Buttoned up

 

I have more or less given up on the light trap for the winter, though it may go into service with a large template as a Christmas star to dazzle our neighbours for a few nights next month.  So it was nice to find two Buttoned Snouts accompanying me today in our cobwebby attic where I'm organising, or trying to, vast piles of family papers.  I only saw the species for the first time in April this year, but it's clearly taken a liking to Thrupp.  Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon.

Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella

Although it is brown rather than green, I'm pretty sure this is a pupal cocoon of Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella in a mine on a Snowberry leaf. I will see what emerges in due course...

Effect of bulb type on moth trap catch and composition in UK gardens

Interesting article at https://ecoevorxiv.org/repository/view/8079/

Westcott, Bucks

Much of the first half of November was better than expected in the garden thanks to the stationary anticyclone which kept us in relatively warm conditions even though it remained very gloomy.  47 different adult moth species put in appearances here over the period (13 micros, 34 macros) and species numbers for each catch remained in the mid-20s which is quite good for the time of year.  With that warmer weather now just a memory and much colder conditions in store, at least for the next week or so, catches here each night have dropped to single digits already both for species and individual moths.  There were a small number of new arrivals for the 2024 garden list during the warmer part of this period and everything which can reasonably be expected for the year has now turned up:

     (1st)  Scarce Umber

     (5th)  Caloptilia rufipennella (retained), December Moth

     (6th)  Caloptilia betulicola/elongella (retained)

     (9th)  Diurnea lipsiella

The two Caloptilia species have been kept for checking (rufipennella is quite common here, but I have very few garden records of either betulicola or elongella).  A nice fresh example of Diurnea lipsiella on the 9th was, surprisingly, a first for Westcott and takes the site lepidoptera list to at least 1,115 species (further possible additions await dissection).  On that note, I had a very good candidate for Spiny Hook-tip on 1st November which has joined a handful of others from back in September that await critical examination, although I think the earlier ones will all turn out to be Oak Hook-tip which seems to have had a better than usual autumn brood locally. 

Caloptilia species, Westcott 6th November

Diurnea lipsiella, Westcott 9th November

December Moths, Westcott 5th November

Scarce Umber, Westcott 1st November

Scarce Umber is doing rather well at the moment (26 individuals to date, meaning that last year's record total of 29 is likely to be surpassed).  Feathered Thorn has also been appearing in good numbers with 123 so far this autumn which makes it the second highest count ever here, although I suspect it will struggle to beat the 149 seen in the garden last year because the moth is now well past its peak.  

Possible migrants over this period included Udea ferrugalis (3rd, 7th, 8th), Palpita vitrealis (1st, 10th), Turnip Moth (2nd), Dark Sword-grass (1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 8th, 15th), Angle Shades (2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 12th), Pale Mottled Willow (1st, 10th) and Silver Y (1st, 2nd, 3rd).  Another example of Musotima nitidalis appeared on the 1st.  

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks  

UK Moth Recorders' Meeting, 25th Jan 2025 (via Zoom)

Details of the above are now available.  Advanced booking (free) is essential at the link here. 

Common Marbled Carpet?

This carpet was attracted to my actinic garden light on Friday night. I think it must be one of the many forms of Common Marbled Carpet, but a second opinion would be welcome.

Steve Trigg, Cookham

Problem with irecord

 I had a frustrating experience yesterday.I had uploaded 40 odd species from a summer MV trap but when I completed the “where was it” tab it wouldn’t save.I went through the process several times.I had to leave and record not saved as of this morning.

I had a go with a recent catch (2 moths!) and it worked but I am nervous about risking big summer catches!

Have others had this problem?

I am I missing something?

Best

Will

Scarce Bordered Straw

 Not one but two Scarce Bordered Straw to Penn garden on 28/10/2024

Scarce Bordered Straw?

 Rather worn, but is this Scarce Bordered Straw? There's a hint of a broad dark outer band, but not much else to go on, and it's not a species I have had before. 

Jersey Mocha

 The 05/09/24 was one of my highest catches of the year to my Penn garden

with 129 Large Yellow Underwing. It also produced this individual which i think is a Jersey Mocha

A boat-load of immigrants in Stoke Goldington (N. Bucks)?

On the night of 3rd November, this interesting Flame Shoulder dropped in, accompanied by a nice female Gem and beaten up Udea ferrugalis. I think it could be a candidate for Radford's, going by the elongated shape, smallness of the stigmata, and extension of the black line beyond.

Another Scarce Bordered Straw?

Following on from a post last week, I think this moth attracted to my garden actinic trap last night is also a Scarce Bordered Straw.

I have not seen this moth before, so it would be a new addition to my garden list. Steve Trigg, Cookham

Hook-tips

Hi All

I just wanted to mention that any Watsonalla hook-tips, especially in autumn, should be retained in case of W. uncinula. For some technical reason I can't see comments, so I don't know what has been said about the very recent one. Obviously, if anyone wants to reply please do so directly to my email or I won't be able to see it. 

I was previously only able to access the site by deleting all site-related cookies but this time it tells me there aren't any, even though I had just been looking at it. I know others have had issues and something is clearly still awry. 

I had another vitrealis last night along with gamma and xylostella. 

Martin

Late Oak Hook-tip

Amongst the usual autumn moths in the garden trap last night was an Oak Hook-tip.

This is the latest I have recorded this moth, but I see from the Upper Thames Atlas that there have been other records even later in November. The only immigrant in the trap was a single Palpita vitrealis. Steve Trigg, Cookham

Dioryctria species?

 

Steve Lockey (Garsington)

Westcott, Bucks

Time for another fortnightly update from mid-Bucks.  Catches by the two garden actinic traps have continued to tick over nicely because there have been few really cold nights yet this autumn.  A quick check just now showed that I'd recorded 62 different adult species here since 16th October, although catches each night have generally been somewhere in the 20s, so there is still quite a variety of moths out there.  For those of you who put your traps away in the winter (shame on you!) it certainly isn't time to do so just yet.

New for the season on 29th October was Winter Moth, while newcomers for the garden year-list over this period have been:

     (16th)  Sprawler

     (28th)  Phyllonorycter messaniella

     (29th)  Pearly Underwing

Winter Moth, Westcott 29th October

Sprawler, Westcott 16th October

This has been a reasonably good period for migrant activity at Westcott although most of the rarer species which people have been recording elsewhere seem to have avoided this area!  The following were seen in the garden:  Plutella xylostella (18th, 26th), Udea ferrugalis (22nd, 29th, 30th), Nomophila noctuella (29th), Palpita vitrealis (21st, 22nd, two on 29th), Silver Y (28th, two on 29th), Delicate (many nights, ten over the period), Pearly Underwing (29th) & Dark Sword-grass (21st, 22nd).   

Delicate, Dark Sword-grass & Palpita vitrealis,
Westcott 21st October

Pearly Underwing, Westcott 29th October

Of the other species recorded, Musotima nitidalis (24th) was the third one to be trapped here after a visitor in the previous two-week period and another last autumn which was the first for the site.   This adventive is certainly a smart-looking moth when fresh.  A Dewick's Plusia on the 28th was the latest example I've had here, but otherwise there has been nothing of particular note in the traps.

Musotima nitidalis, Westcott 24th October

Dewick's Plusia, Westcott 28th October

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks

Lunar underwing?

Thought this was lunar underwing but GMS spreadsheet tells me its outside the flight time so please may I have id help for this one too.
 

Tortrix id help please

Still being stumped by tortrix id this late in the year so your help would be much appreciated.  Thanks
 

Marvellous as ever

 

I've been too superstitious to mention my wait for the Merveille du Jour to friends and I was beginning to wonder whether it would arrive this year before I pack things up. Last night, it did. Or rather they did, two fresh and beautiful specimens. Perhaps they were also attracted by our pumpkin.  Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon