Wednesday night: Salcey Forest

I trapped in the VC 24 portion of Salcey Forest, Northants on Wednesday night because I wouldn't have been able to attend the planned BIG/BENHS event there at the weekend - which I see has now been cancelled anyway due to the poor weather expected.  It was a relatively warm night and there was a lot of moth activity.  There are still some micros to confirm but the species count is well past 150 (93 macros).  Those which I hadn't seen there before included Brown-tail, Round-winged Muslin, Dusky Brocade, Slender Brindle, Mere Wainscot & Pinion-streaked Snout   The target was Concolorous, which is certainly found in the VC 32 (Northants) part of the site.  I got three moths which could perhaps be that species, but further investigation of the specimen brought home will be required.  I haven't seen Concolorous before and, with Mere Wainscot also now flying, identification of the species doesn't seem to be quite as straightforward as I'd thought it would be.  I also got a stunning Common/Dark Marbled Carpet which is going to need further investigation because the diagnostic underside markings are not completely clear-cut.  Even if it turns out to be just a Common Marbled Carpet it looks far more handsome than the individuals I get in the garden!

Dave Wilton

Mere Wainscot (left) and possible Concolorous (right),
Salcey Forest 2nd July

Common/Dark Marbled Carpet, Salcey Forest 2nd July

 

Brown-tail, Salcey Forest 2nd July

Round-winged Muslin, Salcey Forest 2nd July

Uncertainties and Wainscot wonderings....

Ran the trap again last night. I could tell it was going to be different when I checked before going to bed. It was clear for a start. This morning most noticible was the absence of Coronets - I had about 6 the night before.

Got my first Buff Arches though. And another Muslin Footman.

Pictures here from both nights - trying to sort out Uncertains / Rustics and Wainscots.

I think the first may be a Rustic due to the lack of a clear central dark band.

The second pic I think it's an Uncertain on the right with a clear central band - the one on the left could be either.

The next one again could be either.

The next one on the basis of the grey colour is a Rustic.

The final one might be a Mottled Rustic?  

The Rustic

Uncertain right - could be either left

could be either

Rustic

Mottled Rustic?

Now onto the Wainscots. A couple turned up yesterday I though looked different. I hadn't checked the field guide re Smoky Wainscots but I did try and get a view of the hind wing of both.

One I thought showed a grey hindwing - I managed a pic but it had almost closed it's wings but I think you can see a sliver of grey.

The second one I thought looked darker on the upperside but I got the impression the hindwing was light when it showed it's displeasure at being prodded by flying off.

The final two are from this morning and I think are Common Wainsots.

So I'm not sure. They may all be Common Wainscots and as I've yet to see a Smoky Wainscot I've not got my eye in yet.Doesn't help that for some reason most pics came out blue yesterday!

Proper coloured top view

Blue cast - this one I thought looked grey underwing - can see perhaps a sliver of grey?

The one with the grey hindwing is the bottom one . The darker top one seemed to have light underwings

Probably a Common Wainscot?

Underside view of proceeding moth.

 Mark Griffiths, Garsington, Oxford.

Bees and Moths: part three!

Peter Hall has now dissected and identified the moth found amongst the dead bees in the chimney. It is a male Hofmannophila pseudospretella.

Thanks to Peter for the prompt ID and his dissection skills.

Nigel

Confirmations and IDs please

Ran the trap last night after a bit of a break. I could tell it was going to be a good night when I went out just before bed. Moths were going in two by two. I even managed to inhale something - maybe one of those midges that take the opportunity to have a go at me when I check the trap.

This morning noticably fewer Heart and Dart and Heart and Club. Only one Large Yellow Underwing too. But about 6 Coronets - mostly white marked ones which fooled me for a while.

So for confirmation and comment, first up an odd Burnished Brass. This one seemed to be almost turquoise. I know the camera seems to have added more blue (you can tell from the background compared to other pics) but it looked that way in normal light too - see other photo.


Next I think I have my first Clay and then a Clouded Brindle.

Then a Common White Wave with straight cross lines.

The very bad photo (I failed to pot it) might be a July Highflyer?

Finally Mother of Pearl and Scalloped Oak.

Mark Griffiths,Garsington, Oxford

2 micro queries

I would like help with a couple of small silvery micros, found in my Cookham garden trap. The first has a forewing of 9mm, and originally had its wings tightly wrapped to its body. But later it rested with its wings flat, so here are 2 pictures showing both positions.

The second micro has a forewing of 8mm and again I include 2 photos, one from the side and one from above.

Help much appreciated, Steve Trigg, Cookham

Loosley Row, Bucks

18 species were attracted to the house lights last night, one of which, Epiblema foenella, being a new species for the garden. Also Agapeta hamana was new for the year.

Nigel

Flaming June

As mentioned earlier, here's a brief overview of June in Wolvercote, Oxon: it's been a good month, with the total of individuals in the trap topping 200 on four occasions: the most prolific catch being on the 22nd, when 247 individuals of 70 species showed up.

Possibly the two most notable individuals of the month were both new to the garden: a Metalampra italica on the 21st, and a Toadflax Brocade on the 26th: both of them (the micro especially) quite recent additions to the British list, and expanding their range. We've also had good catches of hawkmoths (Poplar by a long way the most common, but Elephant and Eyed also showing up quite often; Lime, Privet or Pine would be nice...), and of course Heart and Dart, Uncertain and Celypha lacunana have been numerous. The pattern of species being rather earlier than in previous years (and in some cases, earlier than field guides would suggest) has continued, with for example our first Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) being found on the 27th, as opposed to 15th July last year.

Perhaps the most spectacular species of the month were our first Beautiful Golden Y on the 8th, and a Lilac Beauty on the 18th, though in some ways it's invidious to pick out a 'favourite'. Anyway - it's been pleasantly busy, and we hope for more from July. Steve and Xander Goddard.

Beautiful Golden Y, 8/6/14

Lilac Beauty, 18/6/14

Golden plusia

I woke up Sunday morning to find a pristine Golden plusia in my garden trap - a moth i haven't seen in Aylesbury since the 1980's when i used to trap at my mum's! Dave Maunder

Golden Plusia, Lavender walk, Aylesbury, 29-6-2014

Random find

I was just out in the back garden and came across this resting on a Cotoneaster, so I just thought I'd share it with you all. My garden catches are nothing like Mr Wilton's, so it'll have to do :)

Leopard Moth

Dave Morris

Small Scallop/Bloodvein?

After studying pages 132-3 of WTL until I was dizzy, I couldn't be sure whether these two were the same or slightly different. I plumped for a pair of Small Blood-veins but my guru Ben Sale of Essex Moths prefers Small Scallops. After staring at them again, I still just wonder whether the one above might be an SB-v and the one below an SS. Can one of the wise end my suffering?

While on scallops, do you remember the story alleging that Sir Keith Joseph went into a Yorkshire chippie at election time and, noting that scallops cost 20p, told a reporter that things couldn't be that bad with those sort of prices. A scallop in that context, however, is not a shellfish but a jumbo chip in batter. I'm not sure that I believe it either.

Last few micros from June

I'm hoping to put together a summary of June records in Wolvercote, Oxon, imminently, but it'll be subject to confirmation or denial of a few of these. The first I imagine is just a rather faded Elophila nymphaeata, but if there's another possibility I've missed, I'd be glad to know about it. The second looks fairly straightforwardly like Argyresthia curvella, which we've had before; but the third is a very tentatively-identified Euzophera pinguis - its resting position seemed to be with the antennae over its back: they assumed the position in the photo only when the moth was coaxed to pose beside the ruler. Fourth looks to us like Aethes rubigana, and the fifth seems to be an Yponomeuta malinellus - a rather poorer photo of it beside the ruler suggests a wing length of about 9mm. As ever, we're very grateful for any suggestions/corrections. Steve and Xander Goddard.

Presumed faded Elophila nymphaeata, 30/6/14

Presumed Argyresthia curvella, 30/6/14

Possible Euzophera pinguis, 30/6/14

Presumed Aethes rubigana, 30/6/14

Presumed Yponomeuta malinellus, 30/6/14

Some nice moths from North Bucks

In my Stoke Goldington garden (incorporating an overgrown stream)  some good moths trapped recently, associated with damp habitat: several Ringed China Mark, Dingy Shears (second record in 10 years) and a presumed Phlyctaenia perlucidalis (3rd record) - scarce in Bucks?). Other showy micros included Gold Triangle and Endotricha flammealis. A garden first was Plain Golden Y, but pride of place went to Small Ranunculus which was found by accident on Sunday evening inside the house a day after my son's all-night party (a sort of giant moth trap!). Waring and Townsend list this moth as "proposed Red Data Book" - insufficiently known/nationally scarce. As a once nationally extinct recent recolonist, it would be interesting to know what its current status is within our recording area.
Also, as ever, there is a perplexing Crambid? which does not seem to conform to any of the classic illustrations. Suggestions welcomed.  Keith

Dingy Shears

Presumed Phlyctaenia perlucidalis

Gold Triangle

Plain Golden Y

Small Ranunculus (flash image)

Small Ranunculus (natural light)

Ringed Chinamark ?

Day Flyers

Seen at the Calvert Jubilee Reserve, Bucks on 29th June was this Six-spot Burnet, while in our garden at Whitchurch, Bucks on 26th June was a Scarlet Tiger, only the second example that we've ever recorded here.  My wife Colleen saw two more Scarlet Tigers this week in Bicester, Oxon although one was deceased on the pavement.  Tim Watts

Six-spot Burnet, Calvert Jubilee 29th June

Scarlet Tiger, Whitchurch 26th June

Egghead?

Can anyone recognise these grape-like eggs, deposited in one of my eggboxes this morning? Arrivals included Riband Wave, Common White Wave, Drinker, Clouded Brindle, Heart & Dart, Heart & Club, Buff Ermine, Spectacle, Privet and Elephant Hawks, Brick, Grey/Dark Dagger, Swallowtailed, Buff Tip, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Beautiful Hook-tip, Mottled Beauty and what I think is another Large Twin-spot Carpet like Dave's albeit in less glorious condition - pic below; grateful for confirmation/correction. Plus others which I can add in comments if helpful. It would good to know or have an idea, so that I can deposit them on an appropriate foodplant. Much obliged for thoughts, as always.  Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon

Two Contrasting Nights

Here at Westcott, Bucks it got very chilly very quickly under clear skies on the night of the 29th and as a result the garden trap put in a very poor showing for peak season (113 moths of 22 species).  However, they included a first-for-year Phlyctaenia coronata and a nice Large Twin-spot Carpet which is always a welcome visitor.  Last night it was still clear and quite chilly at dawn but we'd retained cloud cover for most of the night so the difference in catch was very noticeable (562 moths of 98 species).  New for the garden year list were Parachronistis albiceps, Brachmia blandella, Pandemis heparana and Buff Footman, although pride of place goes to a battered moth found in the debris at the bottom of the trap, still alive but only barely.  It was a male Dotted Fan-foot, a species that was seen in the garden for the very first time in July last year.  Dave Wilton

Large Twin-spot Carpet, Westcott 29th June

Dotted Fan-foot, Westcott 30th June

Bees and moths again!

I decided last night to have a look behind the ventilation plate in the chimney where the bees are. I scooped out half a carrier bag of dead ones and amongst them was this moth, badly damaged but still just about alive. 

I don't think it's directly linked to bees and was probably there feeding on the detritus. My best guess is H. pseudospretella, but I'm not sure if the white areas on the wings are markings, which would rule out my tentative ID, or just damage. Also the orange on the head area looks a tad too pale.

Has anyone got any other ideas?

Thanks,

Nigel