Macro moth species list

You can view the latest macro moth species list for VC46 by clicking the appropriate link on the "Documents" page.

Please get in touch if you have any problems accessing the list.

Tony

Garden Moth Scheme Micro-Moth ID Guide

The Garden Moth Scheme records 247 of the more common Macro and Micro Moths to be found in the UK.   As well as these “core species” the recorder is requested to list other moths not included in the list. There are a number of guides for the ID of Macro Moths, but the Micro Moths can prove quite challenging!  To this end the Garden Moth Scheme team have produced an ID guide for 25 of the ones that are most frequently trapped.
To view this guide copy & paste the following link:
http://gms.staffs-ecology.org.uk/images/1/18/Mmigcs.pdf

Evan

Two More Hibernators

We had a very productive catch last night from three traps with a total of 21 macro and five micro species.  Included in these were the two over-wintering moths - Red Sword-grass and this rather green Red-green Carpet together with our first  Double-striped Pug of the season.  Apologies for the out of focus wing but it escaped into the kitchen before I could remove it for a proper photo shot.

Carolyn & Evan

Red Sword-grass

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Red-green Carpet

Double-striped Pug

Early Tooth-striped vs Mottled Grey

Liz,

We thought these two comparative photographs might be useful.  The Mottled Grey picture taken on the earlier date of 14.02.15 and the Early Tooth-striped this morning.

We went on a course to Scotland with David Brown four years ago and there was much discussion on how to tell the differences between these two moths.  John Knowler, a Scottish County Moth Recorder was also present.  They said first of all look at the shape.  The Mottled Grey is triangular and the Early Tooth-striped arrowhead-shaped as demonstrated in these photos. 

The Mottled Grey is shiny when fresh, has chequered veins on the fore-wing and there are chevron markings on the distal cross line.  The male MG has bi-pectinate antennae whereas in the male ETS the antennae are straight strands.  As you know MG emerges slightly earlier but their flight periods overlap!

Carolyn & Evan

Early tooth or another shade of grey?

Ynys-hir Moths 27thMarch.

Really good selection last night, good numbers too.
AND we managed to miss the rain, which was a bonus.
Common Quaker 38, Small Quaker 26, Dotted Border 3, Brindled Pug 17, Hebrew Character 9, Twin-spotted Quaker 17, Clouded Drab 17, Grey Shoulder Knot 1, Early Grey 10, Yellow Horned 3, Mottled Grey 1, Chestnut 14, Red Chestnut 1, Pine Beauty 1, Engrailed 10, Early Tooth-striped 2, Oak Beauty 2, Pale Brindled Beauty 1, March Moth 2.  and the micros - Diurnea fagella 5, Acleris literana 1, Agonopterix heracliana 1, Agonopterix ocellana 1, Acleris cristana 1.

Documents Page

You may have noticed a new 'Documents page' on the blog.

This has the 2014 Moth Report and a micro moth species list, by decade, to the end of 2014. The column headed 1700 refers to species that have been reported from vc46 but for which there are no complete details.  Any species not on the list will be new for the county and any records for them will need to be submitted with additional substantive evidence.

Just click on the link and you will be taken to Drop Box, you may get a page from Drop Box first but just click 'Got It' at the bottom of this page and the document should appear after a short delay.

We will continue to add any relevant/interesting documents as we go along.

Ina and Tony

Micro Moth Tip - Coleophora laricella

Perhaps the easiest Coleophora to find and identify at this time of year.
Cases of Coleophora laricella can be found on the twigs of larch as in the photo below.
The first two instars can be found later in the year mining the needles turning them (needles) white.
More information on UK Moths

Photo - Ben Smart

Garden Moths Talybont

Only 5 species this morning Small Quaker, Clouded Drab, Acleris literana Common Quaker and Brindled Pug.  Tony is currently chasing a Red Admiral round the garden....and from the speed it is going I don't think there's any chance of a photo!
Ina

Acleris, Agonopterix and a grazing goat?

14 Species last night included two overwintering micros - Acleris hastiana and Agonopterix arenella,  The T.alternella seems to be dwindling, down to single figures now.
The only new macro for the year? See bottom pictures.

Acleris hastiana

Agonopterix arenella

A grazing goat?

No - just a Yellow Horned

Over-wintering Moths

Despite a minimum temperature of -1.5°C last night we managed to catch eight macro species and the usual Tortricodes alternella in two traps.  New for this year were Common and Small Quakers and Clouded Drab.  We also caught these two over-wintering moths - Grey Shoulder-knot and the two forms of Satellite.

Carolyn & Evan
 

Grey Shoulder-knot

 

Satellite -1

Satellite - 2

2014 moth report

The 2014 moth report is now available and has been e-mailed to group members. If you have not received it but would like to see it, contact us (see contact us page).

Tony & Ina

First Pug of the year.

Brindled Pugs in both traps this morning, plus Pale B.B., Engrailed, Chestnut, Oak Beauty, Early moth, March moth,Common and Small Quaker.  The usual surfeit of T.alternella and one female Lt. Brown Apple moth.  Still no Small B.B.

Plus what I think is a Nursery Web Spider...Pisaura mirabilis . If you are out there Mike, what do you think. Sorry about the rubbish photos...it was a bit lively!!

Oak Beauty, Engrailed & Early Grey

March came in with these new moths for this year. Looking back on last year's records we noticed that we caught our first Oak Beauty earlier on the 16th February but the Engrailed & Early Grey were on cue.
 
In  total we had 8 macros and the micro, Tortricodes alternella in abundance (35).

Carolyn & Evan

Oak Beauty

Engrailed

Early Grey

Micro Hints & Tips - Bucculatrix nigricomella

This is one of the first leaf mines of the year, you can find it on the young leaves of Ox-eye Daisy.
It is in the county but not been found/seen since Langmaid and Pelham-Clinton in 1982.
If you have any ox-eye Daisy near you please look out for it.  The larva is yellow - in a mine at first and moving to feed externally as they grow bigger.

Happy hunting.
Ina