August Moths 2011 (1 Viewer)

[Oleander]

I went out to the coast last night with trap and generator. I was hoping to see Grass Eggar and 4 showed up, 3 males and a female! I have only seen the larva before. Many Antler and Ear Moths, 46 and 18, many more than in the garden.
Other new species were:

Beautiful Yellow Underwing [nfy]
Great Brocade [nfy]
Square-spot Dart [nfy]
Epipsilia grisescens [nfm]
Hedge Rustic [nfm]

Better than seeing all those moths was this stunning Camberwell Beauty that spent the day in the garden! First one I've seen for 7 years. My favourite butterfly! It was attracted to sugar and wine. o

 

[antshrike69]

Last night produced the first Dusky Thorn of the year and (finally) July Highflyer - number 699 for the garden list.

Now I'm hoping for Oleander HawkMoth for number 700..

 

[jforgham]

Green carpet NFM for me this morning. Got my MV trap in early June and now up to 117 macro species for my garden. Trying to learn 1 micro per day. Taxing but worthwhile. Also, for August, new moths include pebble prominent, orange swift and purple bar. All moths that are welcome. Being over run by lesser broad bordered yellow underwings and straw underwings most nights at present.
Cheers,
Jono

 

[davidg]

Last night produced the first Dusky Thorn of the year and (finally) July Highflyer - number 699 for the garden list.

Now I'm hoping for Oleander HawkMoth for number 700..

The 700th species for my garden was a rather underwhelming Epinotia ramella so good luck with the Hawkmoth!

David

 

[Nerine]

Now I'm hoping for Oleander HawkMoth for number 700..

How many years has it taken you, and David too, to get almost 700 species?
I am in my 5th year of trapping and have caught barely 340 species in my garden.
Nerine

 

[davidg]

Nerine,

I got my first moth trap in 2003 but didn't start recording until the following year. I have a good selection of micros on the list many of which have been identified by dissection by my county recorder eg 31 species of Coleophora. Additions to the list are rapidly slowing down though - just 11 so far this year - and Jonathan will be past my total before much longer!

David

 

[Nerine]

Impressive, David. Maybe I should try harder with micro moths!

Nerine

 

[antshrike69]

Nerine - micros are the key for sure! And a helpful county recorder (I share one with David!) is really useful for dissecting out the trickier species. Barry is fantastic and has been an enormous help to me, as have so many on this forum. So thanks to everyone who has been so helpful on my continued learning curve.

I only started trapping in April 2009 but have trapped pretty much nightly since then excepting mid winter and when I've been on foreign birding trips. In fact, when I was in northern Peru recently, I was twitchy at missing interesting moths in the back garden

I've had 66 new additions this year so far, of which only 14 or 15 were macros. In total, I have recorded 394 micros (including clearwings etc) and 305 macros. My site is a medium-sized suburban garden in Peterborough. Although planted sympathetically, it is pretty average otherwise and just shows the enormous biodiversity out there. It makes me wonder how many species of other groups (flies, beetles) also use the space...

Anyway, lots more to find - I'm less than halfway through the county list so far! And there are plenty on your own list that I'd love to visit my patch :t:

 

[Andy1979]

Brilliant Jersey Tigers, Nerine!

I had a very worn little moth at the bottom of my garden trap this morning which took me quite a while to get my head around. I eventually managed to pin it down as the infamous Oak Processionary, a rare immigrant from mainland Europe (with the caterpillars that you don't want to touch!) which is beginning to establish itself in Oak woodland in parts of the South. Looks like DEFRA are having a bit of trouble controlling the larvae at the moment though, and it seems I'm breaking the law by "knowingly keeping" the moth in the fridge!

Other slightly less destructive notables were Waved Black and a first for the garden Plain Pug.

I have had an Oak Processionary this month to complement the one from last year. Not sure if it'll attach, but my county recorder sent me a document about these moths.

Andy

 

[robhope]

Whilst waiting for the little ferry across Chichester Harbour I noticed this beautiful caterpillar on the waterside vegetation:-

1) 2217 Star-wort Cucullia asteris - nfm

What a find.


robhope

Egrets, I've had a few

 

[KenM]

Whilst waiting for the little ferry across Chichester Harbour I noticed this beautiful caterpillar on the waterside vegetation:-

1) 2217 Star-wort Cucullia asteris - nfm

What a find.


robhope

Egrets, I've had a few

Thought it was Eurostar's new livery

 

[antshrike69]

Thought it was Eurostar's new livery

:-O

 

[billsbirding]

Spent the last couple of nights trapping at the relative's house near Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. The garden backs out onto perfect 'Breckland' habitat, and despite having high hopes for the species, I didn't manage to catch Lunar Yellow Underwing, a local speciality. Square-spotted Clay was a nice consolation however, and suprisingly, one of the more common moths in the trap turned out to be White-point (perhaps indicating large scale migrant activity? I understand Vestals and Bordered Straws are starting to come in as well).

 

[Dmacaskill]

Some NFY from the last few days,

Dean

 

[Gyr Crakes]

Pyrausta cingulata in the garden trap yesterday - a new species for me and my 700th species of Lepidoptera in Guernsey.

 

[Oleander]

Saturday's catch was very good, I had three traps out and lots of sugar/wine. It was a little warmer and no wind, min temp of 14 degrees. 135 moths and 40 species came, and more on the wine. It was impressive to see two Clifden Nonpareils on one wine rag (didn't get a photo).

Clifden Nonpareil
Vapouer
Feathered Gothic
Oak Lutestring
Scarce Silver Y (I think, several similar looking in Sweden)
Dark Sword-grass

All above new for the year, and a Golden-rod Brindle was new for me.

 

[Dmacaskill]

Some NFY, Beech green Carpet, Large Ear, Neglected Rustic, Northern Deep brown Dart and Pine Carpet.

Dean

 

[Dmacaskill]

Some more NFY,

Dean

 

[Nerine]

Pyrausta cingulata in the garden trap yesterday - a new species for me and my 700th species of Lepidoptera in Guernsey.

|=)| Brilliant!

 

[KenM]

Last night was my best for the year...under low cloud and a bit of drizzle, running my15w UV lamp... in the house, external walls,windows and trap c30 moths, to include Orange Swift (NFY), Straw Undwng.(NFY) Green Carpet, Angle Shades (NFY), Black Arches, Shell, Small Emerald, and Old Lady plus a lot of uninvited wasps...similar conditions tonight! Fingers x'd.

cheers