Hummingbird Hawk-moth at Kidderminster 3rd Feb.

After a talk last night a lady in the audience showed me a video, taken with her iPad, of a Hummingbird Hawk-moth nectaring on Daphne in her garden on the 3rd of Februrary. If I'd had my wits about me (left at home again) I would have obtained all the details to put the record on the database. As it is I only know the date and that it was somewhere in Kidderminster.

Another record where I would love to know the origins the moth, whether it was a February migrant from Europe or perhaps a surviver from last year, or even an accidental import. I believe they have been recorded in every month of the year so perhaps not totally unexpected but nice to see.

Patrick Clement

Yponomeuta sedella

Some time back, in September of last year, I think I posted some photos of the rather pretty larvae of 431_Yponomeuta sedella. These had been found by Harry Green, infesting Orpine plants bought from a nursery in Pershore. The vendors maintain that they were not aware of the infestation when they got the plants so it remains unclear if these larvae are local or not. In any case this record was the first recorded occurrence of this species in VC37 since 1900.

Harry passed the larvae on to Tony who gave me a few to photograph and keep in the hope of seeing adults later on. I was surprised to find the pictured moth a few days ago. My rather too warm garage tends to push things along ahead of time.

Oliver Wadsworth.

Another from the wood store.

Mompha jurassicella

Only my second garden record for jurassicella but my third Mompha species for the year, the other two being M. langiella and the inevitable M. subbistrigella (5 individuals).

Patrick Clement

Trench Wood Sunday 21st

Another mild weather window and the 15w Actinic once again in situ in a sheltered part of the wood for 5 hours yesterday. Fine drizzle at end but a dozen species included my earliest Yellow Horned there, Small Quaker, The Engrailed, 4 March Moth, Satellite, 2 Small Brindled Beauty, Pale Brindled Beauty, Dotted Chestnut, 3 Chestnut and a male Diurnea fagella. Back home in the garden an Agonopterix alstromeriana, 2 Ypsolopha ustella  and 6 Common Quaker all before midnight.

Trench Wood: The Engrailed

Trench Wood: Yellow Horned

Acrocercops brongniardella, Halesowen 8th Feb

Acrocercops brongniardella

This moth was discovered in our lounge yesterday, presumably off the firewood. It's a species I have wanted to see for some time because it can be really nicely marked, with blood red eyes. Unfortunately this one is not particularly attractive nor well behaved hence the snap in a pot.

The wood store, where I suspect it was overwintering, is very close to oak trees so I shall check for mines later in the year.
Patrick Clement

4th February

Oak Beauty was the visual highlight in the Warndon garden trap last night plus Diamond-back Moth, 8 Common Quakers, 2 Hebrew Characters and 5 other species. The battery actinic at Trench Wood till midnight was very productive for a single trap with March Moth, The Engrailed, 3 Spring Usher, 8 Pale Brindled Beauty, 6 Small Brindled Beauty, 25 Chestnuts, 6 Dotted Border and The  Satellite. A mating pair of Dotted Border were torched on spindle near the gate just prior to midnight.

Warndon: Oak Beauty

Halesowen last night.

I put the trap out in the garden for the first time last night, mild but breezy, so reasonably pleased with 5 species, although only the usual suspects. It's just nice to see some moths.

Chestnut x2
Agonopterix heracliana x2
Dotted Border
Acleris notana/ferrugana
Brindled Pug

Patrick Clement

Warndon Wood again Sunday

Put the 15w actinic Skinner into Warndon Wood LNR for four and half hours on Sunday evening in 12.5 degrees C, cloudy but breezy  conditions. A very early Brindled Pug, 3 Small Brindled Beauty, a Dotted Chestnut (which does not seem to have been in hibernation very much this winter) and 7 Tortricodes alternella. Too windy for my garden, since my neighbour chopped down the only mature tree giving me any shelter from westerlies!

It's always worth getting your eye in at start of season with common pug species – I see Dave Grundy had 27 in the Wyre in 11 traps on the same night!! 

Thought I was keen with one ‘just up the road’  .....

Steve

Warndon Wood: Dotted Chestnut

Warndon Wood: Small Brindled Beauty



Warndon Wood: Brindled Pug