A nice surprize in the trap this morning. The nearest blackcurrent bushes are in the garden some 25 yards away. I shall put the trap by them tonight to see if there are more to be found.
There have been no Ceredigion records for V-Moth since 1988. It is reported to have declined in numbers by 99% in the 40 years to 2007 according to Butterfly Conservation, and I thought it was extinct here. There have been a small number of records in recent years from just outside the county, to the east of Llandysul, which is not too far from Llawrcwrt. Well done David lets hope they manage to breed and eat your currant bushes!
Congratulations David, you have joined a select band of people in the Llandysul area who have caught the V-Moth in recent years. It seems to be surviving, if not thriving, hereabouts so hopefully there will be more sightings in the future.
Thank you Chris, Do you happen to know if the other trappings in the Llandysul area have been in the vicinity of current bushes? Mine was about 30m away from a couple of stunted Blackcurrent bushes.
Yes David, mine have all been caught within a few metres of a fruit cage containing black and red currant bushes. I've not found any larvae so far, so I don't know for certain that my garden's the source of them but it seems likely, and the moth has been trapped here every year since 2015. Another was recorded last year, I believe from the Pontwelly area, but I don't know the circumstances there and we've since lost contact with the recorder. The only other one I know of was trapped a week or so ago by Andy Turner in Bancyffordd, I believe that he's got a large garden so there may well be some currant bushes there.
There have been no Ceredigion records for V-Moth since 1988. It is reported to have declined in numbers by 99% in the 40 years to 2007 according to Butterfly Conservation, and I thought it was extinct here. There have been a small number of records in recent years from just outside the county, to the east of Llandysul, which is not too far from Llawrcwrt. Well done David lets hope they manage to breed and eat your currant bushes!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations David, you have joined a select band of people in the Llandysul area who have caught the V-Moth in recent years. It seems to be surviving, if not thriving, hereabouts so hopefully there will be more sightings in the future.
ReplyDeleteThank you Chris, Do you happen to know if the other trappings in the Llandysul area have been in the vicinity of current bushes? Mine was about 30m away from a couple of stunted Blackcurrent bushes.
DeleteYes David, mine have all been caught within a few metres of a fruit cage containing black and red currant bushes. I've not found any larvae so far, so I don't know for certain that my garden's the source of them but it seems likely, and the moth has been trapped here every year since 2015. Another was recorded last year, I believe from the Pontwelly area, but I don't know the circumstances there and we've since lost contact with the recorder. The only other one I know of was trapped a week or so ago by Andy Turner in Bancyffordd, I believe that he's got a large garden so there may well be some currant bushes there.
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