Kent Black Arches?

 Could this be a Kent Black Arches? Trapped in my garden in Merton last night. Not a great specimen, but I haven't found anything else so far.

Cypress Carpet in North Bucks

There might be more dots to put on the Upper Thames web atlas as this new one for my garden shows it has expanded into North Bucks.

Janice, Milton Keynes

Westcott, Bucks

The weather had to swing into favourable conditions eventually and the middle of this two-week period finally produced a mini heat-wave (23rd-27th).  However, despite many more moths putting in an appearance over those nights, species totals for each catch only just about returned to where they should be.  The night of the 24th produced 97 species, while those of the 25th, 26th & 29th proved to be the first - and so far only - 100+ species catches of the year here.  Unfortunately things have dipped back again subsequently and the night of the 28th, when the temperature dipped to 5C by dawn under clear skies with a bright moon, produced only 36 species between the two lights although I never complain when the catch includes a Lappet!  Overall moth numbers still seem to be very much depressed, the only ones getting into double digits regularly at the moment being Chrysoteuchia culmella, the Uncertain/Rustic pair and Large Yellow Underwing.  Newcomers to this year's garden list since mid-June, taking the total past 400, have included the following: 

     (16th)  Argyresthia albistria, Metzneria lappella (retained for checking), Notocelia uddmanniana, Currant Clearwing (daytime, to lure) 

     (17th)  Epinotia bilunana, Red-belted Clearwing (daytime, to lure), Common Footman, Smoky Wainscot

     (18th)  Archips crataegana, Archips xylosteana, Aleimma loeflingiana, Apotomis turbidana, Ancylis achatana, Grapholita lobarzewskii (daytime, to lure), Eudonia mercurella, Riband Wave, Brown Scallop, Swallow-tailed Moth, Toadflax Brocade, Common Rustic (retained for checking) 

     (19th)  Dwarf Cream Wave, Dotted Fan-foot

     (20th)  Yponomeuta evonymella, Parachronistis albiceps, Aethes beatricella, Blotched Emerald, Common Emerald

     (21st)  Borkhausenia fuscescens, Clepsis spectrana, Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Lackey, Single-dotted Wave, Scalloped Oak, White Satin, Grey Dagger (retained for checking), Rustic

     (22nd)  Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Ephestia woodiella

     (23rd)  Phyllocnistis saligna, Limnaecia phragmitella, Alucita hexadactyla, Pterophorus pentadactyla, Lozotaenia forsterana, Gypsonoma dealbana, Acentria ephemerella, Buff Arches, Yellow-tail, Blackneck, Minor Shoulder-knot, Double Square-spot, Short-cloaked Moth

     (24th)  Coptotriche marginea, Carpatolechia fugitivella (retained for checking), Blastodacna hellerella, Pandemis heparana, Notocelia roborana, Rhyacionia buoliana, Grapholita janthinana, Hypsopygia costalis, Udea prunalis, Calamotropha paludella, Small Fan-footed Wave, Scarlet Tiger, Fan-foot, Dusky Brocade, Lunar-spotted Pinion, Kent Black Arches 

     (25th)  Bucculatrix albedinella (retained for checking), Eana incanana (retained for checking), Acleris holmiana, Neocochylis hybridella, Rhopobota naevana, Rhodophaea formosa, Homoeosoma sinuella, Patania ruralis, Leopard Moth, Lunar Hornet Moth (daytime, to lure), Rosy Footman, Scarce Footman, Dun-bar

     (26th)  Nemapogon koenigi (retained for checking) Ethmia dodecea, Phtheochroa inopiana, Euzophera pinguis, Small Blood-vein, Sycamore, Cloaked Minor, Lesser Yellow Underwing

     (27th)  Phycita roborella, Dingy Shears, Nutmeg, Clay

     (28th)  Spilonota ocellana, Delplanqueia inscriptella (retained for checking), Lappet 

     (29th)  Epiblema foenella, Acrobasis repandana, Anania coronata, Small Emerald, Round-winged Muslin, Delicate 

     (30th)  - nil - 

Phyllocnistis saligna, Westcott 23rd June

Likely Carpatolechia fugitivella, Westcott 24th June

Lappet, Westcott 28th June

Scalloped Oak, Westcott 21st June

Rosy Footman, Westcott 25th June

Toadflax Brocade, Westcott 18th June

The beautiful Rosy Footman first appeared here as a likely wanderer from Bernwood Forest in 2017.  However it may now be established much closer to home because it visited again in 2022 and 2023, so this is now the third year in a row that it has put in an appearance in the garden.  Two of them came to the actinic light on the 25th, very nice to see. 

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks

Crassa unitella

I think this moth is Crassa unitella. I am just wondering if it needs dissection for confirmation?

Steve Trigg, Cookham

L of a surprise...

 I go to coastal South Wales once a year and run my trap down there. One species I am familiar with from that location didn't show up when I was there two weeks ago (partly due to the poor weather I'm sure). Or maybe it is because it turned up in my garden trap this morning... an L-Album Wainscot.

Also following on from my post the other day, here are some cocoons from the possible Willow Ermine web Winslow near; hopefully they'll help with the id?

Dave Morris, Seer Green

Finding Foresters

Rob Payne, not of this parish, and I went in search of Foresters in two known fields on the borders of Chalfont St Peter and Jordans this morning. 

Although it was a bit overcast and windy, we did locate one, and later as the sun came out a few more took to the wing. Saw probably around 10 in the CSP site and 3 in the Jordans site, where the grassland wasn't nearly as grown up. Supporting cast of mainly 6 Spot Burnets with Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns

A couple did dispel the belief that they prefer pink or purple flowers though...

Not always though...

Dave Morris, Seer Green

Garden Goat Surprise in Maidenhead, Berks!

Spotted, by chance, this morning in the vegetation by my trap which had run overnight, giving me a "what the heck is that" moment and I immediately potted the moth.  When I looked at it later I realised it was a Goat Moth Cossus cossus.  Only the second one I've ever trapped, the first was also in Berkshire at Wildmoor Heath in 2003.  I understand another one turned up last night not far from me in Maidenhead.

Martin Albertini

Goat Moth, Maidenhead 26th June

Choreutis species

 This one was in the trap last night. I just want to check that it is Choreutis pariana as it seems to have some of the characteristics of nemorana. It was photographed in a tube as it is extremely active. It is about 7.5mm in length. The trap was under an apple tree with no figs in the area. 

It is great that the warmer nights have finally brought out moths in better numbers however what was not so good was what I am pretty certain was Evergestis limbata flew off before I could pot it up! Perhaps it will come back tonight!

Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.

Help required please!

 I feel I must be missing something fairly obvious Sorry!

Maybe a very dark Broad-barred White?.

Steve Lockey (Garsington)

Tineidae

 I think this moth is a member of the Tineidae. 6mm in length.

Obsidentify suggests 93% Infurcitinea teriolella which doesn't seem likely in the UK!

I have found Obsidentify has on occasions saved a lot of time and is often surprisingly good with micros. On the other hand it can be spectacularly wrong.

Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon. 

Evergestis limbata - coming to a trap near you soon!

Hot on the heels of Tom Stevenson's post yesterday, I caught Evergestis limbata in the Robinson trap in my Sonning (Berks) garden last night. Looks like it's heading up country.........

Rustic or...?

 I decided this from last night was Rustic, based on no central dark cross-band; but it is maybe not greyish enough so I am unsure--I hesitate to say uncertain!

Phil T

Willow Ermine

 A friend near Winslow VC24 has sent my this picture from a willow in her garden. Can I take it this is a Willow Ermine larval web? 

Not had much joy with mothing this year hence a lack of reports on here, but I did have a garden first Dark Umber on Friday and this morning a Cedestis gysseleniella but that was just out of region in Chipperfield, VC20 so you probably don't want to know that.

Dave Morris, Seer Green

Evergestis limbata

 Could this be my second county first? Or have there been other records since the atlas was last updated? Quite a surprise in my 25w actinic home made
trap tucked away under my car port. 

Double Dart

I had a Double Dart in my actinic trap in Aston, west Oxon this morning (at least, I think that's what is is). This seems to be a scarce species in VC23.

David Hastings

Double Dart © David Hastings

 

Assara terebrella

 Assara terebrella I think from last night. A new one for the garden.

Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.

Reddish Light Arches

    

This Reddish Light Arches in my MV trap this morning was a surprise. Per the Atlas, it appears to be generally absent from a broad strip across N Bucks and into Oxon--perhaps not surprising if it prefers chalk? Needless to say new for the garden, as was this Freyer's Pug (I believe) below which is a bit of an overdue addition I feel.

Phil T

A Brick in June??

I had this moth to my garden trap last night, and it looks rather like a Brick. However, Brick is a moth that I associate with the autumn, so have I got the id wrong?

Steve Trigg, Cookham

Ephestia sp.

I am not sure whether this moth that came to actinic light needs gen. det. or whether it can be confirmed as Ephestia woodiella.

Janice, Milton Keynes

Pearl and Carpet

It was a treat to find this little Fenland Pearl in the trap this morning (and thanks to the wonderful UTM Atlas for giving me that name, rather than the Latin Anania perlucida, though that's better than they often are). I thought at first that it was a pygmy Mother of Pearl but later discovered that I've had one before, though I've yet to track down whether that was here or during my years in Leeds.  May I also check that the little chap below encountered on a daytime is a Blue-bordered Carpet?  Sorry for poor pics. And sorry too, but I can't resist adding the lovely Privet Hawk, only the third of my usual hawks to arrive so far, after lots of Poplars and one Eyed. Moths here are good but low in numbers.  Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon

A North Bucks Orthotaenia undulana?

 At last, a better night for moths, including the tortrix, below. I think it could be a candidate for Orthotaenia undulana, which looks like it would be the first record for SP84 (according to the UTB atlas map).

Westcott, Bucks

Much of this two-week period was very disappointing indeed for moths because the country was trapped in Arctic northerlies for a large part of it, resulting in some very chilly days as well as nights.  It started off well with some decent sessions and on the night of 3rd June the catch came to 198 individuals of 83 species, but then the weather deteriorated and on the night of the 10th the two garden traps produced only nine moths of eight species, quite unprecedented for this time of year.  By the end of the period counts had slowly begun to increase again, with 56 individuals of 35 species on the 15th, although that total is still quite a way below what I'd usually expect to be getting in mid-June.

The year-list count is currently in the 290s but that doesn't yet include the results of any dissections so the actual position will now be well past 300, a milestone normally achieved here during the second week of June.  It would therefore seem that, despite the cold snap, the moths are appearing roughly when they should be even if their overall numbers are depressed.  Adult species added over this period have included the following:

     (1st)  Parapoynx stratiotata/Ringed China-mark

     (2nd)  Monopis crocicapitella, Ditula angustiorana, Pandemis cerasana, Hedya nubiferana, Eudonia pallida, Crambus perlella, Nymphula nitidulata/Beautiful China-mark, Red-tipped Clearwing (daytime, to lure), Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Treble Brown Spot, Barred Yellow, Green Pug, Beautiful Hook-tip, Brown Rustic, Dark Arches

     (3rd)  Prays fraxinella, Choristoneura hebenstreitella, Clepsis consimilana, Agapeta hamana, Eucosma cana, Eucosma hohenwartiana (retained for checking), Cydia pomonella, Myelois circumvoluta, Anania perlucidalis, Small Dusty Wave, Yellow Shell, Varied Coronet

     (4th)  Blue-bordered Carpet

     (5th)  Sloe Pug, Heart and Club

     (6th)    - nil -

     (7th)  Tortrix viridana

     (8th)  Orange-tailed Clearwing (daytime, to lure)

     (9th)  Bryotropha terrella, Scoparia basistrigalis

     (10th)  - nil -  

     (11th)  - nil -

     (12th)  Barred Straw 

     (13th)  Metalampra italica, Elephant Hawk-moth, Lilac Beauty   

     (14th)  Archips podana, Four-dotted Footman, Light Arches 

     (15th)  Celypha striana, Uncertain 

Archips podana, Westcott 14th June

Nymphula nitidulata, Westcott 2nd June

Green Pug, Westcott 2nd June

Varied Coronet, Westcott 3rd June

The smart Varied Coronet was undoubtedly this period's best visitor.  It makes only occasional appearances in the garden and this was the first since 2019.  There was nothing else unexpected and the only other moth worthy of note was the rather odd-looking example of Udea olivalis shown below.  In good condition, it lacks the usual square of white at mid-wing and the other white markings are either subdued or absent.

Udea olivalis, Westcott 3rd June

The Gypsy Moth caterpillars which I've been rearing from an egg-mass found on a wall of our house back on 4th May (see here) are now in their final instar and should be pupating very soon.  

Gypsy Moth larva, Westcott 15th June

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks 

Purple Bar

It looks like I've been unlucky not to have ever seen this before during 5 years plus of trapping reasonably frequently, but it's the first for my garden or for Cholesbury and Hawridge commons since 2010. How frequent is it in our area? Thanks, David

.

Scoparia/Eudonia?

 I always have trouble with these! The distinguishing features often seem obscured and then there's all that variation!

Can anyone help with these two - caught in a Robinson two nights ago near Chesham.

Many thanks

David

Bryotropha terrella?

I am fairly sure the second image is of Bryotropha terrella, but I'm not certain about the first, There appears to be a hint of a paler band at three-quarters, but there are no dark spots. There is a fairly similar image on the Gelechiid recording scheme site, though, so it seems likely. 

 

Cold in Stoke Goldington (N. Bucks)

A couple of days ago I purchased a max/min thermometer so that I can record the minimum overnight temperature in order to assess the affect that this has on the number of moths trapped. I thought that the minimum of 6.8 C on 7th was low, but last night (8th) the recorded temperature fell to 2.2 C, which is obscenely low for this date in June, and perhaps accounting for the total of just 7 moths across two traps! Unfortunately, cold air always seems to get funnelled into my garden, as it lies at the bottom of three converging slopes.

Tortrix query

Am I correct in thinking that this micro trapped in my garden last night is Lobesia abscisana?

Steve Trigg, Cookham

Psychoides

 Having got the clearwing lures out this week the only clearwing I have recorded so far isRed-belted.

However, the SAL lure seems very effective at attracting the Psychoides species having had 5 of each verhuella and filicivora in the last couple of days.

Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, OXON.