A gorgeously fresh Ruddy Carpet was a nice find on a surface away from the trap (second garden record), and also what I'm thinking is a pale Mere Wainscot (which would also be a second garden record).
Thursday 30 June 2022
Westcott, Bucks
Lappet, Westcott 29th June |
Rustic, Westcott 29th June |
Scarce rather than Hoary Footman?
From the top it looked very different from the Scarce Footman sitting a few inches away. It get a bit antsy so I took some shots hoping to get the hindwings. Wit the tremor I have I'm not going to be able to open up the wings without squashing it. It is definately yellowish underneath and I think the flight shot also indicates it's Scarce.
Mark Griffiths, Garsington, Oxford.
Wednesday 29 June 2022
Common Micro-moths of Berkshire - new edition
Congratulations to Nick Asher on completing the second edition of Common Micro-moths of Berkshire, which is now at the printers and available to order. It has been fully updated and covers 200 species, with over 900 photographs. These include enlarged and actual size photographs of each species. Comparisons are given for over 200 similar species, most of them illustrated.
It is now available to order, with printed copies expected to be available by early July. Price £15 + P&P (1 copy - £3.50, 2 copies - £5.00).
Further details and the order form are at:
sites.google.com/site/berksmoths/Home/announcements/berks-micros-new-edition
The first edition was "quite superb in every way ... Absolutely delightful and informative", and the new one is bigger and better, for Berkshire & beyond!
Red Sword-grass
This caterpillar found in meadow near the Thames, East of Wytham Field Station (SP476101) on 29 June seems to be a good match for Red Sword-grass, an identity confirmed by Richard Lewington from these photos. Rather unexpected!
Facing up and down
The micro in the downward posture I think is probably Paraswammerdamia nebulella. A faint row of black dots along the costa is visible, and a few clusters of whitish scales towards the costal apex should separate it from Swammerdamia caesiella?
The other micro (about 4mm) with a distinctive upward posture I am struggling with. I had a similar looking Crassa tinctella earlier in the year, but that had a horizontal posture.
Concolorous again
Concolorous, Yardley Chase 28th June |
Mere Wainscot, Yardley Chase 28th June |
Beautiful Carpet, Yardley Chase 28th June |
Scallop Shell, Yardley Chase 28th June |
Another nice migrant
Small Marbled, Westcott 28th June |
Tuesday 28 June 2022
Sunday 26 June 2022
Rustic?
I wonder if this is my first Rustic of the year. Overall it looked rougher and the markings much less distinct. Maybe it's just a worn Uncertain though. Thoughts?
Two pictures, same moth, different exposures.
Mark Griffiths, Garsington, Oxford.
Obscure Wainscot?
I considered Obscure Wainscot for this one this morning but was thrown by the central line of dots which don't appear in the field guide. But I see from Keith Mitchell's post on 24 June that the Southern? which Dave Wilton thought could be Obscure looks very similar. I think they could be Obscure after comparing more photos with https://britishlepidoptera.weebly.com/302-leucania-obsoleta-obscure-wainscot.html. Forewing length is 16mm.
Janice, Milton Keynes
Minor Shoulder-knot?
I think this is a Minor Shoulder-knot, trapped last night. Another new one for my garden in Merton if correct.....
Saturday 25 June 2022
Away trapping
Triangle, Bernwood 21st June |
Small Black Arches, Bernwood 21st June |
Lappet female, Grangelands 22nd June |
Royal Mantle, Grangelands 22nd June |
Great Oak Beauty, Grangelands 22nd June |
Westcott, Bucks
The "mini heat-wave" nights of the 16th and 17th certainly kick-started emergences locally and this year's garden list has been growing quite healthily ever since. It is somewhere just past the 400 species mark now, about where it should be for this time of year (that total was achieved on 4th July in 2021, 23rd June in 2020, 28th June in 2019, 29th June in 2018). There are obviously quite a few dissections needed to achieve an accurate total so that won't be known until later in the year. The following have been added since the 16th:
Triaxomasia caprimulgella, Westcott 21st June |
Rosy Footman, Westcott 23rd June |
Delicate & Bordered Straw, Westcott 24th June |
Scarlet Tiger, Westcott 25th June |
Small Tortrix
This tortrix was considerable smaller than the male postvittanas. Could it be possibly Acleris aspersana?
Friday 24 June 2022
Southern?
Is this a reasonable candidate for Southern Wainscot (which would be a Stoke Goldington garden first)? It just stood out against the other Mythimna wainscots as being different. Unfortunately, I omitted to check for the headband, and underwing features.
2 more micros
The last 2 micros from last night that I am struggling with. I feel they should be obvious but I have seen so many moths in the last few days I am going cross-eyed!
The first 2 images are the same moth 9mm in length. The moth in the third image is 7mm in length.
Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.
Pink Cochylis and battered Minor?
This pink Cochylis is 7.5mm in length. I thought it looked a bit more like flaviciliana than the much more likely roseana.
The second image shows what I assume is a very battered Marbled Minor agg. It just looked very orange compared to most.
Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.
Thursday 23 June 2022
High season
Sorry not to have posted for a while but things have been predictable here in Thrupp, although very abundant. I'm prompted to send these portfolio pics of recent arrivals by Steve's post on 20 June about the smart little black micro with the white line, which also comes here. Spot the butterfly, too, which I've included because it's a Black Hairstreak. It's taken me 72 years to see one of these, early yesterday at Bladon Heath where it was sipping from brambles with a friend and two White Admirals. Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon
Wednesday 22 June 2022
Two similar species
Dave W very helpfully put me right on the second of these (H. prunaria) and advised me to look out for H. nubiferana as well. Please sir, I think I've found it (top image)! Here are the two for comparison.