Butterfly Conservation's E-moth newsletter

The May edition of BC's "E-moth" newsletter is now available to download here. It mentions the new Moth Atlas also. And the new Atlas is also featured on their webiste: Launch of new Moth Atlas for the West Midlands (butterfly-conservation.org). Peter Hall

Wigmore Rolls

 A walk around the woods today revealed excellent numbers of Grapholita internana alongside Cydia ulicetana. Peter Hall

Wigmore Rolls: Grapholita internana

 

Broom-tip

While double checking the house walls for any lurking Striped Hawkmoths, no such luck, I did however find this Broom-tip. This is only my third garden record of this Nb species in over twenty years here at Norchard, Worcs.

Pammene suspectana

Well, what a week. Spurred on by Aaron's finding which is a few miles away from me and a county first and just the 4th West Midlands record, I decided to put out 2 pheromone traps in the garden here (May 12th). The MOL lure went into the small orchard area near to 2 large oaks and the FUN lure right down the garden next to a large Ash tree.  This was late morning and I made regular checks during the day. No luck up until 4.15pm when I decided I'd bring the traps back indoors and to my surprise 3 moths were in the trap using the MOL lure in the orchard. They looked very much like Aaron's images but due to the proximity to the oaks and some distance from the nearest Ash tree, I (and Patrick) thought they were likely to be Pammene albuginana (still not many records for this one either). However one went in for a closer look which I did this morning and it proved to be Pammene suspectana. So that's record number 2 (3 moths) and another has also turned up in the county TBC. Time to get those lures out again. Peter Hall

Pammene suspectana: Bringsty Common

 

Pammene suspectana?

I decided to make the most of the sunny gaps between thunderstorms today and put a FUN lure out in my pear orchard. I fairly quickly attracted this moth which to me looks like Pammene suspectana. I wondered if anyone was able to confirm from the pictures? I have kept the specimen so that it can be checked properly.

Moccas NNR

I was invited to attend a small gatheirng of moth trappers who went to Moccas Deer park on May 2nd and ran 14 moth traps of various configurations on what proved to be yet another very cold night. I decided 14 traps was enough so only observed. The 4 recorders were all from out of county and from as far away as Norfolk. They all wanted to see Marbled Pug and it didn't disappoint, although in fewer numbers than my previous foray here back in 2016. 24 macros species and 2 micro species in the end. Apart from 3 Marbled Pug, it was the usual species turning up and included both forms of Silver Cloud (arrived late), Puss, Water Carpet and Brown Silver-line. Peter Hall

Moccas Deer Park: Lobster Photo: Dave Grundy

Moccas Deer Park: Marbled Pug Photo: Dave Grundy

Moccas Deer Park: Silver Cloud (dark form) Photo: Dave Grundy

Moccas Deer Park: Pebble Prominent Photo: Peter Hall

Moccas Deer Park: Most interesting moth trap! Photo: Peter Hall