Westcott, Bucks

This past week saw migrant activity across the country thanks to warm southerly winds and for once we didn't miss out on the action.  The period saw visits to Westcott by Plutella xylostella/Diamond-back Moth (16th), Udea ferrugalis/Rusty Dot Pearl (12th & 16th), Nomophila noctuella/Rush Veneer (13th, 14th & 15th), Convolvulus Hawk-moth (14th) and Dark Sword-grass (16th, 17th & 18th) which are all usually classified as migrants, plus increased activity from Turnip Moth and Angle Shades both of which could have been bolstered by migration.  The good weather for migrants looks like continuing for a night or two yet.

Dark Sword-grass, Westcott 16th August (male right, female left)

New for the year-list over the past seven days have been:     

(12th)  Pyrausta despicata, Udea ferrugalis, Flame Carpet, Webb's Wainscot
(13th)  Clifden Nonpareil
(14th)  Tischeria ekebladella, Acleris rhombana, Convolvulus Hawk-moth
(15th)  Tawny Speckled Pug
(16th)  Bactra furfurana, Agriphila geniculea, Pale Eggar, Frosted Orange
(17th)  Ypsolopha sequella, Acleris schalleriana
(18th)  - nil -

Pyrausta despicata was completely new for the site (garden moth species no. 1007 as things currently stand) and, as mentioned in an earlier post, could also have been an immigrant but perhaps is more likely to have been dispersing from the Chilterns or some of its other sites much closer to home.  A second example appeared here on the 14th.

Webb's Wainscot, Westcott 12th August

Bactra furfurana, Westcott 16th August

Pale Eggar, Westcott 16th August

Webb's Wainscot has become an annual visitor here over the past few years and seems to be increasing its range significantly, such that it can be expected anywhere locally and no longer just at wetland sites.  Bactra furfurana is a smart little moth before wear sets in and I've only seen it here once previously, in 2018.  However I have had several other records from across the county so it doesn't appear to be all that uncommon.  Pale Eggar, though, is a species in decline.  In Bucks it is still fairly widespread in the northern half but is absent from the south.  The rest of the new arrivals were entirely predictable at this time of year, including Frosted Orange which, with Centre-barred Sallow, is usually the first of the autumn-coloured "yellow noctuids" to appear.

There have been some ID requests regarding Kittens over the past month which have all been Sallow so I thought I'd add a picture of a second-brood Poplar Kitten from the garden which visited during the week.  This is a female so in any case longer in the wing than the usual males we get in light-traps, but it is a shame I didn't have a Sallow for comparison because size is just as important as wing markings in telling these two species apart.  As has already been said, Poplar is encountered far less frequently in our area than is Sallow and we don't get Alder Kitten at all.

Poplar Kitten, Westcott 12th August

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks