Monday 27 August 2012

Lower Ochrwyth - 26 August

Very quiet last night with just 51 moths of 24 species to MV and no FFY.  Little to report other than Iron Prominent (x2), which seem to have had a good year here, Willow Beauty (x6) including one f. rebeli, Buff Footman, Knot Grass and Tawny-bared Angle.      


Tawny-barred Angle
Knot Grass

Sunday 26 August 2012

First Post Trial

2nd Gen Straw Dot at Wentloog
Eyed Hawk Moth at Rumney

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Requiem for a Moth

Rain and wind so no moth trap tonight - time to have another listen to Martin Wainwright who looks at our national night time obsession - with the beauty of moths.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010t6nr

Monday 20 August 2012

Lower Ochrwyth - 18 August

MV produced some 162 moths of 45 species.  Just two NFY: Single-dotted Wave and Agonopterix heracliana otherwise, very little of note.  In addition to the moths there was a Harlequin Ladybird - 3rd for the year at MV and an unfortunate sign of the times.  This invasive species has really taken a significant hold locally - I counted over 200 on a neighbour's house last autumn and I think that this was a very conservative count.  Follow link for more info. about this species: http://www.harlequin-survey.org/#

Single-dotted Wave
      

Redhouse Barns, Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve 18th August

Running the Robinson MV trap, I caught around 250 moths of 48 species. The most abundant was Straw Dot with 112 individuals. NFY were Purple Bar, Small Waved Umber, Pyrausta purpuralis and Birch Mocha. The latter was the first of this species to be recorded in VC35 since 1892. It was also good to see 2 Magpie Moths, a once common moth that has declined dramatically in recent years.

Birch Mocha

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Lower Ochrwyth - 13 August

The night produced 218 moths of 56 species with 4 NFY: Eupoecilia angustana, Pale Prominent, Rosy Rustic and Dark Spectacle.  Others of interest included: Beautiful & Oak Hook Tip, Canary Shouldered Thorn, Rosy Footman (x2), Black Arches (x5) and Peach Blossom.

Dark Spectacle

Sunday 12 August 2012

Lower Ochrwyh - 11 August

Scallop Shell
Ran MV until the rains set in @ mid-night, but nevertheless trapped 165 moths of 50 species.  New for year included: Scallop Shell, Oak Hook-tip, Iron Prominent (x4), Pyrausta aurata, Marbled Beauty, Copper Underwing, Rosy Minor, Cydia splendana and Small Rufous.      

Oak Hook-tip

Iron Prominent

 

Friday 10 August 2012

Lower Ochrwyth - 8 August


Canary Shouldered Thorn



August Thorn
Ran MV on Wednesday night and bagged 217 moths of 66 species.  NFY was Six-striped Rustic, Canary Shouldered Thorn (x2), August Thorn, Chequered & Large Fruit-tree Tortrix and probable Acleris laterana.  Also, two more of both Black Arches and Rosy Footman and a Ruby Tiger.

Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve 9th August

I put out the 15watt Actinic Skinner trap in the reedbeds on Thursday afternoon. This morning there were 25 species. The most obvious moths were 2 female oak eggars on the outside of the trap.
There were also 2 males inside the trap.

                                                     Oak Eggar       Drinker         LYUW

Oak Eggar (below)    Large Yellow Underwing (above)

The most significant moths were the variety of wainscots which included: brown-veined, 4, twin-spotted, 3, silky, 2, and southern, 6.

Twin-spotted wainscot


 
Brown-veined wainscot



I also ran the Robinson MV trap at Redhouse, catching 60 species. NFY were 2 knot-grass, a copper underwing and 2 canary shouldered thorn. There were also 2 cocolate-tip and 2 straw underwing.
Chocolate-tip



Wednesday 8 August 2012

Newport Wetlands 6th August

Just 30 species to MV trap. Only one was NFY and also the best moth and it wasn't even in the trap - it was on a window frame about 3m away. It was a Chocolate-tip. Its been years since I've seen one.
Sorry, no photo, it wanted to fly away.

Saturday 4 August 2012

Lower Ochrwyth - 3 August

Ran MV up to 1.30am - very heavy rain thereafter.  A total of 112 moths of 54 species including x3 FFY: Ruby Tiger, Common Lutestring and best moth of the evening a Black Arches.  Otherwise a further x2 Rosy Footman (if my garden is anything to go by this species seems to be having a good year), Clouded Magpie, Poplar and Elephant Hawk, Pebble/Swallow and Lesser Swallow Prominent and x3 Satin Lutestring.

Thursday 2 August 2012

Lower Ochrwyth - 1 August


Session with MV between the showers produced 111 moths of 40 species (+couple of small jobs still to ID).  Only FFY was a Clouded Magpie. Otherwise, two more Rosy Footman.  

Newport Wetlands 1st August

The 1st of the month brought some firsts for the year. A total of 42 species, included a straw underwing, copper underwing, gold spot and a crecent. Also in the trap were 2 (rather worn) elephant hawkmoths, a double lobed, small wainscot and 2, dark-barred twin-spot carpets.

Crescent


Crescent


Double lobed


Straw underwing


Although I have caught the crescent before at Newport Wetlands, its not a moth I trap every year, so its always nice to see this wetland species.