College Lake - reedbed

Last night I ran four MV lights at BBOWT's College Lake reserve, two on the chalk and two in the reeds.  The latter pair brought in about 120 species and it was good to see a reasonable selection of habitat specialists considering that it is still perhaps a little bit early in this area for some of the Wainscots.  It was really pleasing to get a double-digit count there of Southern Wainscot, a species which looks superficially like Smoky but has pointier wing-tips and diagnostic stripes across the front of the thorax.  The one shown below was a particularly well-marked individual. 

Southern Wainscot, College Lake 23rd July

Southern Wainscot, College Lake 23rd July

Obscure Wainscot, Brown-veined Wainscot, Small Rufous and Silky Wainscot also put in appearances, while amongst the micros were Phalonidia manniana, a Gynnidomorpha species still requiring confirmation, Chilo phragmitella, Calamotropha paludella and Schoenobius gigantella.  Some of the 18 examples of Calamotropha paludella were far spottier (f. nivella) than I've ever seen before, including the one shown below.

Calamotropha paludella f. nivella, College Lake 23rd July

Small Rufous, College Lake 23rd July

Of the two Brown-veined Wainscots which visited the traps, one was a very dark individual indeed.

Brown-veined Wainscot, College Lake 23rd July

Amongst the other species caught in the reeds were Bordered Pug, Round-winged Muslin and Gothic (the latter being the first I've seen anywhere for five or six years). 

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks