Sprawler and Streak

An unexpectedly good garden catch of 36 species last night included my first Sprawler of the year.  The only migrants amongst them were another Vestal and Dark Sword-grass, although a pair of White-points may perhaps have been migratory rather than locally-bred because over the past few days there seem to have been quite a few seen around the UK in places where the moth is not as yet resident.  I also had a single Silver Y.  Amongst the remainder were no less than five Merveille du Jours (the moth seems to be having an excellent season!) and a pair of Large Wainscots.  However, it was my nightly torchlight check for moths on our ivy blossom which produced the most interesting garden visitor, a Western Conifer Seed Bug Leptoglossus occidentalis.  A native of the USA which arrived here about ten years ago from continental Europe, it is twice the size of our largest native squash-bugs.  Apologies for including a picture of this impressive non-moth!

Sprawler, Westcott 16th October

Vestal, Westcott 16th October

Leptoglossus occidentalis, Westcott 16th October

Last night I also completed what will probably be my final monthly trapping session of the year at Rowley Wood to the north of Slough.  Three MV lights were run for the usual three hours and a very acceptable 35 species turned up, including late-brood examples of Least Carpet and Treble Brown Spot.  The eastern part of the wood is a mixed plantation including quite a lot of gorse and broom so my target for this visit was Streak which is not a particularly common moth in Bucks, most of the post-millennium records for the county being provided by the RIS trap at Burnham Beeches.  It was good to find that the moth is indeed a resident of Rowley Wood with seven examples coming to light, spread over all three traps.

Streak, Rowley Wood 16th October

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks