Micro sweeping

Due to paucity of moths in the garden trap recently, I have taken to sweeping in the Wyre. On the last two occasions, both early evening, I targeted the Clay Roads between the car park and John's bridge. In the often damp cuttings awash with sedges and docks I was surprised to net over 20 species of micros. Elachistas were well represented with up to 5 gleichenella, 4 atricomella and 3 albifrontella. I netted a lovely aureatella, 4 praelatellas, obtusana and only my second forsterella. The latter was noticably larger than the Cocksfoot Moth and the white spot was very obvious under a lens! It might be prudent to organise a day out in the Wyre soon armed with nets for these often elusive micros.

I just wanted to post some better pictures of last Monday's Striped Hawkmoth at Bromyard. Having been very uptight in the morning, revving and flying at the slightest disturbance; by the evening it was very much calmer but eventually flew off like greased lightening. Robin Hemming

Cauchas fibulella

Throck: Cauchas fibulella

Inspired by tales of this moth being seen in Dorset and Essex/Herts in recent days I went on a wild hunch to a mature calcareous cutting in SE Worcs which is home to a Grizzled Skipper colony and has a track record for some scarce grassland/scrub mosaic day-flying micros. I could not believe my luck when I had seen 4 moths in the first 30 minutes of looking. Also seen was a Nemophora degeerella, Endothenia marginana, Endothenia gentianaeana, Grapholita compositella, Grapholita jungiella, 2 Lathronympha strigana, 2 Cocksfoot Moths, a Nettle-tap and a Brimstone butterfly. Cauchas fibulella there is a new site for the county and plenty of Speedwell scattered about for it to thrive on. Steve Whitehouse

Tiddesley Wood 23rd May

Joined Ann, Oliver and Tony for the now regular Tiddesley meet on Saturday. I saw at least 64 species across 7 traps. Lobster, 3  Mochas, 2 Silver Clouds, 2 Poplar Lutestrings, 3 Coronets, a Scorched Wing, Phyllonorycter nicellii, 2 Elachista maculicerusella, Caloptilia alchimiella, 2 Digitivalava pulcariae were amongst my highlights. Oliver's Micropterix tunbergella was new for the site as was my rather worn Pseudococcyx posticana which was a VC37 third record and the first since 1998 (the first record was also on May 23rd in Tony's Bransford garden!!!) Steve Whitehouse

Tiddesley: Lobster

Tiddesley: Mocha

Surprise moth at Bromyard

I ran a public moth event on Bromyard Downs for Hereford Wildlife Trust last night. Needless to say the sky cleared, the temperature dropped and the public had to be content mainly with the Poplar, Eyed and Lime Hawkmoths that I'd taken along, which obligingly sat on the sheet in the bulb light. They were joined by a few common moths. I went to sleep at about half past midnight with minimal moth activity. I rose before 4:00 am to very wet mist and poor visibility. I was surprised to add quite a few moths to the list including Orange Footman, Seraphim, Tawny Pinion, Clouded Brindle, Ancylis laetana, Elachista argentella but nothing really out of the ordinary.

    As I walked up to the final trap I did a double take and a loud expletive interrupted the dawn chorus as I saw a superb Striped Hawkmoth sat in the middle of the top egg box. So far it has not stopped revving once out of the fridge. Robin Hemming

Bromyard Downs: Striped Hawk-moth

 

Mansell Gamage 22nd May 2015

My best trapping here so far, despite temperature dropping to just 2.5C.
24 species including Chocolate Tip, Buff Tip and Puss Moth.

Puss Moth

I have three that I'm not sure about...can anyone help?

The first, is it Red Twin-spot or Dark-barred Twin-spot? (Or neither!)

Then two more I can't identify...

Thanks in advance for any help.

B&B No Vacancies May 22nd

Bringsty Common: Ensuring Adequate Numbers for 2016

My friend Dr Marc Botham visited on Friday, so I organised permission for him to join me at Brockhampton Estate for the evening. We ran 5 traps - 4 mv and one actinic in both Holy and Hyde Dingles. Not a bad night I think, with 521 moths recorded of 64 species with about another 10 micros to id later on. Of special interest were the shear numbers of Orange Footman moths seen. 143 counted. One trap in particular had around 20 per egg box. Also nice to see were Blomer's Rivulet (11) just emerging along with Rivulet (8). We also trapped a single Barred Umber.

Brockhampton: Blomer's Rivulet

Brockhampton: Dingy Shell

Meanwhile back at the ranch, we ran two traps in my garden on Bringsty Common. I'm beginning to think I have moved to quite a hot spot for moths. 309 moths of 73 species with another dozen micros to id later. Chocolate-tip and Muslin continue to put in appearances. We had 3 Alder Kitten and 2 Silver Cloud. Lots of NFY's including Broom, Cream Wave, Ruby Tiger, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Miller and Dingy Shell. Last night I added another 7 species to that total, although micros were back in short supply.

Bringsty Common: Broom

Bringsty Common: Unusual Small Phoenix

Marc was moaning about the dearth of moths back home, he went away very happy. Peter Hall