Pine beauty

Pine beauty.

Alan Diver

Tackley.

Plume

I would be grateful for help with this Plume.

Alan Diver

Tackley

Pale Prominent

Had first Pale Prominent of the year in garden last night. Otherwise the only noticeable thing was 14 Double-striped Pugs which may well be the most I've ever had in one night, especially in April. No other pugs with them but did have Oak-tree and Brindled night before. Marc Botham, Didcot

Purple Thorn, and Zelleria hepariella

Last night stayed overcast here, with little wind and the temperature staying well above freezing. As a result, the garden trap attracted the largest total of moths to date - 71 individuals of 15 different species. 4 macros (all singles) were new for the year - Lunar Marbled Brown, Mullein, Frosted Green and best of all Purple Thorn. The last time I recorded a Purple Thorn in my garden was 2013.

Purple Thorn - Cookham 07-Apr-19

There were just 2 micros - one Diurnea fagella, and the micro pictured below which I found hiding under the rain guard. I have not seen this moth before, but it looks to me like Zelleria hepariella.

Zelleria hepariella - Cookham 07-Apr-19

Steve Trigg, Cookham

Two firsts for me

I was very excited this morning to find amongst the usual Hebrew Characters, Quakers and Drabs a Streamer and a Lunar Marbled Brown.

In Speen, Bucks.

Dark Sword-grass

A surprise amongst the 40-odd Orthosias in last night's garden actinic trap was this rather tired-looking Dark Sword-grass.  It seems unlikely for it to have arrived on the easterly winds of the last few days so, assuming that it really is a migrant and not home-grown, has presumably been lurking locally for quite a while, probably since that unusually warm patch back in February.

Dark Sword-grass, Westcott 6th April

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks

Westcott, Bucks

This is really just to check that signing-in and posting still work as they should (...and they do seem to be, for me at least) because there's been very little of interest in the trap at Westcott since the beginning of this month.  A Parornix on the 1st and a Nut-tree Tussock last night have been the only new species for the garden list.  Others seen over those five nights comprised March Moth, Shoulder Stripe, Engrailed, Small Quaker, Blossom Underwing, Common Quaker, Powdered Quaker, Clouded Drab, Twin-spotted Quaker, Hebrew Character, Grey Shoulder-knot & Chestnut, with Common Quaker the only one getting into double figures.  The night of the 3rd I was lucky not to draw a blank with just a single Hebrew Character being foolish enough to brave the frost.

Nut-tree Tussock, Westcott 5th April

Nut-tree Tussock, Westcott 5th April

I've done some totting-up of macro-moth numbers trapped in the garden between 1st January and 31st March and 2019 has proved to be by far the best year ever with 1747 individual macros appearing (the previous best was 1374 in 2012, otherwise I've never broken the thousand barrier for that period in any year).  Way out in front this year was Common Quaker with 650 individuals and of course I'm still getting them - it is having its best year ever here.

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks       

White-marked at Hollington Wood

I ran a couple of 40W actinics at Hollington Wood, near Olney in North Bucks last night and came up with just 23 moths and 11 species, one of which though had me scrabbling for the book.  I think this is a White-marked and, if so, is a new one for the wood and for me too.  The others were the usual 3 for this time of year of Hebrew Character, Clouded Drab & Common Quaker plus Dotted Border, Engrailed, Small Quaker, Diurnea fagella, Pale Pinion, Satellite and Brindled Beauty.

White-marked, Hollington Wood

Gordon Redford

Admin Post

Blogger is still working normally for me at the moment but it seems that one or two people have been unable to post today, which is co-incidentally the day that Mr Google decided to close down Google+.  If anyone else experiences problems please let me know (you can e-mail me from the 'About Us' tab above).  Until we get to the bottom of what might be going on, if you are unable to post you can send me your proposed messages and any pictures and I'll try to upload them myself.

Dave Wilton

Agonopterix ?

Attracted to a lighted window on 20th March.

Two photos of the same Moth, but with one enhanced slightly.

I think it is A.heracliana, but would like confirmation please.

Powdered Quaker?

After earlier queries and having just captured a first official Lead-coloured Drab I am now putting this forward as possibly a Powdered Quaker.. 

Steve Lockey (Garsington)

Garden Moths

I don't get a huge amount in my garden these days; new for my year last night were Emmelina Monodactyla, Amblyptilia punctidactyla, Double-striped Pug and a seemingly early Pale Mottled Willow...

Dave Morris
Seer Green

Pale Pinion?

I don't think anyone has mentioned pale or tawny pinions recently, so here's a photo of a moth caught in my trap on 29 March 19. It looks like a pale pinion to me, but please let me know if you think it is a tawny pinion.

John Clough, Marlow

More of the same

With the warmer overnight temperature I had high hopes that last night might produce something interesting for the garden list, but in the end I had to be satisfied with a Water Carpet.  Actually, despite being a common moth this is quite a good record for Westcott, being only the fifth individual to be recorded here (two in 2005 then a long wait until two more in 2017 and now this one).

Water Carpet, Westcott 30th March

Surprisingly there were no micros at all and the full list of moths which managed to get past the bat patrol comprised March Moth (1), Streamer (5, equalling my highest ever garden total in one night), Water Carpet (1), Double-striped Pug (1), Early Thorn (1), Small Quaker (31), Lead-coloured Drab (1), Common Quaker (51), Clouded Drab (13), Powdered Quaker (8) & Hebrew Character (17).  Additional species the previous night when it was far colder included Diurnea fagella, Agonopterix heracliana, Agonopterix ocellana, Agonopterix arenella, Blossom Underwing, Twin-spotted Quaker & Early Grey, while others earlier in the week included Dotted Border (27th), Engrailed (26th), Red Chestnut (27th) & Dotted Chestnut (28th).

One more night to go then we're into April and the season starts in earnest.  These first three months of the year are always a lottery, dependent so much on the weather, but 2019 has been excellent so far.  The garden has produced 54 different adult moth species to date.  With a night still to go that's already one more than the previous record of 53 achieved by 31st March in 2017 when we enjoyed similar early spring temperatures.  The number of macros (37) is currently exactly the same.  Compare that with the very cold start to 2013 when by 31st March the garden list stood at just 11 species (2 micros and 9 macros)!    

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks  

Powdered Quaker?

I thought the first one here might be a Powdered Quaker. I usually only get one or two a year.

The other is a rather nice Twin-spotted Quaker - again I usually only get one or two - this is the lightest I've had.

Mark Griffiths, Garsington, Oxford

Nut Tree Tussock and Micro....

Pleased to find a Nut Tree Tussock this morning, plus a micro which I think may be Diurnia fagella? Confirmation or correction appreciated!

Quaker confusion

I'm finding it hard to tell what a couple of moths are from their photos and I'm in danger of calling them all Common Quakers, but I'm hoping they're something different. So I'd appreciate some ID help please.

From Speen, Bucks.

'Orange Underwings ' in Rushbeds Wood. Which one?

Hello all
I've just joined from over the border in N'hants, but I do also record in Bucks, mainly Linford Lakes and Little Linford Wood.
I went to Rushbeds Wood yesterday and eventually managed to see a couple of 'Orange Underwings' on the ground. The choice was try to net or photograph.  Despite the former being the appropriate method of ID, I opted for a pics
The one which is fully open I can only match during  a long search on the interweb to images of female Light OU.  
There is plenty of Aspen there.  Is that the regular species at Rushbeds?
Any comments on either pic would be welcome.
Thanks 
Andy H

Bernwood Forest

A couple of MV traps run in Shabbington Wood last night for the usual three hours performed much as expected with Small Quaker and Common Quaker dominating the catch, those two species alone producing well over 1,000 individual moths.  As I've already mentioned this season, some of them were small in size and this is well illustrated by the two Common Quakers below:

Common Quakers, Shabbington Wood 28th March

There was actually little else to shout about apart from a couple of early Lunar Marbled Browns, with only one micro and few geometers turning out, but then again it did get chilly very quickly.  Combined totals for the 21 species caught were Diurnea fagella (5), Yellow Horned (1), Frosted Green (16), March Moth (2), Brindled Beauty (1), Oak Beauty (41), Dotted Border (6), Engrailed (1), Lunar Marbled Brown (2), Red Chestnut (8), Pine Beauty (1), Small Quaker (772), Blossom Underwing (17), Lead-coloured Drab (10), Common Quaker (383), Clouded Drab (39), Twin-spotted Quaker (20), Hebrew Character (14), Early Grey (3), Satellite (1) & Chestnut (1).   

Lunar Marbled Brown, Shabbington Wood 28th March

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks

Drab & Green

Is this a Lead-coloured Drab?

This Frosted Green turned up among all the Quakers this morning. It seems rather early.

Dave Ferguson, Beaconsfield, Bucks

COAM not a moth...

I saw a very large black bee with blue wings at the museum today. Annoyingly it flew off just before I could get my phone out to video it, but from looking around the internet I am thinking it was a Violet Carpenter Bee - Xylocopa violacea.

I'm not finding a lot of info on the possible distribution of this and there only seem to be 7 sqaures on the NBN atlas.

If there are any bee people on here, I'd appreciate your thoughts.

(to make up for the lack of moths, there was a Streamer on the window of our cafe which is new for the year for me!)

Dave Morris
Chalfont St Giles

Emperors

Having heard of sightings in Norfolk several days previously, I tried my recently-acquired Emperor Moth pheromone lure in the garden on Tuesday afternoon (26th) but had no luck.  I tried again this afternoon (Thursday) and got a male within ten minutes and two more within 20 minutes, so it is safe to say that they're out and about locally rather early this year.  My only previous March record was a female to light in the grounds of Waddesdon Manor on 31st March 2009.

Emperor Moth male, Westcott 28th March

This is the first time I've used the pheromone, having previously relied on rearing adults from larvae (done annually since 2006).  However, last year's crop of caterpillars succumbed to a virus in their final instar and I currently have only a handful of pupae which have over-wintered twice, so decided to invest in the lure as a safety measure.  It works, but in my very limited experience in ideal conditions this afternoon (warm and sunny with a very light breeze) I would say that the males are far less persistent than they would be to a virgin female.  They seem to realise there's something not quite right and are gone after just a few passes, so you need to keep your eyes open!

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks

Brindled Beauty and Brindled Pug?

I also caught what I think is a Brindled Beauty in my trap last night - see first two photos below, the first of which shows the size (metric ruler) and the second the feathered antennae. And on 22 March 19 I had a pug, which I think has to be a Brindled Pug, although I am not certain - see third photo below. I would be pleased if someone could help me out.

 John Clough, Marlow

Micro visitor

I'm afraid I haven't yet run my moth trap at home this year (slapped wrist!), but today while I was working in the garden this micro landed briefly on a tree trunk nearby. I managed to grab my camera and get one rather poor shot, then it was gone. Can anyone confirm that it is Agonopterix arenella?

Mick Jones

Quaker / Drab confusion

I've had a few successes with my new moth trap in Speen, Bucks. Very excited with an Early Thorn amongst the Hebrew Characters and Common Quakers. There have been a few moths which I haven't been sure about so I'd appreciate it if you could clear up if any of them are something different from Common Quakers. I'm hoping that one might be a Clouded Drab.

Further new species

Four more species turned up over the past two nights, taking this year's garden list past 50 already.  On Saturday night I joined the Dotted Chestnut club and had Engrailed as well, while last night brought Streamer and Powdered Quaker.

Engrailed, Westcott 23rd March

Streamer, Westcott 24th March

Powdered Quaker, Westcott 24th March

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks

Dotted Chestnut

This Dotted Chestnut turned up in Merton, Oxon last night, first time recorded in my trap.

 

 

Also this Ypsolopha mucronella?

Lead-coloured Drab?

Like Mark I have always been reluctant to claim this moth as it and the Clouded  vary so much but this morning I think I have at last got an  obvious example.

Steve Lockey (Garsington)                                                                                                    

Clouded Drab?

I was hoping this might be a Lead-coloured Drab but I think it's probably a Clouded Drab. I can't see the antennae. Still lots of Common Quakers, the first Oak Beauty appeared yesterday and the first Early Grey today.

Mark Griffiths, Garsington, Oxford.

COAM First Trapping of the Year

Left a light on at COAM last night.

163 moths of 15 species; best of the bunch was a single Dotted Chestnut; also new for the year Brindled Pug, Twin-spotted Quaker, Clouded Drab, Brindled Beauty and Early Thorn.

Dave Morris
Chalfont St Giles

Added rubbish photo...

Dotted Chestnut

Finally a night that was relatively mild, still and with enough cloud to reduce the moonlight resulted in a better catch. 15 species including Early Thorn, Acleris literana, Eudonia angustea - all new for the year. The highlight for me was this Dotted Chestnut.

At present our lawn is covered with ash seeds that at dawn look a bit like moths especially Dotted Chestnuts. It was a pleasant surprise to get the real thing.

I know that Dotted Chestnut are spreading but I don't know what their present status is in this area particularly Oxfordshire. Are others catching them and how often?

Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.

Spring has sprung

News from the nursery: a great-grandchild of the Empress which left me eggs in May 2014 has emerged at a neighbouring family's house where some of last year's caterpillars found an adoptive home. And a narrowboat-dwelling neighbour is going great guns with Silk Moths - Bombyx mori she says - which live on a curious dark green mush-concentrate and may one day provide the whole of Thrupp with silk pyjamas, hankies or possibly just floss.  Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon