Time to catch up !

Having seen several posts for Clifden Nonpareil over the last week or two, finally catch up with 3 over the last 2 nights to the garden trap near Pershore - the one below being the most intact - birds / bats having had a bit of a nibble at the wings of the other 2 ! 

Dark Sword-grass and Cypress Pug also of interest last night. 

Putley joins the club

 I was very envious when I read that Mike Bailey had received a visit from a Clifden Nonpareil and didn’t expect to only have to wait a fortnight before one reached my garden - possibly attracted by the black poplars? When I checked my trap in the early hours of Sunday morning, my suspicions were aroused by the size of what at first glance, looked like a very large Red Underwing. On looking closer, there was something quite different about the markings. A glimpse of blue as it briefly flashed opened it wings confirmed that I too had a special visitor.

I released it back into the trap at dusk yesterday evening to move on in its own time – all the other moths had flown by this morning, but it stuck around most of the day, resting on the inside wall of the box before leaving mid afternoon Sally Webster

 

Some September notes from the Doward

 

I was surprised to find a Marbled White-spot last night (Sept 21st) but PH advised me that the last Atlas has a second generation September blip on the phenology chart. Overall a quiet period here on the Doward with jut the first Black Rustic of the Autumn and a few Dusky Thorns.

Not to outdone I also had one of these bluey things on 18th.

On 8th September I thought I'd finally found something rare with this Metalampra italica  an Oecophorid first new to science in 1977 and first found in UK in 2003. But PH tells me they're now well established in Herefordshire since 2014 with 30 odd records.

Garway Surprises

Since my brother resurrected Dad's Robinson moth trap in June, we have enjoyed many mornings going through the trap. Sunday (20/09/20) was no exception! We were delighted to find a Clifden Nonpareil lurking under the penultimate egg carton! 

A beautiful specimen and a first for me. I think I'll be buzzing for a while yet over this one! 

Also very pleased to have found this resource, finding it very helpful with identifying the moths that appear in your 'What's Flying Tonight' section. Thank you all!

Humming-bird Hawk-moth in Mortimer Forest

 

Humming-bird Hawk-moth spotted today in my garden, in Pipe Aston, edge of Mortimer Forest. 
On NMRS the record appeared as new to the area. 

False Codling Moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta, Hall Green.

 An unusual looking Tortrix in the garden trap of Alan Prior last Tuesday night turned out to be False Codling Moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta, just the third record for Worcestershire vice county according to my Mapmate database.

This may have emanated from one of the many Asian or Afro-Caribbean supermarkets along the the Stratford Road, close to Alan's house, as they often have the fruit and veg out in front of the shops. 

The moth's natural range is sub-Saharan Africa and is usually imported as a larva in oranges and chillies, see the DEFRA fact sheet,

https://planthealthportal.defra.gov.uk/assets/factsheets/PPN-FalseCodlingMoth-final.pdf

Patrick Clement

Dodford goes Blue

 I have seen a couple in Warwickshire last year and this year and I don't think there is any doubt that they have bred and spread remarkably over the last few years.

Not seen so many reports for Worcestershire but enough to have been hoping to get one, and if not this year then next.

A quite windy night last night from the North East and the Aspen and Polpars that I am aware of in the Village are to the South.

Anyway it is my birthday today and the first Eggbox I turned over revealed this present.

Only disappointment is that after a few quick photos it flew off without warning. I had a Red Underwing in the trap a week or so ago and that "revved up" for ages before flying off. Shame because I was going to show my wife who has had to listen to me banging on about Blue Underwings for the last month!

Clifden Nonpareil

Pete Smith

Dodford, Worcestershire

Clifden Nonpareil at Uffmoor Wood

Following the discovery of a Clifden Nonpareil larva at Uffmoor Wood in July, Mike Williams suggested we ought to run some light traps in the wood to check for adults and so four of us convened there last Tuesday night.

We were joined by Beverley Challinor, who found the larva, the first confirmed breeding record for the species in Worcestershire, and were rewarded with the arrival of a ‘Big Blue’ mid evening. It was quite a sight to see this large moth in flight, illuminated by the MV light as it came closer and closer before settling in vegetation outside the trap. A pristine specimen, suggesting it had probably emerged in Uffmoor Wood from previous breeding.

Patrick Clement

L-album Wainscot

Slim pickings in my Hereford trap last night  but this was a bonus, 6th county record

Boxworm Moth

A survey of a property in Fernhill Heath last night produced a fine individual to light in a flower meadow. Other highlights were Elachista freyerella, Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella, Eulamprotes atrella, Aethes smeathmanniana, 2 Brindled

Greens and an early Feathered Thorn.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth

My first Humming-bird Hawk-moth of the season settled in my garden yesterday. So much easier to photograph when it is sat still. The 8th saw an unusual second brood Blotched Emerald. I had posted one on here in September 2016. The 10th saw a second Clifden Nonpareil here at Norchard, Worcs. 

Bringsty Common September 7th and 8th

I have found a spot in probably the worst location in the garden, where hornet numbers are suppressed. Less than 10 a night these past two nights. Still lots of wings and bodies in the trap bottom. No sign here any any more Clifden Nonpareils after one last year, but still early days. No sign of any Red Underwings too so far. Migrants limited to Silver Y and a Dark-sword Grass. I'll do a composite list for the last 2 nights. Peter Hall

 

Bringsty Common 7-8th September
Argyresthia semifusca
Epiphyas postvittana	Light Brown Apple
Acleris variegana	Garden Rose Tortrix
Celypha lacunana
Epinotia ramella
Epinotia nisella
Yellow Shell	Camptogramma bilineata
Common Marbled Carpet	Dysstroma truncata
Green Carpet	Colostygia pectinataria
Tawny Speckled Pug	Eupithecia icterata
Brimstone Moth	Opisthograptis luteolata
Dusky Thorn	Ennomos fuscantaria
Engrailed	Ectropis crepuscularia
Light Emerald	Campaea margaritaria
Snout	Hypena proboscidalis
Burnished Brass	Diachrysia chrysitis
Silver Y	Autographa gamma
Copper Underwing	Amphipyra pyramidea
Angle Shades	Phlogophora meticulosa
Frosted Orange	Gortyna flavago
Lunar Underwing	Omphaloscelis lunosa
Centre-barred Sallow	Atethmia centrago
Feathered Gothic	Tholera decimalis
Common Wainscot	Mythimna pallens
Dark Sword-grass	Agrotis ipsilon
Flame Shoulder	Ochropleura plecta
Small Square-spot	Diarsia rubi
Large Yellow Underwing	Noctua pronuba
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing	Noctua fimbriata
Lesser Yellow Underwing	Noctua comes
Square-spot Rustic	Xestia xanthographa
Six-striped Rustic	Xestia sexstrigata
Setaceous Hebrew Character	Xestia c-nigrum
Autumnal Rustic	Eugnorisma glareosa