Friday 31 March 2017

Lower Ochrwyth - 30 March

Very mild night persuaded me to set the MV for a couple of hours in the garden for the first time this year.  A total of 77 moths of 14 species with the bulk being Common Quaker (54) and the highlight being a Dotted Chestnut (2nd for garden - the first being in 2014).  Other species included: Shoulder Stripe; Early Thorn (5); Oak Beauty; Twin-spotted Quaker; March Moth (3); Hebrew Character; Small Quaker (2); Double-striped Pug (4); Brindled Pug; Engrailed; Early Tooth-striped; and, Twenty-plume Moth.


Wednesday 29 March 2017

Can you "Go Wild?"


Caerphilly County Borough Council will host the "Go Wild!" biodiversity event on Sunday 11th June.  Butterfly Conservation (Wales) and MMBG has always been represented by Martin Anthony at past events, but unfortunately this year he will not be available.  He is therefore looking for volunteers who might help fly the flag for BC(W) and MMBG. This usually involves setting up a stall, which might include live specimens as well as information about moths and butterflies and then chatting with people about these fantastic insects.  If you think you can help and have a general knowledge of butterflies and/or moths and an enthusiasm to share it with the general public, then please get in touch with Martin. 

If you haven't been to a "Go Wild!" event previously, then you really have missed a treat as they provide a fantastic day out with all things "green" - bird box making, learn about wildlife and conservation and what you can do to help locally.  "Go Wild!" will start at 11am,  finish at 4pm and will be held at Parc Penallta, Ystrad Mynach.  

Monday 20 March 2017

Monmouthshire Moth & Butterfly Group AGM

Wednesday 22nd March 

 Royal British Legion Club, 
Old Market Street, 
Usk, 
NP15 1AL

 7.30pm - 9.30pm 

Dr Rupert Perkins will give an illustrated talk on the butterflies and moths of “Blaenserchan and Beyond”
All welcome.

Tuesday 14 March 2017

Haisbro Avenue 13th March 2017
Myself and Sheila ran the MV over-night. In the morning we recorded 9 species: 27 Common Quaker, 4 Clouded Drab , 3 Hebrew Character, 2 Early Grey, Twin-spot Quaker, Small Quaker, Early Moth, Double-striped Pug and a Yellow Horned.


Sunday 12 March 2017

Ypsolopha mucronella


This Ypsolopha mucronella was star catch at Dingestow Court MV on 11th March 2017 - there are only 4 previous Monmouthshire records, two of them from the 1970s.  It was very jumpy and flew off as soon as I tipped it out of the pot in the hope of taking a better photo.  The MV attracted 42 moths of 15 species, which is pretty good for mid March.  A couple of Grey Shoulder-knot and another Plutella xylostella were notable.

Friday 10 March 2017

March mothing


The Dingestow Court MV produced my earliest ever Water Carpet on 9th March, along with 10 other spring Macros such as Double-striped Pug, Small Quaker and Shoulder-stripe.  The Actinic on 10th March held Oak Nycteoline and the first ever March record of the migrant Diamond-backed Moth for Monmouthshire.

Bashing Yew

Once a week I do an hour's nature walk for our guests at Old Lands, during which I show them a range of intriguing insects, plants etc.  A couple of weeks ago I started by showing them the wealth of insects hibernating in Yew: out came a Caloptilia betulicola as well as loads of leafhoppers, spiders etc.  Last week I bashed the same Yew with my net and caught a C. elongella.  Today a different Yew tree held a C. falconipenella.  The shelter provided by Yew during the winter is ideal for hibernating Micros; I wonder what would be found by tapping Yews in places like the Wyndcliff?!

Caloptilia betulicola, with light brown wings, slight patterning, and white hindlegs

Caloptilia falconipenella, resembling C. semifascia but longer winged and with a dark-speckled white costal blotch (albeit most prominent on its leading edge) rather than a uniformly coloured wing with a white wedge.