Despite some fairly good catches there has been a slow-down in new arrivals for the year-list, particularly amongst the macro-moths. This is only to be expected at this stage of the season, with quite a few of those appearing now being second broods of species already recorded earlier in the year. The following have appeared as completely new since the last report:
(13th) Eucosma obumbratana, Small Waved Umber, Small Rivulet, Muslin Footman, Obscure Wainscot.
(14th) Dioryctria sylvestrella, Mere Wainscot.
(15th) Monopis crocicapitella, Cameraria ohridella, Phyllocnistis saligna, Least Yellow Underwing.
(16th) Phyllonorycter heegeriella, Ypsolopha dentella, Merrifieldia baliodactylus, Apotomis betuletana, Notocelia roborana, Pammene aurita (daytime, to API lure), Slender Pug, Cloaked Minor.
(17th) Yponomeuta plumbella, Mompha propinquella, Epinotia brunnichana, Cydia fagiglandana, Bordered Beauty, Dusky Thorn, September Thorn, Black Arches, Lesser-spotted Pinion.
(18th) Argyresthia bonnetella, Coleophora hemerobiella, Cochylis dubitana, Epinotia nisella, Gypsonoma oppressana, Gypsonoma sociana, Pempelia palumbella, Sitochroa palealis, Donacaula forficella, Straw Underwing, Webb's Wainscot.
(19th) Grapholita lobarzewskii, Pyralis farinalis.
(20th) Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Hoary Footman, Rosy Rustic.
The period above includes the most recent record-breaking heat-wave when the overnight temperature on the 18th didn't fall below 25C. The combined list from the two garden traps that night came to 666 moths of 157 species (363 of 113 to the MV and 303 of 96 to the actinic) which, while quite good, didn't break any records here. The results from the following night (19th) might have bettered those totals but, un-noticed by me in my sleep-deprived state, the MV bulb had unfortunately failed immediately after it was switched on. It turned out that the bulb itself was fine, it was just a case of me not having followed my own advice and emptied all the fried flies, etc from the previous night out of the bulb holder and they had caused a loss of connection! The catch was therefore just from the actinic trap, which on its own had managed to pull in a fairly respectable 414 moths of 99 species.
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| Muslin Footman, Westcott 13th July |
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| Yponomeuta plumbella, Westcott 17th July |
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| Epinotia brunnichana, Westcott 17th July |
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| Lesser-spotted Pinion, Westcott 17th July |
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| Rosy Rustics, Westcott 20th July |
As the last picture shows very well, the two Rosy Rustics which attended the MV trap last night were quite different both in ground colour and size. Unfortunately they're harbingers of autumn, reminding us that the arrival of the Sallows and Lunar Underwings isn't really all that far away now - what a depressing thought!
The two moths illustrated below have never before been recorded in the garden and weren't really to be expected here either. The plume is a species of chalk down-land while the phycitinid is an uncommon heathland specialist, the closest colony being at Stoke Common. Both must have been wanderers from their normal habitats thanks to the hot weather. I'm certainly not complaining - the garden list has now risen to 1,052 species of which 598 are micros and I wonder if 600 might be achieved this year?
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| Merrifieldia baliodactylus, Westcott 16th July |
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| Pempelia palumbella, Westcott 18th July |
It is still the Footman moths which are appearing in the greatest numbers (for example 108 Common Footman on the night of the 18th) but nothing else is providing particularly high counts at the moment. Dusky Sallow has been doing well locally (double-digit counts most nights recently, which is unusual), while Elephant Hawk-moth is still ticking along with another seven last night and their total has now reached 254 here this season, almost double the previous highest tally of 130 in 2018. The only recognised migrants to visit the garden over this period were Plutella xylostella/Diamondback Moth (17th) and Nomophila noctuella/Rush Veneer (14th, 15th & 19th).
Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks
Hi Dave,
ReplyDeleteIt is always interesting to see the latest lists from the Westcott moth mecca!
I may be wrong, but I don't think you have mentioned any Jersey Tigers. I had 14 Jersey Tigers to actinic light in my garden on the 19th (12 with the red hindwing, and 2 yellow). The only other thing of interest from that night's catch was 540 Acentria ephemerella - a record number for a single species in my garden.
Steve Trigg, Cookham
Hi Steve,
ReplyDeleteAs it happens I had my first Jersey Tiger of the season last night! I don't get many out here, well away from rivers, and last year's count of nine is the most my garden traps have yet achieved in one season. As for Acentria ephemerella, I have been getting it but not in huge numbers so far - without going back through my catches I think about 50 in one night is the largest total seen to date. Last night there were signs of other things beginning to take off though, with Smoky Wainscot (37), Flame Shoulder (41), Dark Arches (50) & Uncertain/Rustic (85) seen. These are normally August totals, when quantity replaces quality.