A bit too much grey

I agree with Dave about the smartness of the Autumnal Rustic, which is currently visiting here, but grey moths in general don't float my boat. May I ask for help with these; I think the Wave is a Small Dusty but am not completely sure and the others have me scratching my head in despair.  Many thanks for enlightenment. Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon

Grey and Green

We associate this time of year with yellow moths but in my opinion some of the smartest ones are a duller colour than that.  Here are four fresh individuals caught during trapping sessions away from home over the past few days:

Autumnal Rustic, Grangelands 21st September

Brindled Green, Finemere Wood 22nd September

Figure of Eight, Oakley Wood 23rd September

Merveille du Jour, Shabbington Wood 25th September

Autumnal Rustic has to be the smartest grey moth there is.  Definitely a "local" species, it seems to be recorded less often in Bucks than it is in our other two counties but there's a chance it may be on the increase here.  I had one in Bernwood Forest last year and, surprisingly, Grangelands is also a new site for it (three were seen on the chalk grassland there on the 21st).  Brindled Green is a common moth but, typical of many green species, it fades to grey eventually so it is always nice to see fresh examples like this particularly well-marked individual found at Finemere on the 22nd.  Figure of Eight is a local speciality on the heavy clay soils between Oxford and Aylesbury where it seems to be thriving and I'd expect to see it in some numbers when I return to Bernwood and Finemere during October, but unfortunately it seems to be in trouble elsewhere.  Finally, Merveille du Jour has to be everyone's favourite autumnal moth so it is a good job that it is quite common locally.  This one from Bernwood last night was my first sighting of the year. 

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks 

Autumn moths

The season continues to move on: Square-spot Rustic has almost entirely given way to Lunar Underwing in my garden, with a generous dollop of Large Yellow Underwing.  A few more interesting moths have also arrived, the first of which seems to be a Scarce Bordered Straw.

Moving from rather drab species to smarter-looking ones: on Wednesday night, I had a colourful mix of Barred Sallow, Pink-barred Sallow and Orange Sallow.  Autumnal Rustic has started to put in its annual handful of records: three so far, on two nights.

Scarce Bordered Straw
Newton Longville, 21 September 2022

Autumnal Rustic
NL, 21 September 2022

I also had what I think is Ditula angustiorana on the 19th, although it was not in good shape.  It's very late for its main season, but the field guide mentions a partial second brood in September-October, so perhaps that's what it was.

Ditula angustiorana?
Newton Longville, 19 September 2022

I also try to identify and record as many as possible of the other insects that come to light and now that I have fewer species of moth to deal with, I can spend a bit more time on those.  In the last couple of weeks, I have had quite a few caddisflies (Limnephilus lunatus, L. flavicornis, L. auricula, L. bipunctatus, Agraylea sp., Stenophylax permistus).  Although I don't normally attempt some groups, I managed the smart soldierfly Sargus bipunctatus (a male and a female on different nights) and have tentative IDs for a fungus gnat - Macrocera phalerata - and an ichneumon - Cratichneumon viator - although in both cases I'd need a microscope and appropriate keys in order to get a confident ID, so they won't be going onto iRecord.  Both of those last two species have interesting antennae: the fungus gnat has very long antennae and the ichneumon has a white band in the centre of the antennae.

Tim Arnold
Newton Longville, Bucks

L-album Wainscot

A first for me from Ali's Pond NR in Sonning, Berks last night. A fine specimen of L-album Wainscot. Looks like it might be undergoing range expansion?

Phyllonorycters on hornbeam

With 69 species of micro-moth already identified in the garden at their leaf-mining stage, it is not often that I add a new one to the garden list nowadays so to locate the 70th on our hornbeam hedge yesterday was a cause for celebration.  The hedge was planted about 15 years ago and was soon being used by Stigmella microtheriella (already present here on hazel) and Phyllonorycter messaniella.  In 2020 I discovered a batch of active mines from Phyllonorycter esperella and more were seen yesterday along with a single active mine of Phyllonorycter tenerella (the new addition).

Mine of Phyllonorycter esperella on hornbeam
Westcott 22nd September

Mine of Phyllonorycter esperella on hornbeam
Westcott 22nd September

The first image above shows the whole leaf, with the active upper-surface blotch mine of Phyllonorycter esperella visible at top right.  On the lower half of the leaf is a vacated corridor mine of Stigmella microtheriella.  The second image is a back-lit close-up of the esperella mine in which the larva can be seen.

Mine of Phyllonorycter tenerella on hornbeam
Westcott 22nd September

Mine of Phyllonorycter tenerella on hornbeam
Westcott 22nd September

The mine of Phyllonorycter tenerella is between veins on the lower surface of the leaf.  The first image of this pair gives a view of the upper surface while the second shows the lower surface with one strong crease present.  I had assumed that this was actually a vacated mine because of the damage to part of the lower surface which could have been from where an adult moth had emerged, so I didn't take a back-lit view, but between the three or four images which I did take it is possible to see the shadow of the caterpillar moving about.  It isn't clear here, but the larva is actually at the top of the mine just to the right of the crease.

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks

Westcott, Bucks

Another couple of weeks have gone by, this time with wildly fluctuating totals ranging from 145 moths of 46 species on the 12th down to 10 moths of 8 species on the 16th (not helped by a power cut locally for a few hours after dark!) and then back up again.  At the end of this period the nightly species count had returned to around 40 and overall moth numbers are now well above 200 with the charge being lead by Large Yellow Underwing (30+ per night but occasionally 60 or more of them), Square-spot Rustic (40+ per night) and Lunar Underwing (already 50+ per night within less than a week of its first appearance). New arrivals for the year-list have also continued to trickle in:

     (8th)    - nil -

     (9th)    - nil -

     (10th)  - nil -

     (11th)  - nil -

     (12th)  Ancylosis oblitella, Pink-barred Sallow, Deep-brown Dart.

     (13th)  Brown-spot Pinion.

     (14th)  - nil -

     (15th)  Lunar Underwing.

     (16th)  Beaded Chestnut.

     (17th)  Pine Carpet.

     (18th)  Yellow-line Quaker, L-album Wainscot.

     (19th)  Green-brindled Crescent.

     (20th)  Elachista freyerella, Dusky-lemon Sallow, Brick.

     (21st)   - nil -

Ancylosis oblitella, Westcott 12th September

Pine Carpet, Westcott 17th September

L-album Wainscot, Westcott 18th September

The pyralid Ancylosis oblitella (12th) is resident in parts of the far south of England but seems to have occasional break-outs, perhaps backed up by immigration.  Around the time my specimen appeared, which was the first to be seen here since 2018, there were quite a few records of it elsewhere beyond its normal range and they included places further north than Bucks.  The rather tired-looking L-album Wainscot (18th) was a welcome first-time visitor to the garden of a spreading species which again could be backed up by migration.  Otherwise, immigrants over this period were limited to Vestal (two on the 11th, another on the 12th) and continued occasional appearances by Udea ferrugalis/Rusty Dot Pearl and Nomophila noctuella/Rush Veneer.  A single example of Plutella xylostella/Diamond-back Moth did turn up on the 20th but this often common species has been noteworthy by its absence for much of  this year.

Lilac Beauty, Westcott 20th September

Light Emerald, Beautiful Hook-tip and Straw Dot have started to re-appear again, while sightings here of less often recorded second brood individuals have included Riband Wave (21st), Lilac Beauty (20th) and Bright-line Brown-eye (18th).

On 11th September I had a Coleophora species to light which is unusually late to be seeing any example from that family, especially one as fresh-looking as this example was.  It has been retained so that its identity can be properly established.  After a flurry of thirteen examples in the garden between 18th July and 14th August, Webb's Wainscot appeared again on 18th September which is the latest date I've ever seen it, although the books do say that it can go on into October.  Formerly regarded as a migrant, Dewick's Plusia turned up again on 12th September, this species having already put in three garden appearances during July.  While some may still have been wanderers, it is likely that the moth is now a local resident too because there have been so many records of it in the last few years from across our area.

Coleophora species, Westcott 11th September

  

Dewick's Plusia, Westcott 12th September

As far as further macro-moths for the 2022 year-list are concerned, all I've got to look forward to between now and (hopefully) the end of this month are Mallow, Clifden Nonpareil, Large Wainscot, Blair's Shoulder-knot & Brindled Green, plus maybe Buttoned Snout & Large Ranunculus if I'm very lucky.  October should bring the November Moths (including the likelihood of Autumnal Moth if I can be bothered to check lots of them), Feathered Thorn, Figure of Eight, Sprawler & Merveille du Jour, while November is sure to add December Moth & Scarce Umber to finish off the year's arrivals.  Anything else will be a bonus!  Already accounted for because they appeared on the list at the beginning of this year are the other common autumnal species such as Winter Moth and Mottled Umber, as well as Red-green Carpet (seen 8th September), Grey Shoulder-knot, Satellite (seen 21st September) and the Pinions and Chestnuts which hibernate during the coldest months.  

2022 has been exceptional for migrant moths already but we haven't yet got to October which is often the best month for them, so there's still a chance that something exotic might turn up.  The important thing is to keep on trying - don't put those moth traps away yet!  Don't just rely on the traps either - ivy is now in blossom and if you have some near you then a torch-light search during the early part of the night can produce many moth records. October is also peak "leaf-mining" season.  I know that's rather a niche interest for many people and it may not be quite as good this year because the hot weather has caused many trees to lose a percentage of their leaves already, but looking for leaf-mines is a good way of finding those tiny species which are difficult (or sometimes impossible) to identify as adults.

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks     

Dusky-lemon Sallow

Assuming I have got the ID correct, based on the Atlas, this seems to be the first record for the hectad SP63, and indeed the first record for any of the four hectads of NW Bucks since 1963!

New moth for the garden, and some deep-brown eyebrows

Pediasia contaminella was a new addition to the garden moth list last night, first one I've seen in this part of the world. Although not the most colourful of moths it seems a bit undignified that it has been burdened with the English name "Waste Grass-veneer"! Its typical posture is to have its head down and tail in the air. Seems to have increased in Upper Thames area in recent years.

I'd never noticed this until I took some photos today, but it seems that Deep-brown Darts have fabulous eyebrows 😊

Grey Pine Carpet

 Although somewhat worn, I am pretty sure that this is a male Grey Pine Carpet, rather than Spruce Carpet, based on the antennae which don't look "toothed" to me, but would appreciate confirmation, or otherwise.
Thanks
Phil T

Delicately done

Thanks to Andy Newbold's recent post, I am pretty sure that I have been visited by a Delicate, a new record for me, which is rare among the macros these days. It may well have called before but been overlooked as some kind of Sallow. Mea culpa if so. I was also glad to read about Dave's hornets. We get quite a lot of these and, though terrifying in appearance, they seem as gentle and concerned to avoid trouble as the books suggest. Ditto one of our other recent visitors, the very alarming-looking Sabre Wasp.  Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon

Away trapping

Following my visit to the Waddesdon Estate on the 11th, before the weather turns much colder I made the most of the last few warm(ish) nights to get in further September trapping sessions at some of the places I'm visiting regularly this year.  During the summer months I wouldn't even contemplate going out four nights in a row but with the hours of daylight now much shorter I can get the usual three hours of trapping in and still be home at a reasonable hour to get some sleep.

Although better than at Waddesdon, there were relatively few moths to be seen at any of the sites, the main species of autumn having not yet started in earnest and the numbers of micros in particular have fallen off a cliff.  Three traps were employed each time (two 125wt MVs and a 15wt synergetic).  On the 12th I went to private woodland near Silverstone which produced a combined total of 98 adult moths of 38 species, more than half of which came to the little 15wt Heath trap.  Amongst the autumnal species here were Red-green Carpet, Brindled Green, Brick, Brown-spot Pinion and several of the Sallows (all in very small numbers though) along with Pinion-streaked Snout and migrants Nomophila noctuella & Dark Sword-grass.  Unusually for woodland at this time of year, there were no Hornets!

Brick, near Stowe 12th September

On the 13th I went to the Forestry Commission's Yardley Chase on the border with Northamptonshire, visiting one of two areas of woodland there which are entirely within Bucks.  Here the traps brought in a similar number to the previous night, 97 adult moths of 37 species, but with a handful of Hornets to make life more interesting.  Black Rustic & Deep-brown Dart (the odd-looking specimen below, with that outer row of black and white darts) were added to the autumnal species, while second-generation examples of Riband Wave and Kent Black Arches were of interest, but no migrants were seen.

Deep-brown Dart, Yardley Chase 13th September

Kent Black Arches, Yardley Chase 13th September

Finally, last night (14th) I returned to Yardley Chase to run traps in the other area of woodland I've been looking at, more than 2km away from the first, and here there was a noticeable reduction in activity with only 52 adult moths of 24 species but a significant increase in Hornets!  Overall there was little of interest, although three Small Wainscots were nice to see and one of only six moths attracted to the 15wt trap was a very smart migrant Vestal.  

Vestal, Yardley Chase 14th September

To relieve the boredom I did some leaf-mining by torchlight at all three sites.  Almost all of those found were common and widespread species but I did strike lucky last night by finding active mines of Coptotriche angusticollella on dog rose.  There are only a handful of records for this Nationally Scarce species in Bucks, Yardley Chase now becoming the fourth known site.  I've previously had the adult at Whitecross Green Wood and mines in Salcey Forest, while it has also been recorded at Grangelands.

Coptotriche angusticollella, Yardley Chase 14th September

Coptotriche angusticollella, Yardley Chase 14th September

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks

Clancy's Rustic

On the left is a Clancy's Rustic, on the right is a Pale Mottled Willow - both identifications confirmed by Sean Clancy. They were caught in Beaconsfield in the first week of this month. Given how similar the two species can be it is worth carefully checking any unusually pale PMWs you catch.

Dave Ferguson

Clay or White-point?

 I think this might be a Clay despite the fairly late date. I believe that Clay shows an outer dotted cross-band as this does, plus the white spots seem a bit dull and ragged for White-point. If it is Clay it will, surprisingly, be the first for the year here.

Beet Moth still putting in an appearance.

 

Longwick leafmine query

 As usual our apple tree is absolutely covered in mines - mostly Lyonetia Clerkella and a few others i have seen before. However, I came across a slightly different looking mine today that combines both a gallery and a wedge- shaped sort of blotch. Could his be Stigmella Incognitella perhaps? Interested in people's thoughts.

Waddesdon Estate

Last night I completed my monthly visit to woodland on the nearby Waddesdon Estate, where I've been trapping regularly since April.  Despite reasonable conditions the results were very poor indeed (just 15 species between two MV traps in three hours) but I did get yet another female Four-spotted Footman, meaning that I've recorded the moth on each of my July, August & September sessions and it brings the total count there to 30 individuals.  I've also had females at Grangelands near Princes Risborough (18th July) and at Finemere Wood (15th August) as well as a male in the garden at Westcott on 21st July, so I'm sure the species now has a toe-hold in this area of Bucks.

Four-spotted Footman, Waddesdon 11th September

The only other moths of interest at Waddesdon last night were the easily-recognisable rhodocrella form of Agonopterix subpropinquella (which despite being supposedly common is a species I don't see all that often) as well as late examples of Small Fan-footed Wave and Pretty Chalk Carpet.  

Agonopterix subpropinquella, Waddesdon 11th September

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks       

Pearly Underwing/ Female Turnip

 Following on from my previous post here is a view from above and also of the hindwing if that is of any help.

Andy Newbold

Another micro dilemma!

 Hi there,

Can't decide if this somewhat worn micro is Anania fuscalis or Udea prunalis. I just hope no one will tell me that it's neither!

Best wishes

David

Questions from a more interesting night

1. I am not really expecting an ID for the first but wondered if anyone had any ideas what this wing might be from? It is about 38mm long!

2, Unfortunately this one died in the fridge when I was trying to get it to settle, 9mm in length. I wondered about Loxostege sticticalis but it is not clearly marked and seems to be lacking the light markings along the tornus,

3, Which Acrobasis? Possibly consociella? (10mm long)

4. Pearly Underwing? But I have been wrong with these before.

5. Delicate. A first record for the garden,

Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.

...and I thought Old Lady was big

 

Big Blue reaches Beaconsfield (at last).

Dave Ferguson