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