Westcott, Bucks

As might be expected in the first half of May, there were a significant number of new arrivals here, with the following amongst those added to the garden year-list:

      (1st)  Monopis weaverella, Mompha epilobiella, Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, Dichrorampha acuminatana, Pebble Hook-tip, Common Carpet, Broken-barred Carpet, Ochreous Pug, Currant Pug, Seraphim, Yellow-barred Brindle, Purple Thorn, Pale Prominent, Buff Ermine, Ruby Tiger,

Silver Y.

      (2nd)  Coxcomb Prominent.

      (3rd)  Common Pug.

      (4th)  Esperia sulphurella, Scrobipalpa acuminatella, Iron Prominent.

      (5th)  Argyresthia trifasciata, Syndemis musculana, Cnephasia communana (retained for checking), Poplar Grey.

      (6th)  White Ermine, Orange Footman, Spectacle.

      (7th)  Sandy Carpet, V-Pug, Mottled Pug.

      (8th)  Maiden's Blush, Tawny-barred Angle, Willow Beauty, Common White Wave, Sallow Kitten, Poplar Kitten, Rustic Shoulder-knot.

      (9th)  Monopis laevigella, Notocelia cynosbatella, Anania hortulata, Figure of Eighty, Puss Moth, Treble Lines.

      (10th)  Celypha lacunana, Common Marbled Carpet.

      (11th)  Tinea trinotella, Bucculatrix thoracella, Phtheochroa rugosana, Epinotia immundana, Lesser Treble-bar.

      (12th)  Bryotropha affinis, Aethes smeathmanniana, Aphomia sociella, Grass Rivulet, Common Wave, Small Square-spot.

      (13th)  Caloptilia robustella (retained for checking), Argyresthia spinosella, Prays ruficeps, Common Swift, Light Emerald, Pale Tussock, Clouded-bordered Brindle, Marbled Minor (retained for checking), Light Brocade, Common Wainscot.

      (14th)  Crassa tinctella, Glyphipterix thrasonella, Clouded Border, Clouded Silver, Buff-tip, Snout.  

      (15th)  Knot Grass.

Pebble Hook-tip, Westcott 1st May

Grass Rivulet, Westcott 12th May

Sandy Carpet, Westcott 7th May

Ochreous Pug, Westcott 1st May

Puss Moth, Westcott 9th May

Marbled Minor agg, Westcott 13th May

Best of the bunch from this period, though, were the two micros on the 14th.  Crassa tinctella is a completely new moth for the garden and its larvae are thought to feed on lichens.  Glyphipterix thrasonella has only visited once previously and that was back in 2013.  This one is associated with rushes and is fairly common locally in the damp meadows along the River Ray catchment. 

Crassa tinctella, Westcott 14th May

Glyphipterix thrasonella, Westcott 14th May

Two female Emperor Moths visited over this period (one on the 1st, the other on the 5th) and both left some eggs in the trap which will be released in due course after they've hatched.

The Orthosia species have all but finished now.  Hebrew Character continued to appear nightly over this period until the 11th, by which time this year's total had reached 631 individuals, then another singleton appeared on the 14th.  The last Powdered Quaker was seen on the 8th while a single Clouded Drab visited on the 11th (the first since 30th April).  Of the other early species, Brindled Beauty has had its best ever year here with 41 individuals seen in the garden so far, beating 26 recorded two years ago.  Prior to 2019 it wasn't even an annual visitor and I'd be lucky to see two or three here in a season. 

Non-moths in the traps over this period have included a queen Hornet (9th, unusual here) and two of the large may-fly species Ephemera vulgata and Ephemera danica (both 12th, danica again on the 15th).  The very smelly sexton beetle Nicrophorus humator turns up most nights now and the first Cockchafer of the season appeared on the 12th.  

Ephemera danica, Westcott 15th May

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks