Bactra species

 I am assuming this must be Bactra lancealana. 8mm in length. It doesn't look quite right but I see that it is a very variable species and the rare ones are costal.

Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.

Narrow Winged Pug ?

I am assuming the below is indeed a Narrow- winged Pug ? However I thought I would check as I have never seen one and I'm struggling to think of the nearest Heather to Longwick!

A few highlights and queries from Worminghall, Bucks

The moth year list has been climbing steadily over the last few weeks, now on 378 (awaiting verification) for our garden here in Worminghall. Here's a few highlights and queries from  July.  Any corrections to identifications much appreciated. 

 

Nice to get a smart looking Vestal. Also had up to 7 Rush Veneer on one night, a few Diamond-back Moths but only a single Rusty Dot Pearl. A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was also feeding on the lavenders last weekend. 

Scalloped Hook-tip was a welcomed overdue first for the garden 

Small Rivulet (above) and Small Dotted Buff (below) also overdue firsts

Two Dioryctria (above and below). The above I thought perhaps sylvestrella and the one below perhaps simplicella?

Is this another Moitrelia obductella? 

A Hellinsia sp? 

Large Twin Spot Carpet I presumed 

Two moths here from an away night trapping at Waterstock Mill just over the border in Oxon. I'm pretty sure the top one is Orthotelia sparganella and perhaps the one below is Schoenobius gigantella?

Moitrelia obductella.

On the night of the 18th this moth turned up in my back garden:  

 Moitrelia obductella is a chalk grassland species, mostly found in the South, although Martin Albertini tells me a few have been caught in Bucks. But the 18th was a particularly hot night and maybe this was a wanderer. 

Udea ovalis or prunalis?

 I can't decide what this rather tatty looking Udea is - ovalis or prunalis?

 

Mark Griffiths, Garsington, Oxford.

Wormwood ?

 Reference to Ben Shelton’s recent post, this moth came to my MV trap in Wheatley on Saturday (excuse poor photo).  Is this the same species ?

Richard Harding

Udea fulvalis?

 Poor photos - it is very lively but still retained - but this looks quite like Udea fulvalis. I see there were a couple of records from our region in previous years, but has it now colonised or is this a likely migrant, if ID correct?

Possible Udea fulvalis East Oxford 22 July 2022

Light Crimson Underwing?

I had this moth visit my garden trap last night. I wondered if it is a Light Crimson Underwing? The fw length is 30mm.

Steve Trigg, Cookham

Wormwood - East Oxford

 A recent highlight - and not a species I expected at all - was this fine Wormwood to my East Oxford garden actinic on 21 July

Wormwood, East Oxford, 21 July 2022

Westcott, Bucks

Despite some fairly good catches there has been a slow-down in new arrivals for the year-list, particularly amongst the macro-moths.  This is only to be expected at this stage of the season, with quite a few of those appearing now being second broods of species already recorded earlier in the year.  The following have appeared as completely new since the last report:  

     (13th)  Eucosma obumbratana, Small Waved Umber, Small Rivulet, Muslin Footman, Obscure Wainscot.

     (14th)  Dioryctria sylvestrella, Mere Wainscot.

     (15th)  Monopis crocicapitella, Cameraria ohridella, Phyllocnistis saligna, Least Yellow Underwing.

     (16th)  Phyllonorycter heegeriella, Ypsolopha dentella, Merrifieldia baliodactylus, Apotomis betuletana, Notocelia roborana, Pammene aurita (daytime, to API lure), Slender Pug, Cloaked Minor.

     (17th)  Yponomeuta plumbella, Mompha propinquella, Epinotia brunnichana, Cydia fagiglandana, Bordered Beauty, Dusky Thorn, September Thorn, Black Arches, Lesser-spotted Pinion.

     (18th)  Argyresthia bonnetella, Coleophora hemerobiella, Cochylis dubitana, Epinotia nisella, Gypsonoma oppressana, Gypsonoma sociana, Pempelia palumbella, Sitochroa palealis, Donacaula forficella, Straw Underwing, Webb's Wainscot.

     (19th)  Grapholita lobarzewskii, Pyralis farinalis.

     (20th)  Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Hoary Footman, Rosy Rustic.

The period above includes the most recent record-breaking heat-wave when the overnight temperature on the 18th didn't fall below 25C.  The combined list from the two garden traps that night came to 666 moths of 157 species (363 of 113 to the MV and 303 of 96 to the actinic) which, while quite good, didn't break any records here.  The results from the following night (19th) might have bettered those totals but, un-noticed by me in my sleep-deprived state, the MV bulb had unfortunately failed immediately after it was switched on.  It turned out that the bulb itself was fine, it was just a case of me not having followed my own advice and emptied all the fried flies, etc from the previous night out of the bulb holder and they had caused a loss of connection!  The catch was therefore just from the actinic trap, which on its own had managed to pull in a fairly respectable 414 moths of 99 species.  

Muslin Footman, Westcott 13th July

Yponomeuta plumbella, Westcott 17th July

Epinotia brunnichana, Westcott 17th July

Lesser-spotted Pinion, Westcott 17th July

Rosy Rustics, Westcott 20th July

As the last picture shows very well, the two Rosy Rustics which attended the MV trap last night were quite different both in ground colour and size.  Unfortunately they're harbingers of autumn, reminding us that the arrival of the Sallows and Lunar Underwings isn't really all that far away now - what a depressing thought!

  

The two moths illustrated below have never before been recorded in the garden and weren't really to be expected here either.  The plume is a species of chalk down-land while the phycitinid is an uncommon heathland specialist, the closest colony being at Stoke Common.  Both must have been wanderers from their normal habitats thanks to the hot weather.  I'm certainly not complaining - the garden list has now risen to 1,052 species of which 598 are micros and I wonder if 600 might be achieved this year?

Merrifieldia baliodactylus, Westcott 16th July

Pempelia palumbella, Westcott 18th July

It is still the Footman moths which are appearing in the greatest numbers (for example 108 Common Footman on the night of the 18th) but nothing else is providing particularly high counts at the moment.  Dusky Sallow has been doing well locally (double-digit counts most nights recently, which is unusual), while Elephant Hawk-moth is still ticking along with another seven last night and their total has now reached 254 here this season, almost double the previous highest tally of 130 in 2018.   The only recognised migrants to visit the garden over this period were Plutella xylostella/Diamondback Moth (17th) and Nomophila noctuella/Rush Veneer (14th, 15th & 19th).

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks

A nice surprise in North Bucks

I was surprised to find what I think is the scarce Monochroa palustrellus in my garden actinic trap in Stoke Goldington (Bucks) this morning.

Ancylis badiana and Eudemis profundana

Can I check that I have correctly identified these 2 micros? The first I think is Ancylis badiana.

And this second tortix looks like Eudemis profundana.

Thanks, Steve Trigg, Cookham

Mompha langiella in Denham

 A distinctive Momphid. After one on 11-12 July, two last night to MV. Very little Enchanter's Nightshade in Garden, but there are other wilder gardens nearby. It is becoming a regular annual visitor. 

A few more micro queries

 A few from Sunday night for confirmation please...or otherwise!

1. This looks to be spot-on for Neocochylis hybridella, but I am dubious as there is no chalk anywhere nearby.

2. This looks closest to Epinotia nisella, but the golden colour around the dorsum seems too extensive and not reddish enough, so again I have my doubts.

3. And finally one where I have three options, but none seems exactly right. A faded Lobesia abscisana, a faded Piniphila bifasciana, or Orthotaenia undulana.

Suggestions/corrections/confirmations much appreciated as always.

Thanks

Phil T

A few micro queries

Firstly, could I check that the moth below is Eucosma conterminana?

Secondly, is the moth below one of the Mompha species?

Thirdly, I wondered if anyone could suggest what this tortrix might be?

Finally, I know that some of the Yponomeuta group just have to be recorded as aggregates. Does that include this example below, which looked a little different from all the others in the garden trap?

Thanks for any help. Steve Trigg, Cookham

A strongly marked Small Dotted Buff?

 I struggled with this nicely marked moth for a little while, but I think it may be just a particularly well marked [female?] Small Dotted Buff? There are a few other similar illustrations on the web.

Metalampra italica

 Metalampra italica last night in Garsington, Oxford. 

 

Mark Griffiths

Red-tipped Clearwing

 Five of these turned up on Stoke Common, near Fulmer, Bucks to the Raspberry Clearwing (HYL?) pheromone lure: 

Eudonia lacustrata?

 Hi there,

Using the Berks micro book, I think I have sufficient features of lacustrata to separate this specimen from mercurella.

Confirmation welcome!

Many thanks

David

Dotted Fanfoot in Denham

Martin tells me that there are a few south Bucks records - here are two more - 7-8 July, and, the worn one, 16-17 July, both to garden MV.