Big Numbers Again

Last night's collection to the actinic trap here at Westcott comprised 331 moths of 39 species and as expected the majority of that total was accounted for by Lunar Underwing (151), Beaded Chestnut (42) and Black Rustic (41).  I did get two species new for the year in singletons of Pale November Moth (genitalia checked, a poorly-marked and slightly damaged male) and Figure of Eight, but unfortunately the remainder of the catch contained no surprises:  Blastobasis lacticolella (2), Acleris rhombana (1), Eudonia pallida (1), Eudonia angustea (1), Hypsopygia costalis (1), Emmelina monodactyla (1), Red-green Carpet (3), Common Marbled Carpet (1), Willow Beauty (1), Light Emerald (1), Turnip Moth (1), Shuttle-shaped Dart (1), Large Yellow Underwing (25), Lesser Yellow Underwing (6), Setaceous Hebrew Character (3), Square-spot Rustic (8), Common Wainscot (1), Deep-brown Dart (2), Pale Pinion (1), Blair's Shoulder-knot (1), Green-brindled Crescent (2), Merveille du Jour (1), Brindled Green (1), Dark Chestnut (1), Brick (11), Red-line Quaker (3), Yellow-line Quaker (1), Barred Sallow (2), Pink-barred Sallow (2), Sallow (4), Dusky-lemon Sallow (1), Angle Shades (1), Rosy Rustic (1) & Mottled Rustic (1).  No migrants here and the weather for the next couple of nights doesn't look too promising for them either, although things are set to improve as next week progresses.

Pale November Moth, Westcott 5th October

Restricted to weekend visits there for "elf 'an safety" reasons due to ongoing forestry work, I took a couple of traps to Bernwood Forest last night for the usual three hours.  One of them performed quite well, bringing in 128 moths of 35 species of which Merveille du Jour (22) was the most numerous, but the other only managed 38 moths of 19 species although they did include another three Merveille du Jours.  I thought it would be a good night for them when I noticed a newly-emerged specimen still inflating its wings as I chained my generator to the same oak trunk!  The combined species total for the two traps was 40, of which those that didn't appear in the garden at Westcott were Ypsolopha sylvella, Carcina quercana, Acleris ferrugana/notana, Acleris emargana, Endotricha flammealis, Acrobasis consociella, Riband Wave, Spruce Carpet, Grey Pine Carpet, Feathered Thorn, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Grey Shoulder-knot, Satellite, Chestnut, Copper Underwing, Small Wainscot, Straw Dot & Snout.  No real surprises there, with Endotricha flammealis, Acrobasis consociella & Riband Wave all known to have occasional second broods.  However, I wonder about Small Wainscot this year because it initially appeared rather early.  I saw 19 individuals at various sites between 2nd July and 18th August then none until one appeared in the garden on 26th September and now three more at Bernwood last night, perhaps suggesting a second brood.

Ypsolopha sylvella, Bernwood 5th October

Grey Shoulder-knot, Bernwood 5th October

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks