Recent Doward findings

 In the last few week moths have been a useful distraction from the global and national state of affairs providing at times some quantity as well as quality to my small patch of land.

Macros like Scarce Silver Lines, Bordered Beauty, Oak, Barred and Pebble Hooktips, Great Oak Beauty and 5 species of Thorn have been joined up here for the first time by Four-spotted Footman, Oak Eggar and Sharp-angled Carpet. On 25th July I had a moment of panic when this honorary macro appeared. I had no mental search image for the dark morph of Box-tree Moth with its purple iridescence.

Amongst the many micros were Acompsia schmidtiellus and A cinerella arriving on cue in the last week of July. Migrant Diamond-back Moth and Rush Veneer were around most nights the light trap was out.

Also (subject to confirmation by PH)  were Ancyclis achatana and Aethes francillana and several other new ones awaiting a frozen trip to Scotland.

 

 

On my land a Field Scabious plant had a Nemophora metallica sitting on the same flower for at least three days at the end of July! It was pleasing to re-confirm its presence on the Doward.

The last day of July also surprised me with a Six-belted Clearwing flying into my porch and offering itself for biological recording. Who needs pheromone lures!

Migrants at Warndon, Worcester 29th July

A few migrants in the garden Robbo in Warndon, Worcester on Friday night; 3 Silver Y, one Rusty-dot Pearl, a Diamond-back and this Scarce Bordered Straw. 90 species all in.

Dewick's Plusia

 My first Dewick's Plusia arrived at light last night at Norchard, Worcs. I had been hoping for migrants but it appears that this is a species which is now increasing its range within the UK. People are now recording this species to Ni and Silver Y lures. A few Rush Veneer and Diamondbacks made up the recognised migrant species.

Dymock Woods 23/6

 A few more from the group trapping effort at Dymock.

Orange Moth

Green Silver-lines

Brindled White Spot

Dingy Shell

Blotched Emerald

Minor Shoulder-knot

Apotomis capreana

Orthotaenia undulana

Dymock Forest June 23rd

Having travelled south on Monday I spent 2 days and nights moth trapping successfully in Bucks before migrating over to Herefordshire for another 2 nights of moth trapping plus a moth breakfast with Robin Hemming. I was in a sleep deprived haze at the cold and windy moth breakfast. Dymock Forest proved to be a warm and still night but moth numbers actually fell below expectations. It's too early to suggest accurate total species numbers between the various 7 traps in use, but typical catches were plus/minus 100 species, so maybe combined after all the micros have been identified, we'll be between 150 and 200 species, I suspect. The target was Orange moth and in total 5 were seen, 4 at one pair of traps and 1 and another location. A nice bonus was 6 Great Oal Beauty which arrived at one pair of traps but not elsewhere. The following night I went to Mowley Wood but it had turned wet then cold so nothing really to report from that spot, although the bottle of beer was nice and cold and Mars bar not soggy. Peter Hall

Dymock Forest: Beautiful Snout

Dymock Forest: Great Oak Beauty

Dymock Forest: Great Oak Beauty

Dymock Forest: Orange moth

 

More pheromoning by-catch Results in Warndon

Having read posts about API (Six-belted Clearwing Lure) on Facebook attracting various 'clothes moths' I hung out my 9 year old lure on my large garden birch tree at the end of May, in more vague hope than expectancy! On the evening of the 8th June I noticed a small tineid moth had been caught. Having potted and fridged it I got a record shot in the pot next day.

I was pretty sure this was Nemapogon variatella and Jon Newman kindly added a thumbs up. He had already had several confirmed from same capture method at Peterborough, Cambs. My moth was very white indeed compare to Cork Moth, Corn Moth but unfortunately had a mis-formed wing angle. A week later another moth, this time in much better condition was spotted in trap mid-evening.

(photo Patrick Clement) This moth was later confirmed as a male N. variatella by PC - so these 2 now bring the county total to four. Am now trying the VES (Yellow-legged Clearwing Lure) in the same spot, evening and night only in the hope of another species!

Clearwings in Hereford

 2 species have showed up in my Hereford garden so far this month, out of the 4 total known from here. I've been hanging out lures for 4 others but to no avail so far. Lunar Hornet Moth was very nice to see, fantastic mimicry.  Currant Clearwing is in the first pic.

John