Aberystwyth garden

Last night was a bit breezy. 45 of 62 moths were Heart and Darts. Among the others, my first Shoulder-striped Wainscot for three years, and what I think is a Ni Moth.

A dark clouded silver

 A very dark clouded silver (or is it something else..?). Much darker than any other I have had. Aberaeron.

Ochreous pug

This one from Aberaeron a few nights ago. Described as "common" but I have only had one before but that was on the way up Pumlumon Fawr in daylight! The records to 2021 show 24 previous records in the county, mine on the mountain being the 25th. So this, according to Pete, is the 26th. Given the challenges of identifying pugs, perhaps they are under-recorded? 

Small mottled willow at Aberaeron

 A first for me last night in my garden in Aberaeron. 

Moths at Bontgoch

 Delighted to find a Small Purple-barred in my trap this morning. My only previous sightings were the odd day flier at Cors fochno years ago. Alder moth, Lobster and Satin Wave were also present. Earlier this week I had my first Lead Belle for many years.

 

Proof of breeding or a holiday romance?

 Striped Hawkmoths, new to me!  May 25/26th Aberporth garden trap. 

More from Aberporth

 Marbled Coronet , Netted pug and Tawny Shears...May 24th Aberporth.

Also had 2 Small Mottled Willow, Grass Rivulet,Alder moth,9xTreble Lines, Gold Spot,Poplar Grey plus Poplar Hawkmoth, a Dagger and pair of Muslins. BuffTip,White Ermine,Brown Rustic, Flame Shoulder and a couple of Oligia were supporting cast.

pugs again!

Is this a candidate for Cloaked Pug?  caught May 24th Aberporth
 

Small Mottled Willow

 Last night was quite productive, with 20 species in the trap, in an open, grassy area. New to me was a Small Mottled Willow - which I see that Adam Dare in Carmarthenshire also had, the same night.

Small Mottled Willow

Others good to see again included a Treble-bar, Clay Triple-lines, a Little Emerald and twenty-two Treble-lines. 

Clay Triple-lines

Treble Bar

A bonus this morning was a Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding on white-flowered Red Valerian.

Looking up

A few more interesting moths in the garden trap last night, including my first Netted Pug here:

Other NFY were Puss Moth, Peppered Moth, Buff-tip, Treble Lines, Least Black Arches and a Marbled Beauty caterpillar. Both of the latter were high up on the wall of the house. 

Time to look in Ceredigion?

 Pachyrhabda steropodes is out - see copies of emails from Sally Hall just S of the Teifi - what about north of the Teifi ie in Ceredigion? It was out today in some quantity near Llanelli (SE Carms). Worth vc46  recorders having a look perhaps? Remember that they are tiny and flit (`float`?) around the fern before re-settling. Pale yellowish white to the unaided eye.

27/4/26 Thanks Ian, I have now found Pachyrhabda steropodes here (at our natural burial site/nature reserve, Saron, Llandysul). I have been searching for this species and today found well over 100 flying around a few soft shield ferns. It was confined to just one area – with a lot of dog mercury – not sure if that is significant. I didn’t have a camera but I did have my close focus binoculars so ID reliable.

21/4/26… this species must be spreading fast. Working in our woods over the last two days and 100s flying around the uncurling soft shield fern.

Early risers in Llangeitho

 After two warm days Wednesday night seemed promising. Trapping on a garden/woodland boundary yielded about 70 moths, of 22 species.  Several pristine Purple Thorns brightened the trap, but notable were Grey Birch, Frosted Green, Small Phoenix and Scalloped Hazel, all a little precocious.

Good to see three Square Spot, at least 13 Streamer, Lunar Marbled Brown, two Great Prominent and an Oak-tree Pug.

Grey Birch (phone photograph)

Scalloped Hazel

Frosted Green

A very brown Engrailed

Lunar Marbled Brown

Oak-tree Pug

Square Spot

Pontsaeson Cross Inn Llanon

Things are looking up. 24 moths last night of 11 species. Early Thorn x2, Early Grey x 4, Early Tooth striped 1, Hebrew Character  x6, March Moth x 3, Herald 1, Engrailed 1, Small Quaker 1, Clouded Drab x2, Brindled Beauty x2, Red Chestnut 1

Cross Inn, Llanon

It’s a long time since I put my trap out at Pontsaeson but I’ll try harder.

Last night saw 13 Hebrew Characters and 2 Clouded Drabs.

V-pug

A very early, and very fresh, V-pug in the garden trap (Aberystwyth) this morning. In total 39 of 11 species.

RDP already

Inspired by Peter's post, I put my garden trap out for a couple of hours yesterday evening. Just Chestnut and Common Quaker. 

On my way to work this morning I passed Early Moth, Dotted Border, and a very surprising Rusty Dot Pearl. An immigrant already?

Acleris cristana

 A forecast mild, damp night prompted me to dust off my trap, which yielded a dozen moths, with eight macros...

Chestnut, Dotted Border, Early Moth, Mottled Grey, Oak Beauty, Pale Brindled Beauty, Red Chestnut and Spring Usher.

...and one colourful micro which I believe to be Acleris cristana: