Hummingbird Hawkmoth

My first Hummingbird Hawkmoth of the season in the garden this evening. It seemed to favour this Salvia called " lipstick". It was in the garden at Norchard, Worcs around 6.30 pm whizzing about.

Blotched Emerald

I had an interesting catch this morning at Norchard, Worcs, which included this unusual second brood Blotched Emerald. Also a Swallow-tailed moth and  Light Emerald. Also a first for year Green-brindled Crescent and a Red-line Quaker plus Pine Carpet and Pinion-streaked Snout. Four Silver Y, and a Diamond-back were the only migrant species.
Necrodes littoralis the Shore Sexton beetle was also present.

Butterfly conservation E-moth

The latest issue of "E-moth" is available and well worth a read and ogle at the excellent photos used from Patrick and Oliver at the link here

 

Cypress Pug in Herefordshire

I've just received this photo of a Cypress Pug, caught in Cradley on August 25th. As far as I know it's the first for Herefordshire - does anyone know of others?
Still hoping for a Vestal in Colwall - last night was cold but there were still over 100 Lunar Underwing, and my first Autumnal Rustic of the season.
Phyl King

Cypress Pug, Cradley

Another Vestal

I thought I'd use that title for Phyl. Ran one trap in the garden last night in Bringsty Common (E. Herefordshire) and was rewarded with 92 moths of 28 species, 25 of which were macro-moths. Topping the list was Lunar Underwing (21). Lots of Autumnal species now including Black Rustic, Beaded Chestnut, Brown-spot Pinion, Pink-barred Sallow. Still getting Square-spot rustic, Centre-barred Sallow and Rosy Rustic. Momentarily excited when I saw a huge moth on the wooden lamp holder of the mv trap, but it was a Red Underwing...and I did check the underwings just in case of Clifden Nonpareil. I usually see most of my annual Red Underwings on the house wall first thing in the morning, but this is the first record for this year. Migrants? Nothing as exciting as Gavin's moth, 1 Silver Y and 1 Vestal. Peter Hall

Bringsty Common: Red Underwing

Bringsty Common: Red Underwing

Bringsty Common: Vestal

 

Bordered Straw

A nice surprise on Sunday 18th September after a relatively quiet autumn in SE Worcs so far for migrants.

Another garden first

Last night I was surprised to discover a Cypress Pug sitting on the rain guard! I am not aware of the status of this moth in the county-I do recall Mike having one at Norchard some years ago. Can anyone enlighten me? Very few Autumn moths so far-only 3 Lunar Underwings! Best micro last night was campoliliana.

Colwall garden migrants

When will I get a Vestal in  my garden?? Only migrants are Silver Y (up to 4 a night) and on Monday night a Dark Sword-grass. The trap is dominated by Lunar Underwing - approx 120 on Monday - and Large Yellow Underwing, together with numerous craneflies and wasps. The large numbers of Brimstone, up to 40 earlier in September, are now down to 1 or 2.

Dark Sword-grass, Colwall

Phyl King

Convolvulus Hawk-moth

I was pleased to find this Convolvulus Hawk-moth in the Robinson this morning at Norchard, Worcs. Also my first two Blair's Shoulder-knot of the season.

Bringsty Common this week

All the talk this week was of migrant moths, with winds coming directly from the Sahara. I think the highlight was Evan Bowen-Jones catching a Convolvulus Hawk-moth on Bromyard Downs. Convolvulus Hawks have been turning up all over the place, with the exception of my garden of course.
It was an interesting week, dictated by unusually warm and muggy weather, thunderstorms on Tuesday and an annoyingly bright moon.

Monday (12th) I ran 2 mv lights in the garden. The traps were pretty busy for the time of year. Overall 274 moths of which 256 were macros - 32 species. For micros 18 moths of 11 species.  Back in first place was Brimstone again (31), followed by Large Yellow Underwing (30), Green Carpet (27), Snout (23) and then Centre-barred Sallow (22). What a good year this last one is having. Migrants? Silver Y (2) and Udea ferrugalis (1). My first Brown-spot Pinion of the year, Brindled Green (3), Lunar Underwing (4). I had 9 Copper Underwing - as yet no Svensson's. My first Pale Mottled Willow of the year and presumably a second brood Pinion-streaked Snout. Sallow moth was a regular (7).

Tuesday (13th) we had around a half inch of rain, most of it delivered heavily with thunder and lightning. It was still warm and muggy in the evening, so enticed by migrant moths 2 mv lights went out again. What a difference. 110 moths of which 94 were macros. 22 species of macro, 8 micro species. I make that a 60% drop in numbers. Topping the bill were Snout (13), Large Yellow Underwing (11) and Brimstone (10). Migrants? One Silver Y. Best numbers of Autumnal Rustic for the year (6), my first Svensson's Copper Underwing and a nice second brood Olindia schumacherana.

Wednesday (14th). Still warm and muggy but clear skies and a very bright moon. So bright, I had a clear shadow and could make out colour. Only 86 moths of which 69 were macros. 23 species of macro and 6 micro. Topping the bill was Green Carpet (11), Snout joint second (8) with Acleris variegana (8) and then Light Emerald (7). My first Pink-barred Sallow made an appearance. Migrants? None.

Thursday (15th). An evening at Broadmoor Common meant only 1 mv was put out in the garden. No rain at all but it was partly cloudy and the moon came and went and it was slightly cooler than previous nights, but still fairly warm. 53 moths of which 46 were macros. 19 macro species and 6 micros. Topping the bill - tied between Large Yellow Underwing (7) and Brimstone (7). Next best was Square-spot Rustic on 5. Migrants? Yippee a Vestal and 4 Silver Y.

The moth traps have been put away for a few days. So in the space of a week I went from nearly 300 moths to just over 50. Peter Hall

Bringsty Common: Brindled Green

Bringsty Common: Pink-barred Sallow

Bringsty Common: Vestal

Bringsty Common: Sallow

Bringsty Common: Oak Nycteoline

Bringsty Common: Olindia schumacherana

Bringsty Common: Frosted Orange

Dodford 5th and 6th September

To take advantage of the warm spell I put out 2 traps in the garden on 5th September and had 527 moths of 64 species including first for the year Rosy Rustic and Lunar Underwing but the count was dominated by the (expected) 121 Large Yellow Underwings and the unprecedented 121 (coincidentally) Brimstone. I have seen large numbers of Brimstones in the previous few weeks but only in the 60s. Also large numbers of Blastobasis adustella (45) and Square Spot Rustic (50).

A new for garden was the not very common Nephopterix angustella. A bit battered and worn but it is quite distinctive. Also nice to see Pinion-streaked Snout

Nephopterix angustella

Pinion-streaked Snout

 On the evening of the 6th the forecast was again warm but I decided just to put the one trap out.

Result was less species 54 but more moths 546 as the LYUs had increased to 206. However there were still 85 Brimstone and 41 Centre Barred Sallow and again 50 Square Spot Rustic. I am going to give myself and the moths a rest for the next few days.

Of note amongst the usual suspects were the strange looking Wax Moth ,  my second ever Meal Moth and the first Sallow of the year.

Wax Moth

Meal Moth

Pete Smith

Dodford

Argyresthia semitestacella

Following Steve's success recording this species at Pipers Hill Common I visited the site on Mon 5th September with Sam and we spent 40 mins netting the beech but had just two Coptotriche marginea for our efforts. Returning to Halesowen at dusk I put the trap out (near to beech) as it was a warm night and was pleased to have a decent catch of micros which amazingly included Argyresthia semitestacella, a first record for the garden.    Patrick Clement

Argyresthia semitestacella

VC37 Grey Chi

Ben Coleman was kind enough to keep a couple of Grey Chi from his garden trap at King's Heath and this evening I saw both. These moths are very pale silvery grey - not at all like the greener more banded forms I saw at Tynemouth (Northumberland) a few years ago. The well vegetated, mature suburban gardens on the south side of Birmingham obviously have some magic element that the rest of Worcestershire no longer does. Elsewhere records have seemingly dried up from the Malverns and the odd sites in the northwest. There must be some doubt as to those reported in a Droitwich garden in June 2001. Perhaps they still survive on The Lickey Hills where altitude and habitat is presumably still suitable. Anyway for now it seems that the gardens of south Brum are the only good reservoir population of this species in the Vice County. A Eudonia angustea was potted in Ben's front garden just before I left!

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Bringsty Common September 4th

As soon as I put the trap out last night, it started to rain and was a light drizzle for much of the night. The catch was surprisingly good considering and bodes well for the warm nights to come. In total 251 moths of 41 species, of which 225 were macros making up 28 of those species. Still good numbers of Brimstone (14) and second brood Light Emerald are increasing now (8). Topping the bill was Large Yellow Underwing of course with 67 individuals, followed by Square-spot Rustic with 41. It was nice to catch a Frosted Orange and Autumnal Rustic and also a Pale Eggar. Migrants were limited to a single Nomophila noctuella, 2 Silver Y and either a migrant or home bred Plutella xylostella. Craneflies abounded. I shall await my Beautiful Marbled tonight... Peter Hall

Bringsty Common: Frosted Orange (with Brimstone, Snout and SHC)

Bringsty Common: Light Emerald

Bringsty Common: Autumnal Rustic

Bringsty Common: Pale Eggar

Bringsty Common: And plenty of Tipula paludosa

 

Beautiful Marbled

Richard Clements reports a Eublemma purpurina found in his garden on the 31st near Ross-on-Wye. This is a county first for Herefordshire. Rob Hemming