I ran three lights (two 125w MVs and a 15w actinic) in Oakley Wood, Bernwood Forest last night as part of my annual search there for Oak Lutestring. Yet again the moth didn't show but I shall keep persevering. As usual in woodland at this time of year there were plenty of hornets around but few moths, with just 36 species turning up, only one more than the count at Finemere Wood two nights earlier. The highest totals were provided by Apotomis betuletana (33), Epinotia nisella (17), Red-green Carpet (14), Light Emerald (21) & Snout (34). Amongst the micros it was nice to see Epinotia ramella, Epinotia trigonella and Eudonia truncicolella. Epinotia trigonella is supposedly common but in Bucks it seems to be restricted to just three or four sites of which Bernwood is the most reliable.
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| Epinotia trigonella, Oakley Wood 13th September |
There were good numbers of Red-green Carpet but the only other autumnal macros seen were Brindled Green, Centre-barred Sallow and Sallow. Apart, that is, from the best moth of the session which was an Autumnal Rustic - a first for Bernwood! This moth is very restricted in range within Bucks, the main sites for it being the Ivinghoe hills and Rammamere Heath. The field guide does mention open woodland as one of its habitats and twelve years ago I did get eight of them to light one night in the disused railway cutting near Mursley which was then partly wooded (but now trashed by East-West Rail), however my experience of it otherwise in Bucks has always been on very exposed heathland or chalk downland sites. It was so good to see it in the forest and it would be nice to think that this smart noctuid wasn't just a wanderer but that it has now taken up residence there.
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| Autumnal Rustic, Oakley Wood 13th September |
Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks
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