Bringsty Common

I decided to run a single mv light on the night of the 23rd and again last night (26th).  The 23rd was quite a productive night with 140 moths of 15 species, whilst last night, with the cooler temperatures and rain I recorded 58 moths of 14 species.  The usual suspects plus Grey Shoulder-knot, Red Chestnut, Dotted Chestnut and Pale Pinion. Topping the bill on each night was Common Quaker with a combined tally of 73 individuals, followed by Hebrew Character 24 and in bronze medal position was Yellow Horned with 17. Peter Hall

Bringsty Common: Dotted Chestnut

Bringsty Common: Pale Pinion

Bringsty Common: Yellow Horned

Warndon Orthosias

At last a cloudy night without the freezing chill on the 21st and a small burst of fresh Quakers and Drabs in the garden Robbo. A Small Quaker, 22 Common Quaker, 3 Hebrew Character, 5 Clouded Drabs and the first site Lead-coloured Drab for 6 years.


Lead-coloured Drab

Clouded Drab

The two images show the general colour, wing-shape and antennae structure differences well. The last Lead-coloured was on the 22nd March 2012......perhaps there is some Aspen nearby that the council have not cut down.....L-c Drab seem to have good years every now and again. Orthosias seem to do better after longer colder winters round here.

Oak Nycteoline f.ramosana

This Oak Nycteoline f.ramosana came to my garden at Norchard, Worcs, on Friday night of the 16th. I usually see a few during the season but I don't recall seeing this form before. Thirteen Oak Beauty was a record count for the garden on the same night.

Bringsty Common March 15th

Remembered to put a trap out on the 15th, albeit for only 3 hours as I had an early start next day. 12 macro species and 2 micros.  Micros were Agonopterix heracliana and ciliella.  I have good colonies of both these species here. Topping the garden bill for macros was Common Quaker with 31 individuals, followed byYellow Horned with 18. Just 1 Small Quaker.  All the other arrivals were to be expected.  73 moths in total. A few days off now it's turned much colder again. Peter Hall

Bringsty Common: Yellow horned

Bringsty Common: Oak Beauty

 

NE Worcester 19th February

The best forecast of the month deserved various efforts last Monday night. A quick look at the Nunnery Wood CP café lights produced a Dark Chestnut and an Agonopterix alstromeriana.


Agonopterix alstromeriana

The actinic skinner left in Warndon Wood was buzzing with no less than 63 Small Brindled Beauty by 23:00!

Small Brindled Beauty

Micros included Acleris schalleriana and the local Ypsolopha mucronella .


Ypsololopha mucronella

 An early Small Quaker, one Common Quaker, 15 Dotted Border, 3 Pale Brindled Beauty, 3 Spring Usher and 5 Chestnuts made up the rest of the trap count.

Dotted Border (Male)

 A Red Green Carpet was torched on the western perimeter hedge. The garden Robinson had Agonopterix heracliana, 2 Common Quaker, Double-striped Pug and a Tortricodes alternella. 15 species in mid-February was quite a good result.


Worcestershire Moth queries

I am very sad to report that our Worcestershire County Moth Recorder, Tony Simpson, has recently suffered a close family bereavement. Naturally, he does not wish to be contacted for any reason at this difficult time so I would ask that all Worcestershire moth related queries be sent my way for the time being.

Oliver Wadsworth


oliverdotwadsworthatskydotcom

Warndon Wood Actinics

The garden trap has been hopeless since Christmas, so I used the mild nights of January 23rd and 28th to 'air' the mobile Actinic Skinner in the tiny oak wood nature reserve near my house. Finishing before midnight there was great variation amongst 39 Spring Ushers recorded. Pleased to watch them coming in within minutes of lighting up. Quite a few settled on nearby tree trunks.

Spring Usher

Spring Usher

 Both nights a single Pale Brindled Beauty came in early.

Pale Brindled Beauty

10 Chestnuts and a dozen Tortricodes alternella were par for course.

Tortricodes alternella

Three male Winter Moths were hanging on nearby twigs and on the side of the trap. Single Dotted Border and Early Moths were torched in the boundary hedge. The only rather 'brown' Mottled Umber was looking tired at the end of his long flight period.

Mottled Umber