Thursday 29 June 2017

Mothing in Tintern


My parents moved to Tintern a couple of years ago, and since February of this year Mum has been running a 125w Robinson trap in the garden. The house is ideally situated above a wooded valley, and she has amassed a healthy list of species already, including several that I have yet to record!

Views towards Glynwood from the house


Highlights of the year so far have been (in date order) - Acleris umbrana on 19/2, which we believe to be the second county record; Barred Umber (Plagodis pulveraria), several records from 19/4; well over 30 records of Little Thorn (Cepphis advenaria) since 3/5; 3 Alder Kitten (Furcula bicuspis), first recorded on 7/5. Also, a few Beautiful Snout (Hypena crassalis) since 11/5; 2 x Barred Hook-tip (Watsonalla cultraria); several Satin Lutestring (Tetheella fluctuosa) from 22/5, up to 4 per night. Poplar Lutestring (Tethea or) has been regular since 25/5, as have Blomer's Rivulet (Venusia blomeri), first taken on 28/5. A couple of Clouded Magpie (Abraxas sylvata) brightened up the moth trap on 29/5 and 20/6. Up to 3 Cloaked Carpet (Euphyia biangulata) per night have turned up from 30/5, plus a handful of Waved Carpet (Hydrelia sylvata) from 10/6. The stunning micro Oecophora bractella graced the trap on 18/6 and 20/6; Eudonia delunella has been frequent in the trap this June, plus one or two sharp-angled Carpet (Euphyia unangulata). 

Acleris umbrana - 2nd County Record?
Kent Black Arches - New to VC35
The highlight of June was a first county record of Kent Black Arches (Meganola albula) on 19/6. A Ruddy Carpet (Catarhoe rubidata) was recorded on 26/6, and a 4th county record of Barred Carpet (Martania taeniata) on 27/6.

Small Mottled Willow

A wooded valley isn't the most ideal location for immigrants, yet 2 Small Mottled Willow (Spodoptera exigua) found their way to Tintern on 27/6, plus a Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon) and a handful of Silver Y (Autographa gamma) in recent 
weeks.
Clouded Magpie

Eudonia delunella

Little Thorn

Oecophora bractella

Ruddy Carpet

Satin Lutestring

Poplar Lutestring

Waved Carpet

Not the best photo of a Sharp-angled Carpet (on the left!) 

Beautiful Snout

Blomer's Rivulet

Cloaked Carpet

Double Line

Barred Umber

4 comments:

  1. Welcome to the blog Steve. Some nice moths there & a few i need to reach my trap on this side of the county. Look foward to seeing more from your Mum's moth trapping sessions.

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    1. Many thanks, Mel. I'll try to post at least weekly from now on.

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  2. That Meganola is certainly mega! I wonder where it originated. There was a spate of Acleris umbrana records from E & W of Newport this spring, so yours is one of 6 or 7 but still very nice. What a lot of other good records too! Please look particularly for Micros, as there are plenty still unknown in Gwent, though the neighbouring Llandogo has been well trapped by two moth'ers. Welcome to the Blog too Steve, and thankyou for Blogging your Mum's excellent records.

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  3. Many thanks Sam, I know she's preparing a separate sheet of micros to send to you. She's got her hands full photographing all the macros for identification, however she is trying to photograph some of the micros to send to me, but as you know it's not possible to identify some of them without a specimen. M. albula seems to be spreading west along the M4. Many thanks again for the warm welcome.

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