Westcott, Bucks

The garden trap results here at Westcott have taken a dive over the past few nights thanks to the afternoon thundery downpours followed by cool overnight conditions and a full moon.  For example, on Friday night (24th) it caught 64 moths of 29 species while last night (25th) was about the same with 57 moths of 35 species and that was using the 125wt MV each time rather than the actinic.  New species for the year list have continued to appear, though, and I've added Archips podana, Tortrix viridana, Hypsopygia costalis & Shark (all 19th), Argyresthia cupressella, Argyresthia curvella, Yellow Shell & Fan-foot (all 20th), Galleria mellonella, Buff Arches & Barred Yellow (all 21st), Anania (Phlyctaenia) coronata & Dwarf Cream Wave (both 22nd), Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Ditula angustiorana, Clepsis spectrana, Single-dotted Wave, Four-dotted Footman, Pale-shouldered Brocade, Smoky Wainscot & Light Arches (all 23rd) and Aphelia paleana & Blotched Emerald (both 25th).

Four-dotted Footman, Westcott 23rd June

Rather pleasingly, Argyresthia cupressella and Argyresthia curvella were both completely new species for the garden.  A recent immigrant from North America, the former appears to be only the second occasion that it has been recorded in Bucks.  It was a tiny moth and not in the best of condition, only being found because I persevered in searching through the detritus of fried flies, etc lurking in the bottom of the trap!

Argyresthia cupressella, Westcott 20th June

Argyresthia curvella, Westcott 20th June

Another completely new species for the garden was found on the 24th in the shape of an active leaf-mine on birch of Stigmella lapponica (egg on underside, greenish larva with brown head, early part of mine filled with dark green frass).

Mine on birch of Stigmella lapponica, Westcott 24th June

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks