The first was Epinotia rubiginosana - first photo below (5th vcr) and Rhyacionia pinivorana - second photo below (4th vcr), both pine feeders were trapped at my Pwll garden.
Some poor `record` shots (click on pic to enlarge) are given below:
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Monday, 29 May 2017
Not in the same league...
Not in the same league as Chris Handoll`s excellent finding of the tortricid Hysterophora maculosana (a 2nd vcr), but I also had a couple of uncommon tortricids in my home trap in the last few days.
The first was Epinotia rubiginosana - first photo below (5th vcr) and Rhyacionia pinivorana - second photo below (4th vcr), both pine feeders were trapped at my Pwll garden.
Some poor `record` shots (click on pic to enlarge) are given below:
The first was Epinotia rubiginosana - first photo below (5th vcr) and Rhyacionia pinivorana - second photo below (4th vcr), both pine feeders were trapped at my Pwll garden.
Some poor `record` shots (click on pic to enlarge) are given below:
Pembrey Burrows LNR Strandline Beetle
I apologise for posting this non mothy blog but I'm quite excited to report the results of a short survey I did today on the reserve.
Some of you will be aware of the near threatened status of the STRANDLINE BEETLE, Eurynebria complanata, in the UK with it now only officially found in the Carmarthen Bay Dunes and at Whiteford Burrows.
I found EIGHT individuals, along the reserve part of Cefn Sidan, today, about 1% of the total population recorded in a full survey of the known locations in 2016.
I also found another DUNE TIGER BEETLE, Cicindela maritima,recently reclassified (near threatened).
I also had my first PAINTED LADY of the year.
Pembrey Burrows and Saltings Local Nature Reserve is a really special and important place
Maybe some mothing tonight.......
Some of you will be aware of the near threatened status of the STRANDLINE BEETLE, Eurynebria complanata, in the UK with it now only officially found in the Carmarthen Bay Dunes and at Whiteford Burrows.
I found EIGHT individuals, along the reserve part of Cefn Sidan, today, about 1% of the total population recorded in a full survey of the known locations in 2016.
 |
| Strandline Beetle |
I also found another DUNE TIGER BEETLE, Cicindela maritima,recently reclassified (near threatened).
 |
| Dune Tiger Beetle ( a photo from April) |
I also had my first PAINTED LADY of the year.
Pembrey Burrows and Saltings Local Nature Reserve is a really special and important place
Maybe some mothing tonight.......
New Species for the Woodshed
A very pretty little moth in the woodshed yesterday:
I have it down as Cochylis atricapitana on account of its black head. Confirmation would be much appreciated.
Another Tortricid, this time from the Friday night catch:
Apologies for the poor image. From the shape it looks as though it should be one of the familiar Hedya species, but there's more dark blotches in the pale terminal third than is usually the case. Again I'd be grateful if anyone can put a name to it - H. pruniana would be my best guess.
Other micros in the traps on Friday night were Pseudoswammerdamia combinella and Plutella xylostella, three of each.
I have it down as Cochylis atricapitana on account of its black head. Confirmation would be much appreciated.
Another Tortricid, this time from the Friday night catch:
Apologies for the poor image. From the shape it looks as though it should be one of the familiar Hedya species, but there's more dark blotches in the pale terminal third than is usually the case. Again I'd be grateful if anyone can put a name to it - H. pruniana would be my best guess.
Other micros in the traps on Friday night were Pseudoswammerdamia combinella and Plutella xylostella, three of each.
Salem
I trapped on Saturday night at my parents' - the first time for a month or so and I'm glad I did: 65 species including 5 that were new for me there - lobster, clouded-bordered brindle, green silver-lines, Notocelia cynosbatella and Elachista atricomella (though correct me if I'm wrong on that last one).
Nothing as exciting as the striped hawkmoth sadly, but a couple of migrants in the shape of silver Y, dark sword-grass and diamond-back. The only hawkmoths were poplar (x14) and elephant with small square-spot being the most numerous species overall (35). Lots of attractive ones as expected at this time of year with scorched wing, oak hook-tip, foxglove pug, gold-spot, beautiful golden Y and great prominent personal favourites.
Other than moths, there were just a couple of giant craneflies Tipula maxima and a cockchafer.
Later on sunday I went to Salem Common to look for marsh fritillaries and was fortunate enough to see quite a few on the wing - difficult to say how many but they did include a mating pair. Also a green hairstreak, marbled white-spot and Glyphipterix thrasonella...
A garden theme again...
I`ve just been in the garden, and was casually pulling up some weeds when I flushed a small moth - it was another diamond-back moth. I use the word `another`, as I still have last night`s individual cooling in the fridge alongside some other micros and, furthermore, I then flushed three more in the garden. All of them were rather pallid individuals.
Above: you can just about make out the diamond markings on the back.
Sunday, 28 May 2017
In an urban garden...
I saw this in a `green oasis` (ie a nectar-rich garden), in a street virtually devoid of garden vegetation in a very built-up area of Llanelli this afternoon. If all gardens were like this particular garden, wildlife would benefit considerably.
Above: several seen on marjoram - Pyrausta aurata, rather than purpuralis?
I just could n`t resist!
Because of a rather poor night last night (<25 species) at my home trap site (just the MV this time) and the forecasted heavy rain later this evening (28/5), I was not going to trap. But I`ve succumbed to temptation and put my MV out again. Tonight, I have not put the MV on the more visible flat-roof site, as puddling of rainwater there both spoils and drowns numerous moths, so it is simply placed on the garden path.
In spite of the promised heavy rain it is predicted to be quite windless and warm overnight. Secondly, my reading earlier of some of Jon Baker`s interesting write-ups in the Carms Moth Group Newsletters that were produced by him in the mid 2000s has inspired me to trap.
We`ll see what the morning will bring. Hopefully, `Pwll Passport Control` will intercept a migrant or two...well, perhaps!
Above: the trap positioned with an extra large rain-guard on top in readiness for any deluge. Note that I`ve used plastic seed modules rather than egg trays due to the effect of rain on the latter.
Brief Postscript: The heavy rain did n`t materialise and it was dry all night! Whatever, the results were good this morning (c 60 spp.) and included two migrants - a rather light-coloured small mottled willow and a silver y. PPS. I`ve just found a diamond-back moth too, amongst the micros I collected for later inspection, and here`s the rather worn small mottled willow:
Privet hawk-moth was a FFY:
Above: privet hawk-moth showing its dimensions against the garden rose `William Lobb`.
In spite of the promised heavy rain it is predicted to be quite windless and warm overnight. Secondly, my reading earlier of some of Jon Baker`s interesting write-ups in the Carms Moth Group Newsletters that were produced by him in the mid 2000s has inspired me to trap.
We`ll see what the morning will bring. Hopefully, `Pwll Passport Control` will intercept a migrant or two...well, perhaps!
Brief Postscript: The heavy rain did n`t materialise and it was dry all night! Whatever, the results were good this morning (c 60 spp.) and included two migrants - a rather light-coloured small mottled willow and a silver y. PPS. I`ve just found a diamond-back moth too, amongst the micros I collected for later inspection, and here`s the rather worn small mottled willow:
Privet hawk-moth was a FFY:
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