Stumped!

 Can't find anything that looks like this in the Berks book or the field guide. I even tried the macro field guide for those tiny beasts that I'm sure I sometimes overlook. What am I missing, please?

Best wishes

David

Another unfamiliar tortrix from North Bucks

 I came across this unfamiliar tortrix last night (amongst the 28 wasps in the trap). Could it be Endothenia quadrimaculana (which would be a garden first)?

72 Beet Moth

A major influx of Beet Moth, Scrobipalpa ocellatella here in Worminghall, Bucks last night. I counted 72 as best I could as many were flying out the MV trap. 

  

Click to enlarge- most of the black dots are Beet Moths

Another possible Scrobipalpa ocellatella and Nomophila noctuella numbers

 I seem to be adding to a growing number asking for confirmation of Scrobipalpa ocellatella.

I normally only get a couple of Nomophilia noctuella each year. This year I am up to 39 already. I wondered if others are getting similar numbers?

Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.

Phyllonorycter blancardella or P. hostis? and Cochylimorpha straminea?

 I collected a leaf mine off our apple a couple of days ago. It's now hatched out and I'm thinking it's Phyllonorycter blancardella or P. hostis. It's a bit difficult to photograph the moth in the pot. I'm trying to understand if they can be ID'd from a (better) photo or if they need to be chopped. 

The other query is I think Cochylimorpha straminea.

Mark Griffiths, Garsington, Oxford.

Could this be . . .

 . . . .Hoary Footman? Of course, I wasn't bright enough to look at the hind wing colour, but the forewings are very pale grey and have no strong costal stripe reaching the wing-tip. 

Apparently, it's no longer just a coastal species. However, I'm fully expecting to be told it's 'Scarce' and not 'Hoary'! David

Which Neocochylis, please?

This turned up the other night - I'm assuming it's dubitana, but in the Berks book, it looks even more like the unlikely molliculana. Can someone please sort me out?

Thanks, David

The wrong Scrobipalpa?

I have had a few individuals as pictured below, and I have been recording them as Scrobipalpa costella. However, having seen the recent posts on this blog, I think I have got this wrong and they are in fact Scrobipalpa ocellatella. Can someone put me straight?

In addition, can I just check that the moth below is Aproaerema anthyllidella?

Steve Trigg, Cookham

At last!

 Having successfully evaded me until now, finally a Clifden Nonpareil last night in woodland in N Bucks.

Also, based on your comments Dave, to Mark Griffith's recent post, I believe this is Scrobipalpa ocellatella?

Phil T

Scrobipalpa ocellatella?

 I think this is Scrobipalpa ocellatella - I've had it now about 6 times but this is the first time I've been able to get a photo. Can someone confirm from a photo or does it need dissection?

Mark Griffiths, Garsington, Oxford.

A beautiful little moth

Probably one of the most numerous moths in the garden, but the first I've seen as a moth rather than a larva! Emerged from it's mine this morning and posed very nicely for photos.

                                                            Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner

Micro ID help

These two micros were in my trap in Aston on 13th July. I couldn't identify them at the time, and now that I have come back to them I'm still drawing a blank. Can anybody help? 

MTIA, David

Agriphila geniculea??

 Hi there,

Just looking for confirmation (or to be put right!) on this one.

Many thanks.

David

L-album Wainscot

A lovely surprise in my Chilterns garden moth trap last night, L-album Wainscot Mythimna l-album.  Only the second record for Bucks (VC24), confirmed by Dave Wilton & Martin Albertini.  

I've only seen this moth once before on St. Marys, Isles of Scilly in 2005.  

I don't know if this was an immigrant, or if it is dispersal from its established UK populations further south and east (Dave Wilton, pers. comm.)

Other probable migrants in the trap last night were 2 Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella.   Others more likely to be resident rather than immigrants(?): 4 White-point Mythimna albipuncta, 3 European Corn-borer Ostrinia nubilalis and 1 Silver Y Autographa gamma.  

Finally, I had one Centre-barred Sallow Atethmia centrago, which for me is the herald of Autumn!

Neil Fletcher
Walter's Ash (VC24)

Neocochylis dubitana and Parsnip Moth

 I just read your latest report Dave and noted your comments re Neocochylis dubitana. I had one locally four days ago, but as it was new for me, and given your comments, I thought I'd post it here for confirmation--though I think the ID is pretty certain.

Also I would appreciate comments on this one please, which I think is a worn Depressaria radiella, but it's not a species that has crossed my path before.  
 

Thanks

Phil T

Bernwood Forest and elsewhere

I ran a couple of MV lights in the eastern part of Bernwood Forest last night and, once I'd waded through all the red-legged shield-bugs (of which there were hundreds) and all the hornets, there were actually one or two nice moths to be found on the egg boxes.  I was looking in particular for Catocala species and managed to pick up one extremely tatty example of sponsa (Dark Crimson Underwing) in exactly the same spot that I had one to light in August last year.  Tony Croft found one day-flying in Oakley Wood during the hottest part of July so we can but hope that the species has now taken up residence in the Forest.  

Dark Crimson Underwing, Bernwood 22nd August

Other things of interest included a couple of examples of the dark form of Tawny-barred Angle which I see only very rarely (neither of them in tip-top condition unfortunately) as well as an early Pink-barred Sallow with slightly mal-formed wings.  Edited to add this (and picture):  Also a presumed second-brood Small Black Arches, something I haven't seen before.  

Tawny-barred Angle f. nigrofulvata, Bernwood 22nd August

Pink-barred Sallow, Bernwood 22nd August

Small Black Arches, Bernwood 22nd August

There was also some migrant activity, with Nomophila noctuella/Rush Veneer at one trap and, more interestingly, an example of Palpita vitrealis at the other.

Palpita vitrealis, Bernwood 22nd August

I've seen a few other migrants or potential migrants during "away" trapping in Bucks over the past week, including a female Four-spotted Footman at Finemere Wood on the 15th, a Pearly Underwing at Grangelands near Princes Risborough on the 18th and a Vestal during a Bucks Invertebrate Group field meeting on the 20th on farmland north of Hambleden.  A second Vestal was taken by Martin Albertini at the same meeting, along with a Pearly Underwing and Dark Sword-grass, so there must be loads of migrants out there waiting to be caught!  

Four-spotted Footman, Finemere Wood 15th August

Pearly Underwing, Grangelands 18th August

Vestal, nr Hambleden 20th August

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks 

Westcott, Bucks

Catches have continued to reduce over this period and for the last three or four nights have been down to around 60 species each time (64 species last night, for example), with very few micros apart from Agriphila tristella and Acentria ephemerella.  However, new species for the year-list have continued to trickle in with the following being added:  

     (11th)  Apotomis turbidana, Agriphila geniculea, Plain Pug, Bordered Straw.

     (12th)  Acleris rhombana, Cypress Pug.

     (13th)  Clavigesta purdeyi, Latticed Heath, Rest Harrow.

     (14th)  Argyresthia spinosella.

     (15th)   - nil -

     (16th)  Tawny-barred Angle.

     (17th)   - nil -

     (18th)  Pinion-streaked Snout.

     (19th)  Pale Eggar.

     (20th)  Caloptilia cuculipennella.

     (21st)   Barred Sallow.

     (22nd)  Centre-barred Sallow.

Caloptilia cuculipennella, Westcott 20th August

Pale Eggar, Westcott 19th August

Barred Sallow, Westcott 21st August

Rest Harrow was the biggest surprise of this period (see here) and becomes the 457th macro species recorded in the garden.  Otherwise there was little of particular note, although Latticed Heath is a very infrequent visitor here so was nice to see again and Caloptilia cuculipennella was only recorded in the garden for the first time in 2021.  Interesting migrant activity was limited to the Bordered Straw (11th), although Nomophila noctuella/Rush Veneer (just about every night) and Dark Sword-grass (three on 13th, singletons on 15th, 18th, 20th & 21st and two on 22nd) continue to appear regularly.

      

In yet another sign of how the seasons are forever moving forwards, this period saw my first ever August sighting of Barred Sallow, the previous earliest being 3rd September (in 2018) and that is out of 326 records of 711 individuals.  The first of the autumnal Sallows to appear is usually Centre-barred, which I recorded at a couple of other sites on 18th and 20th August (that's about right for it to start, 17th August being my earliest date), but it didn't turn up in the garden until the night after Barred.  

Cochylis dubitana (or Neocochylis dubitana as we should now refer to it) appeared here back on 18th July, itself a noteworthy event because I've had only four or five previous records in the garden with the last one being in 2016.  However, during this current period it has put in further appearances on the 14th (five individuals), 15th (two) and 17th (one) which was very unexpected.  It is listed as "local" in the field guide but this is a species I rarely see anywhere in Bucks.

Neocochylis dubitana, Westcott 15th August

Quantity-wise, moths doing well at the moment still include Common Wainscot, but Flame Shoulder, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing & Straw Dot have started to tail off and have been replaced by Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character & Vine's Rustic.  It is good to see Small Square-spot appearing in good numbers once again although that was expected because it seems to have a seven-year cycle of peaks and troughs here and is currently working its way up to another peak.     

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks  

Phyllonorycter messaniella?

 I'm wondering if these are vacated Phyllonorycter messaniella mines on Copper Beech. Round mines and now obvious leaf fold. 

 

Mark Griffiths, Garsington, Oxford.

Blue Celypha lacunana or undulana?

 This beautifully coloured blue tortrix showed up in my trap this week.

  I reckon a Celypha - is there enough longitudinal streak for lacunana or may it be undulana or something quite different?  Would be grateful to learn what this is and about colour variation please.  Many thanks

Denham news.

Scrobipalpa ocellatella to mv last night (20-21) - so Worminghall and Denham probably jointly first for Bucks! Bryotropha basaltinella regular this year, and a first garden Matilella fusca - very dark form (formerly Pyla fusca) as well.

poor snaps attached.

Robin

Worminghall, Bucks

A few highlights from Worminghall recently. Year list now on 449 (unverified). Any identification corrections most welcome. 

Small Mottled Willow

Presumably something like Celypha rosaceana 

Joined the Beet moth, Scrobipalpa ocellatella club with this one confirmed by Stephen Palmer on Irecord

Dark Pine Knot-horn, Dioryctria abitella ?

A bit of size variation in a couple of Dark Sword Grass