nEARly there, but not quite.

This shot shows the underside of the Ear sp. that I trapped two nights back.
I have always trusted "Skinner" 100% and he indicates (although not foolproof) that when the hind wings are viewed from the underside, the Large Ear has "a conspicuous discal spot and a thick, wavy postmedian line", as the photograph shows.
I have spent quite a bit of time trying to compare my rather botched dissection of this female with the preparations shown on the mothdissection website. I hadn't anticipated that the scale removal was going to be so difficult. Furthermore, inexperience leads me to question things as I view the specimen from different angles. I am fairly confident it isn't Saltern or Crinan and disappointed that I can't finish the job.

Agonopterix assistance please

These Agonopterix moths sure do give me a headache.
It looks like kaekeritziana from the outside, which would make it a good record I believe. I can't see a black shoulder marking so this rules out bipunctosa? and I don't think it is pallorella because of the general colour.
I am only just beginning to do genitalia again so it would be useful to get some directional pointers before I start on a moth this size.

Is Autumn Coming Early at Maenol?

This Centre-barred Sallow from last night's trap is certainly earlier than usual:

Two particularly pretty moths  were content to remain outside the trap, and so far they've avoided the attentions of the marauding Blue Tits:

                Peach Blossom                            Beautiful China-mark

But the star of last night's show was a Clay Triple-lines, only the second time I've seen it here:

More Toilet Moths, Pembrey Country Park Tuesday 14th August 2018

A couple more moths from the toilet blocks at Pembrey Country Park, I think I've got them right.
Sharp-angled Peacock Moth,(although not as sharp as I have had on the dunes) Lime-speck Pug and White-spotted Pug

Bancyffordd 13/8 - Large Ear?

A yellow Brimstone Moth trap greeted me in the early hours along with eight Poplar Hawks. Generally speaking a lot a just a few species (Brimstone, Large YU, Flame S & Set HC but a couple of new ones.
The microscope will be required to confirm the two species photographed below, I believe they are Large Ear (size - 20mm long compared to the Ear I trapped a couple of weeks back at 17.5mm and under-wing markings that I have tried to capture) and Acleris laterana. Also had my first Oak Hook-tip for the garden and I noticed two fresh dark Heart and Dart (absent for a while) so perhaps double brooded this year.

 

 

I searched one of my Laburnums this morning after releasing my catch and found lots of these. It looks like it could be the mine of the Laburnum Leaf Minor, but as a complete novice, it also looks like quite a few similar mines. It's a whole new world to look at !

I've just returned from two nights trapping at a farm house somewhere between Llandovery, Llandeilo and Lampeter and the farmyard straddles (SN69 and SN70)! Corrected to read SN63 and SN73 I ran my friend's MV trap in SN70 and my 15w actinic in SN70 and despite the rain on Saturday night, the traps were absolutely heaving. On Sunday night the actinic did best although the MV was turned off for a short period whilst the meteor showers were observed so that might have had quite a negative effect. I have a few moths that I need confirmation on as they are new to me or not familiar with.......... First are several Peacocks or Sharp-angled Peacock and I would like opinions. In Hertfordshire I recorded the first ever confirmed record of Sharp-angled so I am very wary of making decision. There were a lot of them in the traps. I retained one for dissection. Second is confirmation that this is a Hedge Rustic? There were two in SN69. Finally a Marbled Carpet which I am pretty positive is Dark Marbled Carpet - size and shape is identical to that in the Field Guide to Moths. I did retain it but didn't note the absolute diagnostic feature postmedian line on the underwing. I will post the lists later when I have been able to confirm these moths. Sorry that the order is a bit disjointed but I always struggle with these posts! Many thanks Liz Goodyear Usually in VC20!

Euclaybites at Cnwc

The only previous Carmarthenshire records of Eucalybites aurogutella are of mines in two places at Cnwc-y-llwyn, Brechfa in autumn 2009. I have searched our St John's-wort subsequently without finding any more mines, so was chuffed to find the micro I noticed fluttering over the flowerbed on Sunday afternoon was this distinctive little orange-spotted moth.