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Actually the highlighted links do work!

Melanistic pale brindled beauties

Pale Brindled Beauties wanted for research

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Devon Moth Group

Devon Moth Group was recently contacted by Louise Reynolds, a PhD student at the University of Liverpool. Louise is researching the evolutionary genetics of melanism in moths and hopes that moth recorders across Britain will be able to help in the study. She is particularly interested in the Pale Brindled Beauty and is appealing for moth-ers to help collect specimens.
If any members are interested in assisting, please get in touch with Louise by e-mail and she will send out a collecting kit.
Full details available on the Devon moth group site:  google the Devon moth group or contact Louise at melanicmoths@gmail.com
The highlighted links won't work as this is a copy and paste job .
Scalloped hazel is another sp she is interested in collecting.

caddis fly collection

I have received this communication from Dr Emma Guy, Biodiversity Officer for Powys and am publicising the request through this blog.  I feel sure there is a national archive of Welsh records and will be contacting Adrian Fowles, CCW's chief entomologist, to make the enquiry but if anyone wishes to help out the national recorder use the contact details below.

The PDF on our freshwater habitats may well be of interest so I also enclose the link below.

2) Although, we have lots of caddis fly larvae in our freshwaters there is a dearth of records in Wales for the adult flies (called 'sedges'), apparently zero in fact. Any records or specimens of adults are being sought by the national recorder at Liverpool university. They turn up in moth traps so moth groups could play a key role in improving distribution maps. Sample tubes can be provided to those interested. Contact Dai Roberts at the Riverfly Partnership (07890 188835, dai.theduff@btinternet.com ) for more information. Please circulate to your groups.

 

3) Wales Environment Link have just published 'Valuing our Freshwaters', a report which highlights the key issues affecting freshwaters and the actions needed to adequately address them

 

http://www.waleslink.org/sites/default/files/Valuing_our_Freshwaters_English.pdf

 

Bog moths and raft spider

It was a very wet night on Cors Fochno but not as cold as last weekend. Two heath traps produced 9 moths of 5 species: Yellow horned, Chestnut, Dotted border, Engrailed and Satellite. Lurking underneath one trap was a raft spider, Dolomedes fimbriatus, a common inhabitant of boggy places.

Yellow horned 

Raft spider

More Hardy Moths

On the same night we placed a trap in a new oak woodland site about 150 metres above sea level in rather cold conditions, but sheltered from the vicious north easterly wind.  We were rewarded with six moths - 1 Grey Shoulder-knot, 3 Dotted Borders, 1 Oak Beauty, and 1 rather fresh Pale Brindled Beauty for so late in its flight period.

Carolyn & Evan

Grey Shoulder-knot

Pale Brindled Beauty

Hardy moths

After a cold and windy night on Cors Fochno the temperature was just 3 degrees when I arrived there this morning. Even so I found 3 Yellow horned moths and a Chestnut. One trap had been blown over and the other had been taken over by quite a large spider. When putting the traps out on Saturday afternoon I had the thrill of seeing a female Adder coiled up and "basking" in the slight warmth (regret not taking my camera).

Yellow horned

Tony

clouded drab

Tried my new green(synergetic) 15w tube from Paul Batty on the 5th March using a 100amp battery as I now realise that 12v 12amp is only man enough to fire the lamp all night in the summer!  Under our oak trees it attracted 31 moths of 6 species,notable amongst which was a single very fresh Clouded Drab. Fowles quotes 21/02 as earliest so I guess someone somewhere has already caught one!
There were 8 Pale Brindled Beauties of which 2 were melanistic. I have been wondering what % of BB's are melanistic, anyone know?
Also in the box were 14 Chestnuts; not sure if they are hatching continuously during the winter or if they go into a torpor for the coldest months?

Hebrew characters at Aberporth

Sarah has had 2 Hebrew Characters in her garden moth trap this week.

Tony

First Pug of the Year

Double-striped Pug

This morning we found this Double-striped Pug on our bathroom wall.

Carolyn & Evan

Woodland moths

With overnight temperature forecast to be 7C I put two heath traps in some mixed woodland last night. This morning I had 27 moths of 10 species. Nearly half of them were Satellites plus 5 Chestnut and 4 Engrailed. Good to see my first Early grey, Mottled grey, March moth, Small quaker and Oak beauty of the year.




Oak beauty

 

Early grey

Small quaker
 





March moth

 

Posted by: Tony

Cors Caron event date changed

Please note that we have had to change the date of our first event this year, from Wednesday 27th March to Saturday 13th April. See Events page for details.

Posted by: Tony