Rush Veneer

Not something I expect to see in April: Rush Veneer on Borth Bog in the middle of the day.

Aberystwyth Garden

The first notable moths of the year for the garden trap this morning: Chamomile Shark and Mullein. Also Oak-tree Pug and Brindled Beauty. Only two Hebrew Characters and one Common Quaker.

Mullein

Chamomile Shark

Hemlock Moth

Inspired by the mild weather, I put the trap out last night in a wooded area, which I was sure would be an improvement on the three moths in my garden trap (Hebrew Character, Common Quakerx2) the previous night. It wasn't. 

Only one, rather small, moth. I potted it anyway, had breakfast, went to the supermarket, and then took a photograph. It turns out to be a new species for me, Agonopterix alstroemeriana, which the book says is Common. There's certainly plenty of the food plant around, but the county list suggests that's it's only the fourth Ceredigion record. Happy New Year!

Aberystwyth garden

The moths came in twos last night, presumably to get out of the rain. Black Rustic (2), Angle Shades (2), LBAM (2), Silver Y (2 in the trap, 2 hiding on the fence). The odd one out was Ypsolopha ustella, which came alone. Before I went to bed, and before it rained, single Merveille du Jour and Red Sword-grass, probably the most interesting of the lot.

Another Ceredigion first.

 Peter Major had a brilliant recording session on Constitution Hill on the 7th of October - not only did he record a Death's-head Hawk-moth, Convolvulus Hawk-moth x 3 and a Scarce Bordered Straw as mentioned in Mike Bailey's post - but also a Box-tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) which is another County first. It will be interesting to see how quickly it will spread or whether this is a one-off .

Box-tree Moth

Death's-head Hawk-moth

Convolvulus Hawk-moth

                                                               Scarce Bordered Straw

All photos - Peter Major.

                                                                                    

Spoladea recurvalis

 Having heard from Peter Major that he caught Scarce Bordered Straw, Death's Head and 3 Convolvus hawk-moths on Consti at the weekend, and having caught Vestal and Rusty-dot Pearl myself on Sunday night, I was encouraged to put the trap out again last night.

This produced my first Convolvulus hawk moth for Troedrhiw Seiri, plus a rare migrant from the tropics, Spoladea recurvalis, which has appeared for the first time in a number of English counties in recent days, and I guess could be a county record for Ceredigion?!

Llanarth garden.

 I recorded a Gem earlier this year - it is an immigrant and fairly uncommon in Ceredigion. Last night I recorded two more, which made me wonder if these were bred locally.

Gem - male

Gem - female

I also had both Chestnut and Dark Chestnut - Seeing them together makes it much easier to differentiate. The shape of each being a key pointer - especially the wing tips.

Chestnut

Dark Chestnut