Westcott, Bucks

On Wednesday night a Coronet was the only new species for the garden year list, but last night was much better, especially for the smaller moths.  Bucculatrix nigricomella, Bucculatrix albedinella, Luquetia lobella, Cochylis nana, Celypha striana & Gypsonoma oppressana were new for the year amongst 20 micro species, while a Nepticulid and two Coleophorids have been retained for later examination.

Luquetia lobella, Westcott 30th May

Cochylis nana, Westcott, 30th May

Gypsonoma oppressana, Westcott 30th May

The two Bucculatrix species are regulars here, as is Gypsonoma oppressana although this example was my earliest ever record.  Luquetia lobella hasn't been seen in the garden since 2015 and I've only ever had a handful of records, so that one was nice to find (two turned up last night).  Cochylis nana surprised me because I thought I'd had it here before and as a consequence took its picture, set it free and didn't think more about it.  It didn't get the attention it deserved because subsequently I found that it was actually another completely new species for the garden list!  Moving on to last night's larger moths, new for the 2019 year-list amongst 47 macro species were Willow Beauty, Burnished Brass and Straw Dot.

While checking for day-flying species in the garden this afternoon I saw some activity around our hedge woundwort and, as expected, this proved to be a newly-emerged pair of the tortrix Endothenia nigricostana.  This is a rather dull-looking species.  The one shown below did at least have the yellowish blotch (as good as it gets for markings) but the other didn't even have that!

Endothenia nigricostana, Westcott 30th May

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks