Westcott, Bucks

Most of the period since my last update was spent looking at a rather different suite of nightly moths in north Wales, including species which are rare or non-existent in our own area such as Mullein Wave, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Galium Carpet, White-line Dart, Archer's Dart and Ear species other than Ear Moth (all four are found where I was staying, which will be another challenge for Peter Hall!).  This report therefore covers only the final few days of the month when I started regular trapping again back in the garden at Westcott using the usual equipment (two traps, one 125wt MV and one twin-30wt actinic):

     (27th)  143 moths of 48 species; Centre-barred Sallow the only species new for the garden year-list.

     (28th)  81 moths of 36 species; a cold, clear night which produced nothing at all new for the year-list.

     (29th)  272 moths of 69 species; Argyresthia semifusca, Tawny-barred Angle & Clifden Nonpareil all new for the year.

     (30th)  225 moths of 68 species; Black Rustic new for the year.

     (31st)  251 moths of 62 species; Frosted Orange new for the year.  

Clifden Nonpareil, Westcott 29th August

Clifden Nonpareil, Westcott 29th August

The Clifden Nonpareil was found resting on a garden bench next to the actinic trap, the first image above being of it sat there just before dawn, taken by the light of my head-torch.  It was, unfortunately, a mal-formed specimen with hind-wings (the important part!) which had barely inflated at all, but the moth was still recognisable for what it was and was quite capable of flight.  It was also very confiding later in the morning, as shown by the second image.  Having had eight in the garden last season, spread between 13th August and 12th October, the chances are that another will appear soon in rather better condition.  In fact I'm surprised not to have had one to the wine-rope yet, the only large moths there so far being regular appearances by Old Lady and Red Underwing.

The other new species were mostly expected and take the garden year-list well past 580.  Tawny-barred Angle generally visits two or three times annually but I missed out on the first brood this year so it was good to finally catch up with it.  Another sign of Autumn, the Black Rustic was my first ever August record although it usually appears during the first week of September (and I've had it a couple of times on the 1st of the month) so I suppose it isn't really all that early. 

Black Rustic, Westcott 30th August

Frosted Orange, Westcott 31st August

Numbers wise, it is Brimstone Moth, Large Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Common Wainscot and Vine's Rustic which are currently leading the way with nightly double-digit counts although they have generally been fewer than twenty individuals each so far.  Square-spot Rustic has been noticeably slow to get going here but with 21 of them last night (31st) maybe it has now started in earnest.  Pale Eggar is always good to see, two or three per session at the moment, and Gypsy Moth males are appearing nightly in similar numbers.  The odd Dingy Footman is still coming in but for the most part that family is done and dusted here for this year.   

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks