Around 600 moths at Ynys-hir

Making the most of the warm nights we left two MV traps at Ynys-hir last night.
The ones that did not get away totaled 74 species of Macro and 24 species of micro moths.
Flame shoulder (33) came second in numbers to Eudonia mercurella (100+).
We had three Thorn species - Dusky, August & Canary Shouldered, but as I do not intend to give you the full list, I will add some photos below.

Slender Brindle

Blood-vein

Carcina quercana

Cloaked Carpet

Crescent Dart - Would not co-operate & show you it's white hindwing.

 

 

and two which apart from size look similar, superficially, but not when you take a closer look.

Phyctita roborella

Acrobasis advenella

Ina and Tony.

Rosy marsh moths

Last night on Cors Fochno we had our first Rosy marsh moths for this year. There were 308 macro moths (only 7 of them were Rosy marsh moths) of 47 species. most numerous were Large yellow underwing, Dark arches, True lover's knot, Smoky wainscot, Scarce footman, Flame shoulder, and Dingy footman. Others of note were Marsh oblique-barred, White line dart, Sallow kitten, Dotted clay, Chevron, Canary-shouldered thorn, Least yellow underwing, Small rufous, Round-winged muslin, Small wainscot.

Chevron

Sallow kitten

Round-winged muslin

Rosy marsh moth

There were only 18 micro moths of 11 species including several grass moths, Eudonia pallida and mercurella, Agonopterix heracliana and ocellana, Helcystogramma rufescens, and what may be Bactra lacteana but we need to get this confirmed.

Helcystogramma rufescens

Possible Bactra lacteana

Eudonia pallida

Tony and Ina

White Plume moth ..piece of

Does this count Ina?  Found beside trap and proof that the Tawny may have eaten the Long Ears but there are still the 'pips' near my trap site!

MOTH TRAINING COURSE SEPT 21st CILGERRAN

As previously mentioned Cere moth group are hosting a day course this September to increase id skills amongst those already familiar with the commoner Macros and wanting to start with Micros.
Dave Grundy, a nationally known expert on moths and their habitats, is leading the course and focussing on the habitats around the Wildlife Trust reserve at Cilgerran.  The itinerary will include hands on experience with what ever moths are caught the previous night and adapted to your particular abilities.  There will also be an introduction to micros as we now have a new County Recorder for those amazing but infuriating little beasts and need to increase our County records.
Each County( we are including Pembs and Carms) has an allocation of 5 places so if you wish to come along to this FREE event please mail me (my e mail will be sent round using the Cere moth group Google group)  or phone 01974 299166.   

I need to know asap but by the end of August at the latest.

On a personal note I can say that Dave will be fun and most informative so that you will learn something new whatever your expertise.

Drinkers

Another early morning coupling on Cors Caron.

Double Lobed Distribution

Liz, 

Here is the map for the Double Lobed.

Evan

Marsh Oblique-barred Moth Distribution

Simon,

Here is a map showing our known distribution of the Marsh Oblique-barred.

Nb.  I have edited this map to enhance the post 2010 results.

Evan

Llangawsai Bog?

Not one but two of these in the trap this morning -
are they really Marsh Oblique-barred so close to Aberystwyth?

Marsh Oblique-barred?

It's been a good week for me, with my first Herald, Black Arches, Brussels Lace, Acleris forsskaleana, Mompha propinquella, Brachmia brandella, and what might be Piniphila bifasciana:

Piniphila bifasciana? (FW 5-6mm)

But I'm still waiting for a Garden Tiger.
Any suggestions for these two are welcome:

FW 8mm

FW 6-7mm

Double lobed

Caught last night in my garden15w actinic which was visible from the bog but at least 400m away from Reed Canary Grass as the moth flies.
Also a female Ghost moth so guess I had better go out tonight looking for a lek.

Ypsolopha nemorella

Attracted to our window light close to our honeysuckle bush we found this Ypsolopha nemorella.  A first time for us, but in previous years we have had Ypsolopha dentella and regular Twenty-plume Moths - the larvae of both of which also feed on honeysuckle.

Carolyn

Our First Ever Ghost Moth

A good night with two traps provided large numbers of moths of 42 macro species.  The high spot for us was this female Ghost Moth - the first we have caught in our valley. This Oak Hook-tip was also a pleasing catch.

Carolyn & Evan

More garden moths

The mild, cloudy night with a minimum temperature of 15C proved ideal for trapping in our garden producing probably our best ever for a single actinic Skinner. We had in excess of 200 macro moths of 62 species which included 54 Dark arches and 27 Large yellow underwing. We had our first Black arches, Copper underwing, Dun-bar, Ruby tiger, and Flounced rustic of the year. There were over 100 micros of 25 species.


Aspilapteryx tringipennella

Anarsia spartiella

Hypsopygia glaucinalis (normal pose)



H. glaucinalis (pretending to be a geometer)

Tony & Ina

Swallow-tails in Penparcau

It's been some time since I trapped in my garden, having mostly been trapping out and about on the Micro Reserves of Coed Phoenix, which has been producing some very interesting finds.  One memorable occasion was on John and Yvonne Crocker's  Organic Farm, where we got over 100 individuals of over 30 species.  My own garden is a much less impressive affair, but here are the results anyway:

Swallow-tailed moth 3
Yellow-tail
Gothic
Fan-foot
Dot moth 2
Buff ermine 2
Early thorn
Dark arches 8
L.Y. underwing 3
Double square-spot
Flame
Heart and dart
Riband wave 3
Small phoenix
Uncertain 3
Common rustic 2

Best wishes to you all, Chloe

Phycita roborella and Agapeta zoegana

Only 24 species in the garden trap last night. Temp down to 9c not the higher temperature we were expecting.
Eighteen macro and six micros, most numerous was Dark Arches and only one Lg Yellow U/wing.

Phycita roborella

Agapeta zoegana

 

Both in the bubble bath again!!
Ina & Tony

Scoparia ancipitella

I think this is Scoparia ancipitella, but given the fact that 'ambigualis' can look like almost anything I would value a second opinion.
So if Peter Hall can say for definite with out chopping it please let me know? I still have it in the fridge, maybe a better photo later.

Brindled Plume

We have been away so no local trapping but found this Brindled Plume (Amblyptilia punctidactyla) in our conservatory this morning. (FL 11mm)

Carolyn

Beauty

Another one I'm not sure about from Coed Y Bont.  Satin Beauty?  Plenty of assorted conifers in the wood and this was very different to the Mottled and Willow beauties which are also present.  Its resting in the fridge if more pics required.

Here's one I prepared earlier

On an afternoon walk at Ynyslas yesterday afternoon, we caught this Lesser cream wave. Seeing Liz's earlier post we are posting this for comparison.

Tony & Ina

Lesser Cream Wave?

I think this might be a Lesser as it was 13mm and the cross lines are wavy not sharply scalloped.  The hindwing spots are well defined and the wing curved not pointed .
Help appreciated.

COED Y BONT

I was so excited to get the Lilac Beauty in the trap this morning, a new one for me.  A real beauty but when I attempted a better photo on a tree off it went returning 30m to my vehicle under which it promptly disappeared!  Fortunately I have plenty of honeysuckle and ash here if it managed the journey and yes, I did stupidly crawl underneath to find it before I left the site.
 The Cloaked carpet in fresh condition was also a bonus.
Is anyone else catching Engraileds at the moment?  Its a bit late so I've got pics if I'm on my own here.

Satin Lutestring

A 'not too bad' catch this morning in the garden.
A couple that can cause confusion and one easily recognised species below...you decide which is which.  I think it all depends on the individual recorder.



Satin Lutestring - Tetheela fluctuosa



Satin Lutestring

Eudonia mercurella

Cydia pomonella - Codling Moth

Ina & Tony

Allt-Y-Crib - Welsh Waves

Forty macro species and six micros in the Actinic Heath trap last night.
This is an area we go every year in search of Welsh Waves...and last night we found 3.
Most numerous were Barred Red and some tatty looking Mottled Beauties closely followed by Buff Footman and Dark Arches.
The interesting ones apart from Welsh Wave were Clay Triple-lines not recorded in Fowles list but becoming more common, also Brussels Lace, Willow Beauty and Single-dotted Wave.
Micros were Udea prunalis, Bee Moth, Zeiraphera isertana, a couple or three Scoparia moths still being studied and a Coleophora sp. (On it's way to PRH soon).
Ina & Tony

Welsh Wave

Single-dotted Wave

Clay Triple-lines

National Moth Night at Ynys-hir

Two nights of trapping close to the woodland edge produced just over 100 moth species, 79 of them macro moths. Thursday night, which was the warmer and cloudier of the two, we ran two 15W actinic Heath traps which gave us 58 macros and 12 micros. Saturday night was cool and clear and we ran two 125W MV traps (1 Skinner and 1 Robinson) and got 64 macros and 9 micros. Apart from Eudonia lacustrata there was nothing in great numbers. Surprisingly few Hawkmoths, Large yellow underwing or Heart and Dart. Firsts for us this year were Rosy footman, Muslin footman, Gold spot, Gold spangle, Gold swift, and Pinion-streaked snout.

Gold swift (F)

Gold swift (M)

Tony & Ina