Mostly Micros.

Running a 20W actinic light in my back garden two nights ago resulted in 33 species (plus a half dozen more still to go) and only ten of them were macros. I tried a new position for the light, in order to try to tempt another Metalampra italica to show itself. The theory was that the previous one had emanated from the woodshed, so that's (approximately) where the light went. Bingo:

Last one into a pot, as well. It is doubly nice to target a species and then get it.
Another new for me micro was this Lyonetia prunifoliella:

Nine out of the twelve times I've run a back garden light since 7th of May I have caught Tachystola acroxantha - and it's still going strong.
Often times a light trap is approached mainly from a particular direction, but I have rarely seen it so marked a phenomenon as on that night: Almost every moth came to one end of the trap.
One of these turned up:

Are we going to have to dissect all these now, or is there some way to spot the Cryptic ones?

Two Macro Moths

From light trap in woodland, Witney last night.

Struggling to ID these two. Any help appreciated... Thanks ....

Clifden Nonpareil larva

I received this from Flora Hunter this morning, who has kindly agreed to allow me to post it on the blog. It was taken in her parent's garden in Somerton, VC23. The fence is situated under an Aspen which is in a stand of same. The larva of this species is rarely seen. Unfortunately the blog has rotated the image by 90 degrees.

 

 

 

Two more micros

Sorry another couple I am struggling with. Both 8mm in length. The second in particular looks as if it ought to be obvious!

Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.

Dark Crimson Underwing

The last egg box inspected this morning at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve moth trap contained this not so little beauty.  A "W" shape can be made out on the black central band on the hind wing and there is a double prong on the outer central cross-line in leading half.

Dark Crimson Underwing

Photograph is not great and was taken through pot lid as I did not want to lose it and wanted to see the hind wing.

It was one of around 65 species recorded there this morning including Crescent, Mere Wainscot, Webb's Wainscot and Tree Lichen Beauty.

Chilterns Chalk Grassland

Having read Will Langdon's post from the other day about Aston Rowant I thought it was about time I attempted another visit to the Grangelands nature reserve near Cadsden, Bucks.  Last night probably wasn't the best of choices in that there was an annoying breeze for most of the session, but it didn't rain and there was cloud cover for much of the time I was there.  Two MV traps were run for the usual three hours and somewhere in the region of 150 species eventually turned up after quite a slow start.  One trap was placed in amongst the largest Juniper bushes on site and some of the expected Juniper feeders did make an appearance, including probably two of the five different Argyresthia moths associated with the plant (abdominalis and dilectella, both miniscule and very similar species) as well as Dichomeris marginella and Juniper Pug.

Argyresthia sp. Grangelands 23rd July

Juniper Pug, Grangelands 23rd July

The Argyresthia species will need dissection to confirm but either of the two likely species will be new to the site.  A.dilectella is known in Bucks from three rather dubious-looking records back in the 1960s and 1970s from someone who only seems to have recorded moths associated with Juniper and there's no indication of how their identities were established.  However, there are post-millennium records for A.abdominalis from Windsor Hill and Burnham Beeches.  It is perhaps worth mentioning that the second trap was placed only about 40 metres away from this one and it didn't get any Juniper feeders at all, so maybe proximity to the food-plant is quite important.

Amongst the other micros it was good to see Acompsia cinerella, Acompsia schmidtiellus, Ancylis comptana, Rhopobota stagnana, Paratalanta hyalinalis, Oncocera semirubella & Delplanqueia inscriptella along with many more.

Ancylis comptana, Grangelands 23rd Jul

There were no large numbers of particular macro species but Shaded Broad-bar, Scarce/Common Footman, Brown-line Bright-eye, Straw Underwing & the Hoplodrina pair were reasonably frequent.  Other noteworthy species included Royal Mantle (just the one), Barred Rivulet, Kent Black Arches, Rosy Minor, Tree-lichen Beauty & Small Purple-barred (several, including a rather more fresh example than Steve Lockey's specimen from the other day, although they do fade very quickly).  No sign, unfortunately, of Chalk Carpet which is the species I'd most hoped to see at this, one of its few known Chilterns sites (I didn't get it here last year either which is a bit worrying). 

Royal Mantle, Grangelands 23rd July

Small Purple-barred, Grangelands 23rd July

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks

A few micros for advice

The first I think is probably Phyllonorycter stettinensis or P. klemannella 3mm long and in the freezer for dissection.

The next 2 are 8.5 and 8mm in length. Possibly both Cochylimorpha straminea?

The next looks like an Acleris species very yellow and 7mm in length.

Finally this one possibly a Grapholita species maybe lobarzewskii? 6mm long.

Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.

Three Rather Unimpressive Micros

 In the trap last night in North Leigh.

Brown House Moth I think for the first. The second two are

too worn to ID perhaps....?

Light Crimson Underwing

Light Crimson Underwing to light at Bagley Wood (VC 22: Berkshire) among a fairly decent catch (compared to how its been for last month or so) of other moths - about 90 species. Probably a migrant as there have been several caught recently across the country. Garden trap has been very poor for a long time now and with a combination of different predators making short work of the contents I've stopped running it so regularly until things pick up. Of interest, I have also had repeated success with Lunar Hornet Moth lure as has been widely reported elsewhere but also had three Red-tipped Clearwing to the same lure the other day which i haven't heard of elsewhere.  Marc Botham, Didcot

Light Crimson Underwing - 23/07/20

Too Kinky For Plain?

I get a lot of Riband Waves in my central Oxford Actinic trap and each time I dutifully check them for the rarer Plain Wave. I got rather excited a couple of days ago when I found the one below in which the outer crossline near the leading edge seemed to be far less kinked that my usual Riband Waves I see. In addition the wing surface was less "peppered" than usual. However, on doing some Googling of Plain Waves it seems that this is still more kinked than the very smooth (and rather faint) outer crossline that Plain Wave. So is this just a less kinky Riband or have I actually found a Plain?

Plain Wave Candidate

One of my more usual Riband Waves

Adam Hartley

Small Scallop and Six Striped Rustic?

I caught these two last night which I believe are Small Scallop and Six Striped Rustic. Both are new to me, so I would appreciate if someone would kindly confirm that's what they are.

Many thanks

Lorna Woolhouse, Checkendon South Oxon

Tricky micro

There's some hint of improvement after a long, quite fallow spell here in Wolvercote, Oxfordshire; but it would still be good to see a really warm, cloudy, still night. One species from the 22nd which I haven't pinned down is this micro - apologies for the quality of the photos - which, at 6-7mm, seems to tick some of the boxes for Gyposnoma oppressana; any other thoughts as to possible identification?

Possible Gypsonoma oppressana, 22/7/20

Possible Gypsonoma oppressana, 22/7/20

Steve Goddard

The one that got away

I must revise my sequence when setting out to try a lure. Its usually put the lure out while I get my net and pots out etc - WRONG! I decided to try for Yellow-legged Clearwing in a layby near the entrance to Langley Park after work tonight. I put the VES lure out on the car bonnet. Within about 30 seconds a very smart Yellow-legged appeared catching me empty handed. True to form it only stayed for around 5 seconds and then flew off never to return! I gave it another hour but no show. So the moral of the story is be prepared just in case of a very very quick response! I will try again tomorrow and this time.........

Lunar Hornet in Longwick too

It has taken at least two weeks to come good in my case but one did arrive this morning. Interestingly it wasn't sure of where to go and wasn't in the trap. I happened to blunder into the garden between zoom meetings and it caught my eye. I ended up netting it to which it responded by buzzing loudly! It always feels like a leap of faith to reach in and remove one of this pair!

I have also been regularly checking Buddleia with a torch at night recently and that is throwing up species like Old Lady and Herald that I haven't trapped yet.  I notice that Box Moth seems to like nectaring on it too!

 

Eudemis sp.? and Pug.

Help required please. 2 views of moth in different light and also views on this Pug. Thank you.

Steve Lockey (Garsington)

Farm Moths

Trapped on a friend's farm up near Winslow last night. I have seen pics of some interesting things found there in the past, none of which turned up in my trap, although I will try there more in future.

For now at least there were some NFY for me, including Dusky Sallow, Pebble Prominent, Lunar-spotted Pinion, Turnip, Swallow Prominent, Magpie and Agonopteryx pupurea.

Plus a handful of things I'd appreciate a bit of help on:

Is this Cochylimorpha straminea or one of the other ones??

A noticeable orange Wainscot

Not sure where to go with this one

The pale one; is it just another colour form of Common Rustic agg?

Not sure on this one

Dave Morris, Winslow 

Yellow-legged Clearwing

I had my first Yellow-legged Clearwing to the VES lure yesterday (22nd), in our garden at Beenham, Berks. I thought that I had missed it this year as most of my previous sightings have been in May and June. LUN has pulled in a couple of more Lunar Hornet moths, but still no luck here with SAL.

Recent Sightings

Had a couple of trips to Aston Rowant in the last week or so, firstly on the afternoon of the 16th, looking for day-flying species on the side of the reserve south of the motorway (mostly Linkey Down). The main highlight for me actually came before I got into the reserve, with a Netted Pug larva hiding in some Bladder Campion seed capsules along Hill Lane.

Netted Pug larva on Bladder Campion

On the main site, main micro excitement was several Trifurculas swept from Bird's Foot trefoil (3 in one patch, this time I'm sure of the ID!) that'll need the chop, and 2 male Nemophora minimella (both feeding on umbellifers as opposed to their scabious foodplant as metallica likes to do). Other interest was provided by several Thyme Plumes (alongside Brown and Dingy White again), Dichrorampha vancouverana, Celypha cespitana and Small Purple-Barred. Supporting cast was a very similar collection of species to my previous visit to the north side of the site.

Nemophora minimella

Thyme Plume

On the 18th I had a walk around Lardon Chase and the Holies. Unfortunately I had some problems with my net, so didn't find many micros (it was a bit windy for them to be flying without encouragement) - mostly just lots of Oncocera semirubella. I turned to leafmines instead and was pleased to find a couple of vacated Perittia obscurepunctella on Honeysuckle, as well as Stigmella sorbi on Whitebeam alongside some more common species.

Perittia obscurepunctella - vacated mine

That evening, I returned to Aston Rowant for some trapping, focusing on the southern side of Linkey Down with 4 LED traps. I managed to avoid the rain that others had, and ended up with 137 species by the time I packed up at 1:30. Most of the hoped for species showed, with highlights of Pimpinel Pug (1 - thanks to Dave W for confirming the ID), Sitochroa palealis (2), Juniper Pug (2), some Coleophoras that I hope will turn out to be niveicostella, Fern (2), more Trifurculas, Scarce Tissue (1), Acrobasis suavella (4), Kent Black Arches (5), Festoon (1), Maple Prominent (1), Coleophora lixella (4) and albitarsella (1), Oncocera semirubella (3), Recurvaria leucatella (2), Dichomeris marginella (2), Chalk Carpet (1), Dark Umber (1), Reddish Light Arches (1), Hypochalcia ahenella (1), Acompsia schmidtiellus (1), and Least Carpet (the latter in the lit bus-stop at Lewknor Turn!).

Pimpinel Pug

All in all, a very enjoyable night with some surprises and most of the targets showing - only absentees were maybe Royal Mantle and the hoped-for juniper-feeding Argyresthias. Away from Aston Rowant I also joined the Lunar Hornet club with one to the new lure at Longbridges Nature Park on the morning of the 21st. Nearby I also had several Red-Tipped Clearwings to the lure at Aston's Eyot on the afternoon of the 20th.

Westcott, Bucks

Well, it was slightly better than the previous week, but with the emphasis on the slightly!  There were still two very poor nights (19th and 20th when it got really cold here).  The 18th was quite interesting because for once the twin-30wt actinic out-performed the MV, the former bringing in 249 moths of 66 species while the latter managed 215 of 58.  I expect that to happen in the autumn but not in high summer.  The garden year list currently stands at 466 which is about 70 behind the same date in 2019.  Additions have been as follows:  

(15th)  Blastobasis adustella, Epagoge grotiana, Eucosma campoliliana, Cydalima perspectalis, Large Twin-
            spot Carpet, Buff Footman, Svensson's Copper Underwing, Slender Brindle
(16th)  Agonopterix alstromeriana, Anarsia innoxiella, Mompha propinquella, Stenoptilia pterodactyla, Lesser
           Cream Wave, Plain Pug, Tree-lichen Beauty, Obscure Wainscot
(17th)  Zelleria hepariella, Ypsolopha scabrella, Oncocera semirubella, Oak Hook-tip, Straw Underwing,
           Small Wainscot
(18th)  Epinotia nisella, Slender Pug, Maple Pug, Canary-shouldered Thorn, September Thorn, Black Arches
(19th)  - nil -
(20th)  Bryotropha domestica, Acleris variegana
(21st)  Oegoconia sp, Notocelia rosaecolana, Catoptria falsella, Wormwood Pug, Magpie Moth 

Oncocera semirubella, Westcott 17th July

Canary-shouldered Thorn, Westcott 18th July

Magpie Moth, Westcott 21st July

 

The Box Moth Cydalima perspectalis (15th) is only the third I've had here following singletons in 2017 and 2018 (none last year) so its slow spread in this part of the world must be something of a relief to local gardeners.  However, I'd be very pleased if the really smart micro Oncocera semirubella (17th) has established itself locally.  It has undergone a massive expansion in range over the past decade and, even though most of our records still come from sites in the Chilterns, its larvae use various trefoils, vetches and clovers so there's no real reason for it to be restricted to chalk grassland.  I've had it here since 2017 and last year six examples visited.  For once Small Wainscot (17th) has beaten Mere Wainscot into the trap and I still await the latter which is normally the more frequent of the pair at Westcott.  

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks

More lure success

Having been successful with the LUN lure in the morning, I thought I would try out some more during the day. FOR, as ever, failed to attract Red-tipped Clearwing, which is not too surprising given the habitat. I tried VES in the afternoon - I have only ever had Orange-tailed to this in the past and have already had several of these this year and cannot understand given the suitable habitat why Yellow-legged does not appear. However, this afternoon, a check at 4;30pm revealed no Orange-tailed but two Yellow-legged, so very pleased with that. Maybe the addition of a trap this year rather than watching a bag is the difference.

There was also a micro moth in the trap, which looked like a yellow-headed Niditinea type - not T. caprimulgella as for the LUN lure. I made a note of its markings, but in trying to pot it managed to lose it - the curved surface of the trap walls does not help when trying to use a flat surfaced pot! Does anyone know of any micros attracted to VES? I couldn't obviously see anything on the internet.

Adam Bassett
Marlow Bottom