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

Another new species for our region

Yesterday Andy & Melissa Banthorpe discovered mines of Ectoedemia hannoverella on black poplar by the River Ouse near Olney, Bucks which is a first for our three counties.  The moth has been spreading very slowly westwards from East Anglia since its discovery in Suffolk in 2002.  A page for the species (and some photos of the mine) have now been added to our on-line Atlas.

Scarce bordered straw?

Hi there,

After a few nights of catching nothing, this turned up in my trap this morning. I'm thinking it's a scarce bordered straw. As it's got the word "scarce" in the name and I've never seen one before, I thought I better ask the experts. Is this another of those immigrant species that now also breeds here? Sorry the pictures are poor, it wasn't very co-operative. The dark photo was taken inside, and the colour was much lighter, really a light olive. I added the other picture to show that it had a dark band on the underwing.

Important News from MapMate

 

MAPMATE ALERTS! ISSUE 169

Welcome

Very Important Notice

As some of you may know, I have designed, run and supported MapMate since its creation 25 years ago. It is now time for me to start to think about retirement! This is a very difficult thing for me to do, both logistically and personally.

The first step is to close down the business side, for which I have the following timetable: From today, 28 October 2024, to 30 November 2024 inclusive, will be the last chance to renew licences and to obtain any new licences (CUKs) you may require for the near future. From 1st December inclusive no new business transactions will be accepted and no more CUKs will be issued or renewed. If your licence runs out in December, or first quarter 2025, or anytime next year, then you may wish to renew now. Licences are renewed from their expiry date, even if this is in the future. "MapMate Ltd" will then close for business on 31st December 2024.

Moving forward...Users will be supported, updated, and the infrastructure maintained (funded privately) until the last licence has expired. During 2025, important aspects of the program (like making taxon update patches) will be passed on to any interested parties. Hopefully over this time you can decide what's next for your recording or continue using MapMate for as long as our recording community (and Windows!) supports it.

If you have any questions please direct them to me at support@mapmate.co.uk.

Mark Yeates
For MapMate Ltd
28 October 2024

Ectoedemia quinquella

David Lees carried out some searching for leaf-mines at Burnham Beeches today and was lucky enough to find active mines of Ectoedemia quinquella within "green islands" on a decaying oak leaf.  This was a first for Bucks and is a species well worth keeping an eye out for at the moment (there are quite often several mines to a leaf, as in this case).  David also found a leaf-edge fold of Parornix carpinella on hornbeam, a rare moth in the county. 

Ectoedemia quinquella mines on oak,
Burnham Beeches 27th October

Ectoedemia quinquella mine, Burnham Beeches 27th October

A couple of late (ish) records.

 Both P. ruralis and Buff Arches last night to MV; and A. ipsilon (2) and Box moth (2, both forms) to MV. Of these is the Buff Arches latest for Bucks?

24 October.

Harris Tweed

 

Good to have a couple of tweed-coated Sprawlers in the very lightly-populated trap, one of the few remaining regulars which had not yet showed. Also my first Mottled Umber of the year, a Barred Sallow and a Black Rustic. My iPhone's bug-spotter got them all right - and for those intrigued by such technological novelties, it also newly allows me to isolate, copy and paste the images - minus a leg, antenna or two - into emails to the grandchildren.  Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon

Micro from MV trap 24th

 Possibly Cnephasia sp?

Looks distinctive but can’t pin it down.Thoughts?

Best

Will

A puzzle

This moth was caught in my garden on Wednesday night (23rd).  Is it a White-line Dart?  It's worn and very dark; I lengthened the exposure in order to make some features easier to see.  It's very late for one to be flying and I'm also not convinced by the stigmata.  The lack of arrowheads on the subterminal line might indicate Garden Dart, but could be due to wear and doesn't help with the lateness.

Or have I missed something obvious?  The moth is reposing in my fridge.

Tim Arnold
Newton Longville, Bucks

Woodland trapping

I've had a couple of late-season "away sessions" in local woodland in Bucks this week.  On Wednesday evening I ran a couple of MV traps for the usual three hours from dusk in Finemere Wood.  The catch was much as expected on a chilly evening and only 14 species were caught, but Figure of Eight produced really good numbers with 86 recorded between the two lights.  It is no great surprise that it does well here because there is so much blackthorn in the wood, but it was great to see so many examples of a moth classified as Endangered.  There were only a couple of micro species flying but one of those was Diurnea lipsiella which isn't seen all that often in our area, being restricted mainly to oak woodland, although its flight period in October and November means that the moth is probably under-recorded. 

Diurnea lipsiella, Finemere Wood 23rd October

Figure of Eight, Finemere Wood 23rd October

Last night (Thursday 24th) I took a 15w Heath trap and the two MVs to Bernwood Forest for the same amount of time but the number of species caught was higher at 25 thanks to better temperatures and thus more micro activity.  Figure of Eight appeared again at all three traps but the overall total (34) was lower than at Finemere thanks to there being far less blackthorn adjacent to my chosen trap sites.  The most numerous species was actually Feathered Thorn with exactly 100 seen.  Unexpected moths included Buff Footman and Rosy Footman, although late appearances like this are not unprecedented at Bernwood, while my first December Moth of the season also turned up to one of the lights.

December Moth, Bernwood Forest 24th October

Rosy Footman, Bernwood Forest 24th October

Buff Footman (female left, male right), Bernwood 24th Oct

The micros at Bernwood comprised Ypsolopha ustella, Plutella xylostella, Diurnea lipsiella, Carcina quercana, Blastobasis lacticolella, Pandemis cerasana (rather late), Acleris ferrugana/notana, Acleris rhombana, Acleris emargana & Emmelina monodactyla.  Of these, Carcina quercana was the most numerous with eleven spread between all three lights.  

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks   

New Garden Moth

Stoke Goldington, North Bucks:

 Attracted to Actinic front door lights, last night, this Figure of Eight is a garden first. Scarce in SP84, I think this is probably a first record for square SP84J. The light also attracted a rather late, pristine Swallow-tailed moth.

Mompha bradleyi?

 Am I safe in ID'ing this as Mompha bradleyi, without dissection? The Field Guide seems to suggest it would need genitalia examined to separate from divisella, but the "hourglass" is distinctly buff-tinged, rather than pure white, so I can't see it being the latter. I have had bradleyi here before (gen det), plus divsella looks very unlikely per the the atlas.

Thanks

Phil T

Too worn to ID?

 Hi there,

This rather unexpectedly turned up last night. Can those more experienced that me make anything of it?

Many thanks,

David

Mine on Comfrey

 I found this leaf-edge roll on Comfrey yesterday. It looks almost identical to that of Parornix devoniella, but the nearest hazel is ~5m away, and as far as I can tell, (the top leaves are not accessible), there are none of the blotch mines of that species on it. There appears to be nothing that mines Comfrey that creates such a roll, so a bit of a puzzle! The roll is 3cm long, and empty apart from frass at one end, (the left hand end in the image below.)

Westcott, Bucks

New arrivals for the 2024 garden list have tailed off significantly now and there are very few species left which are guaranteed to put in an appearance this year, Sprawler, Scarce Umber and December Moth (as well as Winter Moth which was seen back in January) being the only ones that spring to mind.  Added over the past two weeks have been:  

     (1st)  Merveille du Jour

     (3rd)  Brick

     (4th)  Acleris sparsana

     (5th)  Figure of Eight, Yellow-line Quaker

     (7th)  Musotima nitidalis, Feathered Thorn, Scarce Bordered Straw

     (9th)  November Moth

     (15th)  Pale November Moth

November Moth (genitalia checked), Westcott 9th October

Figure of Eight, Westcott 5th October

Merveille du Jour, Westcott 1st October

There have also been a few "seasonal firsts" recently of moth species already recorded post-hibernation much earlier in the year but which have appeared again now as freshly-emerged specimens.  They include Satellite (3rd October), Chestnut (5th), Dark Chestnut (6th), Grey Shoulder-knot (12th) & Cypress Carpet (14th), while Red-green Carpet has been seen regularly in the traps since 22nd September.  The first Mottled Umber of the winter appeared last night (15th).

Cypress Carpet, Westcott 14th October

Mottled Umber, Westcott 15th October

One or two late individuals of summer species have visited the traps, the most unexpected of which was Chocolate-tip (1st October).  This was very unusual and may be an attempt at a third brood because the last example I saw was way back on 19th July.  Yellow-tail (6th), Dark Arches (14th) & Copper Underwing (15th) were somewhat less remarkable, but sightings of Neocochylis molliculana (7th & 9th) were my latest ever records for that species.

Neocochylis molliculana, Westcott 7th October

The only obvious migrants of late have comprised Plutella xylostella (2nd, 6th, 15th), Udea ferrugalis (2nd, 15th), Scarce Bordered Straw (7th) and Palpita vitrealis (14th), but Delicate has appeared almost nightly in the garden throughout this period (17 individuals) and I suspect many of them will be migrants because there has been quite an influx at coastal sites.  However, as has already happened with White-point, Delicate is a species which I believe may also be in the process of becoming established in our area.  There was another sighting here of Plumed Fan-foot (8th), this time during the day when it was disturbed from vegetation, and it may or may not have been a migrant.

Palpita vitrealis, Westcott 14th October

Lunar Underwing appears to be on the way out here now and to date I've managed 749 individuals since the first one on 15th September.  That might seem quite respectable but it is actually not a particularly good total for the garden because in eleven of the past 20 years the moth has achieved counts of more than 1,000 of which three have been over 2,000.  An oddity on 4th October was a noticeably tiny (but fully formed) example of Pink-barred Sallow which came to light here, having a forewing length of just 10mm.  It is shown below next to a normal sized specimen.   

Pink-barred Sallows, Westcott 4th October

A bit more casual searching for leaf-mines in the garden over the last couple of days has produced a number of new species for 2024, including vacated examples of Stigmella luteella (on birch) & Stigmella regiella (on hawthorn) as well as active mines of Stigmella microtheriella (on hornbeam), Ectoedemia intimella (on sallow), Ectoedemia occultella (on birch) and Tischeria ekebladella (on our very young oak).  I was particularly pleased to find Ectoedemia intimella, the mine being on a fallen leaf of narrow-leaved sallow Salix cinerea.  The species has only been recorded here once before, ten years ago, and again it was an active mine on a fallen leaf but on that occasion of Crack Willow Salix fragilis.  That particular tree is unfortunately no longer with us because it started to collapse in high winds three or four years ago so I thought I'd lost all its associated leaf-miners.  

Active mine of Ectoedemia intimella, Westcott 11th October

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks