Bringsty Common October 24th

The dog gets a final walk along the track usually around 11.30pm and I carry my head torch to look out for the "Novemnals" in flight. Best night so far was the coldest when my weather station showed just 3 degrees. Mostly Pale November and November, but last night my first Autumnal was caught. In all cases I look at the octavals and spine (or lack of) on the valva under a low power microscope. Last night I also ran a Robinson in the garden, the first time in just over a week hoping for Sprawler which should be coming out about now. No luck, but not too bad for the time of year...again in no particular order: Merveille du Jour (3), Green Brindled Crescent (5), Yellow-line Quaker (2), Red-line Quaker (1), Figure of Eight (2), Mottled Umber (1), Beaded Chestnut (3), Red-green Carpet (1), Chestnut (1), Black Rustic (1), Grey Shoulder-knot (1), Pale November (2), November (2), both these last 2 gen checked. Peter Hall

Bringsty Common: Mottled Umber

Bringsty Common: Figure of Eight

 

Bringsty Common October 15th

Nice to see Clifden Nonpareils still arriving (see Mike's post).  Last night the temperature was due to stay in double digits (just) with a rain band crossing. As per usual it had dipped to 7 degrees just after dusk, but did return to double digits by 2am. Not a lot of rain, 1.8mm. Anyway I ran 1 trap in the garden and pleased I didn't go farther afield. 17 species recorded and listed in no particular order (as they say on Strictly CD): Common Marbled Carpet (2), Feathered Thorn (2), Red-green Carpet (2), Red-line Quaker (1), Merveille du Jour (1), Dark Chestnut (1), Lunar Underwing (1), Sallow (2), Green Brindled Crescent (7), Chestnut (1), Beaded Chestnut (1), Figure of 8 (1), Black Rustic (1), Yellow-line Quaker (1), Snout (1), Grey Shoulder-knot (1) and November (1) - octavals etc inspected. Peter Hall

Bringsty Common: Grey Shoulder-knot

Bringsty Common: Feathered Thorn

Bringsty Common: Merveille du Jour

Bringsty Common: Figure of 8

Bringsty Common: Dark Chestnut

Bringsty Common: Red-line Quaker

 

Clifden Nonpareil

My first Clifden Nonpareil arrived in my garden at Norchard, Worcs at 8.30pm this evening. The other moths shown, Scarce Bordered Straw, and second generations Beautiful Hook-tip and Heart and Dart were recorded over the last weekend.

Colwall last night

At last! Put out the trap in hope last night. And it appeared with just a very boring collection of a dozen Lunar Underwings and a Black Rustic. What is there about wet evenings? Phyl King

Colwall Clifden Nonpareil

Bringsty Common October 5th

When a couple of people told me the best night during National Moth Night was the rainy one, I decided to run the trap last night as it was due to be wet but mild. Half an inch of rain produced 21 species in all and I'm delighted to say I have now joined the Clifden Nonpareil club and I have a candidate for the tattiest ever specimen. It was very active around the wet trap at 10.30pm and I think it may have lost a lot of its wings flying into the sodden grass and then up again into the nearby Buddleia. Anyway a photo attached.
List for last night (and it was ok in the heavy rain too) in no particular order: Light Emerald (1), Clifden Nonpareil (1), Red-green Carpet (1), Setaceous Hebrew Character (5), Yellow-line Quaker (5), Figure of 8 (2), Lesser Yellow Underwing (2), Large Yellow Underwing (2), Black Rustic (9), Beaded Chestnut (4), Sallow (6), Pink-barred Sallow (2), Brown-spot Pinion (4), Lunar Underwing (3), Autumnal Rustic (2), Chestnut (1), Broad -bordered Yellow Underwing (1), Green-brindled Crescent (1), Common Marbled Carpet (1), Eudonia angustella (1) and Hypsopygia costalis (1).

I'm also pleased to announce that I have identified (yesterday) a Scarce Light Plume moth Oxyptilus laetus captured this Summer in the garden and is a county first. It will be immortalised on the Moth Dissection website soon. Peter Hall

Bringsty Common: Clifden Nonpareil

Bringsty Common: Figure of 8

Bringsty Common: Gold Triangle

Dewick's Plusia

Another interesting moth from Alan Prior's Hall Green garden trap last night.........

Dewick's Plusia, Hall Green, 4th October 2019.

Dorstone again turns blue...again

Ray Birchenough was lucky enough to trap his second Cliden Nonpareil of the season last night.

Delicate

Although Saturday was the wettest of the National Moth Night nights, it proved to be the most successful moth wise, with over 200 moths of 31 species to one Robinson light. This included the Delicate a migrant moth, of which another had been recorded at nearby Stourport the previous night. Other migrants included 2 Rush Veneer, and 5 Silver Y, with Rusty-dot Pearl and Dark Sword-grass seen on different nights.
The Vapourer, Beautiful Hook-tip, Pine Carpet, and Dioryctria abietella also added variety over the weekend here at Norchard, Worcestershire.

Vestal, Hall Green.

Alan Prior's Hall Green garden in the north east corner of VC37 recorded a Vestal last night, his first there for 6 years.