Also in the Pink

Your moth reminded me of one from my garden at Norchard in 2005. This one is a Beaded Chestnut. I would take a punt at Flounced Rustic for yours. The milder weather has produced Spring Ushers, Pale Brindled Beauty's, and a Common Quaker here in the past few days.

In the Pink

Am busy going through all of my unknown moths slowly identifying them all and mostly micro-moths.  The microscopes are very busy!  This one was in the latest batch.  A macro! I've dissected it and it surprised me.  Note the pink flush along the costa and the very pink underneath.  Anyone like to guess?  I'll name it in a few days.  Peter Hall

 

Send in your Records please!

As we approach the years end, it's time to sort out all of your moth records and send them onto the relevant County Recorder.  For Worcester, please send to either Tony Simpson or Oliver Wadsworth and for Hereford, please send Macro-moths to Phyl King and Micro-moths to myself please.  If you need e-mail addresses, there is a link provided to go straight to the County Moth Recorder list for the UK and you will find our details there. It's on the right hand side of the cover page under Useful Links.  I'm still getting Winter moths and Mottled Umber coming to the house windows most nights, so I'm not yet ready to send my records off (plus I'm still dissecting some moths), but soon will be.  Happy Christmas to one and all. Peter Hall

Last Trench of 2017

The last field effort of 2017 was back to Trench Wood with the mobile 15watt Actinic Skinner on the slighter milder and cloudy night on 5th December. After setting the trap, a torchlit walk along those same sheltered rides covered in mid-November, saw a rough count of 120 male Winter Moths flying and perching in all directions. Three mating pairs were found as was a single female on a truck about a meter above the ground.


female Winter Moth
The main target had been Scarce Umber and the 100 minute session resulted in 11 males hung up on blackthorn branches. Some were more strongly marked than others Sadly no mating pairs or females were located.

two male Scarce Umbers

Female December Moth

5 Mottled Umbers were also torched and these were all the plainer, brown-stippled forms. The trap itself attracted a Chestnut, 2 Scarce Umbers and 13 Winter Moths. Interestingly there were no December Moths by 18:40. Two nights earlier the home garden MV on the 3rd December had a new garden record 13 December Moths overnight including just one female which laid 30 eggs in a pot and these are now incubating very slowly in the fridge!

 

I thought it was December ?!

Found this unseasonal Dark Arches in the garden trap (SE Worcs) on Sunday evening (3rd Dec) along with more expected December and Winter Moths !