Grangelands, Bucks

I ran three lights on this SSSI near Princes Risborough last night, one on Grangelands itself and the other two on the adjacent rifle range.  There were plenty of species flying (about 150 to the Skinner MV alone on Grangelands) and, unlike a couple of weeks ago when Martin Albertini and I trapped there in very poor visibility, plenty of micros and geometrid moths.  Three of the more interesting species are illustrated below:

Paratalanta hyalinalis, Grangelands 9th July

Royal Mantle, Grangelands 9th July

Tissue, Kimble rifle range 9th July

 
Royal Mantle is always good to see (one also appeared amongst nearly 200 species trapped at the Holtspur Bottom reserve last Saturday night and I think that may be a new record for the site - I've certainly not recorded it there before).  As everywhere at the moment, Heart & Dart and Dark Arches were out in force at Grangelands, accompanied by Chrysoteuchia culmella, Scarce Footman and Common Footman, but otherwise most moths appeared in single digit counts.  Lappet, Mocha, Great Oak Beauty, Kent Black Arches, Olive and Small Purple-barred were good to see and there was a nice selection of Hawk-moths:  Privet (3), Pine (3), Poplar (2), Elephant (13) & Small Elephant (14).  Lots of micros turned out, including good numbers of Delplanqueia inscriptella (well established here, as it is at many other sites in the Chilterns), and it is always nice to see the colourful Oncocera semirubella.

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks