Monthly Archives: July 2014

Another Moth night this time back at home in the garden were its nice and safe from midges, we’d had a meal out so the trap was put out before hand and was in full swing on my return, so I had a sneak look, Swallow tailed was in and a Scalloped Oak, and then what appeared to be a thorn moth on the side so I was hoping this would be trapped by morning. Bright and early once again so heres the findings

1. Cabbage Moth – 2154 (1)
2. Common Rustic agg (3)
3. Dark Arches – 2321 (3)
4. Garden carpet – 1728 (1)
5. Garden grass Veneer – 1293 (1)
6. Grey/Dark Dagger (1)
7. Large Yellow Underwing – 2107 (15)
8. Marbled Beauty – 2293 (4)
9. Middle barred Minor – 2340 (1)
10. Riband wave – 1713 (1)
11. Scalloped Oak – 1921 (1)
12. Spindle Ermine – 427 (1)
13. Swallow Tailed Moth – 1922 (1)
14. The Uncertain – 2381 (1)
15. Water Veneer – 1331 (1)
16. Willow Beauty – 1937 (1)

Grey/Dark Dagger

Spindle Ermine

I was in a dilemma for this week’s night of Moth trapping, the Friday night into Saturday had a forecast of rain, however the Thursday night was good, warm night giving a min of 15° with a nice easterly wind at 5mph, the sting was work Friday morning getting in at 6am so I’d have to be up very early if the trap went out Thursday night.  The decision was to put out the trap Thursday night,  get up 30mins earlier than normal, empty the trap and then on to work aiming for a 6:30am start so I could be away for 10:30am, plan made.

Friday morning came, I was up on time and approached the trap for 5:15am, the first Moth seen was a Swallow tailed, smiley face, then I saw the rest it was full, looks like I was going to be in work later than planned. I started a quick count and to see what I could ID straight away, highlights were the Swallow tailed’ (5), Burnished Brass (2), Mother of Pearl (1), and a Willow Beauty. At the end of the session it turned out to be the best night’s moth trapping for me so far with 24 species trapped, that was ID, with near on a hundred moths (lots of none ID micros) not forgetting the none moth of a Boatman beetle (1)  PS I was in work for 6:35am

Italic are new for the trap, Bold lifers

1. Aphomia sociella or Bee Moth – 1428 (1)
2. Burnished Brass – 2434 (2)
3. Clay – 2193 (1)
4. Common Wainscot – 2199 (2)
5. Common Footman – 2050(1)
6. Common Rustic agg (6)
7. Dark Arches – 2321 (10)
8. Foxglove Pug – 1817 (1)
9. Garden grass Veneer – 1293 (1)
10. Gothic – 2136 (3)
11. Heart and Dart – 2089 (1)
12. Large Yellow Underwing – 2107 (11)
13. Marbled Beauty – 2293 (13)
14. Marbled Minor agg (1)
15. Middle barred Minor – 2340 (1)
16. Mother of Pearl – 1405 (1)
17. Riband wave – 1713 (9)
18. Scalloped Oak – 1921 (1)
19. Small Fan-foot – 2492 (1)
20. Smoky Wainscot – 2198 (1)
21. Swallow tailed Moth – 1922 (5)
22. The Flame – 2098 (1)
23. The Uncertain – 2381 (1)
24. Willow Beauty – 1937 (1)

Swallow tailed Moth

Mother of Pearl

Burnished Brass

Small Fan-foot

Time for moths again, I started tonight down at the place I work in  the nearby wooded area but had to abandoned it due to excessive amount of midges present plus I had only caught 3 moths (see this LINK) so I relocated back to the back garden. Whilst I was setting up I had already caught sight of 2 moths (Large Yellow Underwing and Light Arches) on the nearby Buddleia.

I was reward with the relocation the morning after with 13 species for the night with 3 new ones

Bold are new for the trap, Bold and Italic lifers

1. Bright line Brown eye (1)
2. Dark Arches (2)
3. Garden Carpet (2)
4. Garden Grass Veneer (2)
5. Light Arches (1)
6. Marbled Beauty (2)
7. Pale Mottled Willow (1)
8. Riband Wave (3)
9. Scalloped Oak (5)
10. Silver ground Carpet (2)
11. The Flame (1)
12. The Uncertain (1)
13. Yellow Shell (1)

Pictures of the new moths

The Flame

Light Arches

Pale Mottled Willow

and a favourite Scalloped Oak

Well here we go again another chance at some more mothing, tonight’s forecast was a clear sky to begin with maybe a light rain shower between 1am and 3am, half moon with a min temp of 11° and a 3mph wind from a NE direction.

Trap was up and running at 9pm with a few micro moths taking an interest mainly Light Brown Apple Moths, bed for me at 10pm but I was up again at 5:30am. I could see on my approach to the trap that the forecast was right when I noticed the rain drops on the perpex sheets and damp egg boxes, it seemed quiet on first inspection in the trap but it soon turned out to be my best night’s trapping so far at home with at least 15 species trapped and a few unknown’s mainly micros, one being a possible Eudonia or a Scoparia species, inspection of genitalia would sort it but we don’t do that, highlight of the catch has to be my first Plain Golden Y Moth…heres the list BOLD being a new species for me

Thanks to everyone who helped with some of the Moth ID’s especially BC_Yorkshire  🙂

1. Common Footman (2) new for trap
2. Dark Arches (1) new for trap
3. Dusky Brocade (2)
4. Garden Grass Veener (2)
5. Gothic (1)
6. Large Yellow Underwing (2)
7. Light Brown Apple Moth (3)
8. Marbled Beauty (1)
9. Marbled Minor agg (1)
10. Plain Golden Y (1)
11. Purple Clay (1)
12. Riband wave (1)
13. Scalloped Oak (1)
14. Silver Ground Carpet (1)
15. Uncertain (1)

Plain Golden Y

Common Footman

Scalloped Oak

Gothic

Marbled Beauty