Four (?) Footmen of Llangeitho

 Trapping on 10th July, a mild dry night yielded over 150 moths, with 48 macros and numerous micros, largely Eudonia spp..

One Footman I am unsure about: Obsidentify says Orange Footman, 100%, but the flight season is late and the wing looks less angular. The Four-spotted is the second I have recorded here in Llangeitho.

Buff Footman

Dingy Footman

Orange (or Buff?) Footman

Four-spotted Footman

Cloaked Carpet

Of the micros, I think these are:

Calamotropha paludella

Beautiful China-mark

Beautiful China-mark

Apple Ermine: Yponomeuta malinellus

Gem, Dusky Sallow, Mouse Moth

In the garden trap on Thursday night, it was the turn of Cydia splendana to appear en masse: 43, including only 4 of the melanic form. A new-for-me Gem and 3 Small Mottled Willow were suggestive of migration. Also Marsh Oblique-barred, Hypsopygia glaucinalis and NFY Z. ratzeburgiana (2), Slender Pug and Endotricha flammealis.

Last night I trapped in Ponterwyd. Over 400 moths of 90 species. Good numbers of Large Yellow Underwing (51), True Lovers Knot (32), Dark Arches (52) and Agriphila straminella, and even Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (11). FFYs included Grass Emerald (3), Barred Straw, Chinese Character, Small Elephant Hawkmoth (2), Garden Tiger (3), Coxcomb Prominent, Dotted Clay, Bulrush Wainscot, Gold Spot (3), Small Rufous, Honeysuckle Moth, Mompha propinquella, Mompha raschkiella, and Eupoecilia angustana. New for my county list were Catoptria falsella, Mouse Moth and Dusky Sallow.

Thursday night at Cwmerfyn. 09/07/2026.

A rather humid, full night survey on a mixed grassy, scrubby slope c.280m above Cwmerfyn produced 70 species on Thursday night. 

The likelihood is this is a Red Underwing but I am stumped by the "inner central cross-line bends outwards so it usually touches pale central mark" (Waring, Townsend & Lewington) which is characteristic of a possible immigrant Dark Crimson Underwing (very similar to the example in Chris Manley) but does not have a convincing deep "W" on the outer cross-line. More like a "V".

Any help on this would be great.

Also recorded what I suspect to be a Northern Rustic? 

Not recorded this before so a confirmation would be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

Phil.

Additional photo received from Sam Grinsted who managed to get a shot of the red hindwing (apologies for the poor quality photo but it shows the important bit!)

Four-spotted moth spotted

 The highlight of last night's garden trap was this Double Lobed, my first for almost 5 years.

Also NFY Common Footman and Wormwood Pug among 37 sp.

On my route to work, a Large Emerald yesterday clinging to a building, and today this Four-spotted Footman, new for me, in the same place:

Night at Bwlch Corog, Glaspwyll.

 Hi all,

A very busy night on Friday with a site wide 91 species recorded for Coetir Anian including the following two micros:

Is this about right for Eudonia delunella? I have spent too much time staring at it!

 

and is this brownish enough for Apotomis capreana? Everything else looks right to separate it from A.betulana. There is a hint of a greyish tip to the tuft, well arched costa and the "hook" is present.

Photos have not been fiddled with except for cropping.

Any corrections/comments welcomed. 

Thanks.

Phil.

Bilberry Pug, Llangeitho

 The one distinguished item in a rather humdrum catch of 43 species last night was this Bilberry Pug - the first I've recorded here since July 2021.

Rheidol Valley

A trip to woodland in the Rheidol Valley last night. 88 moths of 34 species. Most numerous were Variagated Golden Tortrix (17+), Eudonia lacustrata (11+) and Aleimma loeflingiana (10). Highlights were Lilac Beauty, Beautiful Snout, Northern Spinach, Peach Blossom (3), Barred Yellow, Cydia fagiglandana and Eudonia delunella (2). New for me is what might be Celypha aurofasciana (although this one doesn't look very golden):