty-plus species, and some very striking ones. It's a good year for Pale Tussock - we had half a dozen in and around the trap - and a very pleasing lifer in the form of a (not inappropriate, given the number of moths) Figure of Eighty, a species we've been hoping for for some considerable time (now if the moth gods could come up with Mother Shipton and MDJ, that would be a good hat-trick). We also had a first-for-year White Ermine (unlike Martin's, firmly inside the trap) and a Small Phoenix: handsome creatures all.
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| Figure of Eighty, 19/5/14 |
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| Small Phoenix, 19/5/14 |
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| White Ermine, 19/5/14 |
A couple of pleas for confirmation or ID, please: I'm pretty sure we got our first Clouded-bordered Brindle, as well as an
Argyresthia spinosella and the inevitable complete mystery micro - if anyone has any idea on the last, and can confirm the first and second, we'd be very grateful. Steve and Xander Goddard.
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| Mystery micro, 19/5/14 |
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| Possible Argyresthia spinosella, 19/5/14 |
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| Possible Clouded-bordered Brindle, 19/5/14 |
Hi Steve & Xander, your mystery micro is one of Prays fraxinella/ruficeps. From your picture I would have thought that the Argyresthia was more likely to be conjugella but the markings aren't that clear and no size is offered so I could be wrong. Yes to Clouded-bordered Brindle.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, Dave.
ReplyDelete