Clifden Nonpareil in Eastham

Ken Willetts had a very nice surprise in his garden moth trap up in north west Worcestershire yesterday -
Clifden Nonpareil - formerly resident in parts of the south east of the country but now a rare migrant, a first for VC37 Worcestershire.

Encouragement, if any were needed, to keep trapping at this time of year - you never know what might turn up.

72.076 BF2451
Clifden Nonpareil Catocala fraxini

Bringsty Common 4 days later...

A mild night, but very damp with drizzle and mist, but I ran one Robinson down the bottom of the garden and it was quite busy.  With the winds again becoming southerly I was more hopeful of some migrants, but only 2 Nomophila noctuella blessed the trap from foreign lands. 239 moths comprising 23 macro-moth species and 12 micro-moth species.  Topping the bill was Lunar underwing with 30, followed by Large Yellow Underwing (24) then Setaceous Hebrew Character (21) and Brown-spot pinion (21).  Other Autumnal species were Pink-barred Sallow, Sallow, Beaded Chestnut, Black Rustic, Frosted Orange, 16 Autumnal Rustic, Vine's Rustic.  Rather unsually for me at least, 1 Red Underwing was also in the trap rather than sitting on a nearby wall. Peter Hall

Bringsty Common:  Eudonia angustea

 

 

Bringsty Common: Autumnal Rustic

Bringsty Common: Dusky Thorn

Bringsty Common:  Egg boxes were quite "busy"

 

Bringsty Common September 20th

The first warmer night for ages, so out went 1 trap despite the stiff breeze.  Found a sheltered spot behind a hedge and the trap was very appealing to wasps during the night, which made me take extra care going through the egg boxes this morning. 18 species of macro and 5 micro.  Topping the bill was Lunar Underwing with 12 individuals followed by Autumnal Rustic with 10.  Late Summer/early Autumn moths like Frosted Orange, Sallow, Brown-spot Pinion, Beaded Chestnut, Black Rustic and Ypsolopha parenthesella all made appearances.  No migrants, but then the recent northerly winds will account for that. Peter Hall

Bringsty Common:  Light Emerald

Bringsty Common: Frosted Orange

Bringsty Common:  Hypsopygia costalis

Bringsty Common: Autumnal Rustic

Bringsty Common: Beaded Chestnut

Hall Green garden first.

Cypress Pug       Photo A. Prior

Alan Prior recorded Cypress Pug in his Hall Green garden for the first time last night, species number 715 for the site.

Patrick Clement

White Valerian

Following a Hummingbird Hawk-moth sighting in early June my White Valerian is still flowering and attracted another on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. I have not grown it before, and it is also popular with butterflies. The garden trap was busier last night with 181 moths of 29 species.

Convolvulus Hawk-moth

Always a thrill to find one of these huge migrants amongst the catch. There were no other migrants present this morning.

4th September at Warndon Villages

Ideal conditions here in Worcester too, produced some great results in the garden Robbo. After what looked like rather a worn one two weeks ago (and still TBC),  last night a fine Yposolpha horridella was recorded - not quite sure why I see most of these!

Another scarce species in VC37 was also taken in form of a presumed

Pammene spiniana

One migrant was a nice Rusty Dot Pearl - my third this year.

Other highlights were Lilac Beauty, Cloaked Minor, Mouse Moth, 2 Acleris emargana, Mompha propinquella, Ectoedemia louisella, 2 Argyresthia albistria and a presumed Stigmella samiatella.

18 species Macro and 24 species Micro - good for September! 



Bringsty Common September 4th

As it was going to be mild and humid I ran 2 mv traps in the garden last night to see what was about.  38 species of macro-moth and 15 micro-moth.  I have to say, nothing to get excited about.  2 Dark Sword-grass a Silver Y and 1 Plutella xylostella made up the migrants.  Lots of Thorns - Dusky, Canary-shouldered, Early, September and August all made an appearance.  A rather late Common Lutestring.  1 Pale Eggar.  Topping the bill was Large Yellow underwing (68) followed by Square-spot Rustic (65).  For micros Celypha lacunana was commonest with 14.  Most of my pots were "Ophion ichneumons" for Gavin Broad at the NHM, rather than moths.  Peter Hall

Bringsty Common: Dark Sword-grass

Bringsty Common: Feathered Gothic

Bringsty Common: Pale Eggar