Westcott, Bucks

Despite some soggy egg-boxes it has been worthwhile continuing to run the garden actinic trap over this very wet weekend.  There has been nothing new for the year-list since those mentioned in Friday's post but there have been one or two things of interest.  My second Heart & Dart of the month was one.  A check of the Bucks database shows a dozen previous October sightings for the species (in 1990/95, 2003/05/06/07/17) but in the context of some 11,000 records that's a tiny number.  The moth is double-brooded but the first normally fades away in August and the much smaller second brood usually comes and goes in September.

Heart & Dart, Westcott 11th October

Another new species for the season has been Dotted Chestnut.  It first appeared at Westcott in 2006 but has been a guaranteed annual visitor only since 2015.  Sightings here are almost invariably in the spring after hibernation (two visited during March this year) and this is only my third autumn record. 

Dotted Chestnut, Westcott 11th October

Now that Black-spotted Chestnut has found its way into the county, hopefully it won't be too long before that species joins the garden list as well.

Last night (12th) I had my first example this year of the dark form of Green-brindled Crescent (form capucina) which has no green brindling on it at all.  It is quite common and at first glance could be confused with other dark species which are around at the moment, but the white crescent marking two-thirds of the way along the rear of the forewing is usually quite noticeable.

Green-brindled Crescent f. capucina, Westcott 12th October

Green-brindled Crescent f. capucina, Westcott 12th October

 
Mallow continues to astound me this year and I've now had 32 individuals since the first on 21st September.  This includes three which appeared last night, comprising two in one piece and the third as a set of four wings on the patio thanks to our bat population.  My previous highest yearly count was just three, achieved in each of 2010/13/15/17/18, and there have been several years when I've not seen it at all.  I know that one of our neighbours has been growing hollyhocks this year and long may he continue to do so!  This is one of the food-plants used by Mallow and could well be the reason why they've suddenly increased in numbers.  In addition I had numerous examples of Pexicopia malvella (the Hollyhock Seed Moth) to light this summer which I assume will have come from the same source.

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks