Triaxomasia caprimulgella to LUN lure

 I put out the LUN lure today to attract Lunar Hornet Moth.

No luck so far but at about 17:15 when I was checking it a micro moth began circling the trap and and then went in.

Turned out to be Triaxomasia caprimulgella which is thought to feed on dead wood.

I suspect there are very few Worcestershire records but it is known to be attracted to the LUN lure and we are likely to get more records with increasing use of pheremone lures.

Triaxomasia caprimulgella

Triaxomasia caprimulgella

Pete Smith

Dodford

Worcestershire

First Moths in Old Colwall

I moved to Old Colwall over the Jubilee weekend and have been impressed with the moths compared to my Evesham garden.

I've had 3 Lifers and 3 firsts for my garden (across all gardens I've had)

Nematopogon metaxella was the first and there appears to be plenty which I see flying at dusk

Second was Argyresthia curvella

Then this evening I found a Lesser Wax Moth on the house wall, no photo yet as it's a wriggler

New garden records consist of Broken-barred Carpet, Brindled Plume which I'd only seen previously at FSC Slapton Ley and Dog's Tooth with my only other records being from France

Lee

Nematopogon metaxella

Argyresthia curvella

Broken-barred Carpet

Brindled Plume

Dog's Tooth

Very happy to find Lobster Moth in the trap

Alder Kitten

Coleophora mayrella 

Another garden White-point

Was very happy to find this nice White-point in the garden trap this morning, it was found in my new KULA (Cooler) trap, created by a Warks moth-er Robert Cox.  It was designed to keepoths calm during the day if pushed for time. It's a cool box with cold plates placed in the lid.  I have a Robinson style where Bob has one that can be used as a Skinner or Robinson 

This weeks highlights

 A couple of nice species in the last week. Firstly on the 14/5 I trapped 55 species in Whitchurch, lower Wye Valley, the highlight of which was a Lead Belle. I have found this before in May, in the Forest of Dean, which is nextdoor, but a site first nonetheless. Last night 19/5 Bordered Straw to actinic in Hereford. Also a couple of examples of what looks like Platyedra subcinerea, which I recorded in Hereford last May (gen det). If there is a colony here it's a long way from any others, distribution is mainly south counties and the SE.

John

Lead Belle

Bordered Straw

Platyedra subcinerea

Buttoned Snout

Was surprised on the evening of 2nd May to find a Buttoned Snout in my Evesham trap, took my a few minutes to workout what it was through the perspex, larger than I expected

Nice moth to get before I move to Colwall, Malvern at the end of the month

Pheremone trapping in Whitchurch

 I've put out a few pheremone lures occasionally in the Whitchurch garden over the last few weeks. Not exactly been inundated with moths but the first garden record of Pammene giganteana came in on 23/3 and possibly Pammene suspectana on 17/4 (retained for Peter to examine). These both were attracted to the versatile MOL lure. A few Phyllonorycter sp. have also come to the NIG lure, also retained for examination.

 Gasworks Wood, Bridstow 4th April

A mild and overcast forecast prompted me to secrete the battery operated actinic Skinner in a small local wood at Bridstow. The woodland has several old oaks, holly, hazel and silver birch. I sat with the trap for between 8pm and 9pm with only a single March Moth and Hebrew Character coming in. By morning a modest catch of 45 individuals of 10 species including 2 Dotted Chestnuts, 1 Frosted Green (NFY), 2 Brindled Pugs (I believe, awaiting PH's confirmation)), 1 Clouded Drab, 16 Common Quaker, 1 Dotted Border, 1 Early Grey, 16 Hebrew Character, 3 March Moths and 2 Small Quakers.