Glaucous Shears etc

I also had lots of Brindled pugs and a few Oak-tree pugs in my UV trap at Bontgoch on Tuesday night. Amongst the 26 species were 12 Great Prominents, Red and Dark Swordgrass, Streamer and a Glaucous Shears (a first for me).

Cors Fochno

Not a great number of moths in the traps this morning, 16 species in total, but what a lovely Spring morning. Willow Warblers, Blackcap and Chiffchaff were all singing with Grasshopper Warbler and Cuckoo too. Highlights of the moths were Ruddy Highflyer, Scalloped Hazel and Grey Birch, all firsts for this year. Also Powdered Quaker, Purple Thorn, Muslin Moth, Early Tooth-striped, Red Sword-grass, Engrailed and Brown Silver-line.
Tony & Ina

Ruddy Highflyer

Powdered Quaker

Powdered Quaker

Muslin Moth

Emperor Moth - females

A good night down by the coast last night.  Not so much quantity but some quality for sure.
Two female Emperors in one trap both having laid eggs which we left in the brambles.
A couple of fresh looking Brindled Beauty and Shuttle-shaped Dart.  Brown Silver-line and Muslin Moth just starting to appear here and our first Red Twin-spot Carpet of the year.
Tony potted up a little 'un for me from the grass...turned out to be an Oak Nycleoline (that'll teach him to wear his glasses, lol ) one of Tony's favourites.
Two genuine micros - Depressaria radiella (Parsnip moth) and Alucita hexadactyla (Many plumed).
Eighteen species in total, most numerous was Hebrew Character as to be expected.
Ina (and Tony)

Emperor Moth - females

Brindled Beauty

Brown Silver-line

Depressaria radiella

Muslin Moth

Oak Nycleoline - very worn

Red Twin-spot Carpet

Shuttle-shaped Dart

Shuttle-shaped Dart

Moth Event RSPB Ynys-hir

We joined Tony and Ina this morning for their first moth event at Ynys-hir this year and were delighted to see so many people there on such a cold morning.  Including the local supporters we had one from Pembrokeshire, two from the Midlands and one from Dorset.

Two MV and two actinic traps produced a total of 17 macro and 2 micro species.  Most numerous were Hebrew Character (49) and Common Quaker (21).  Others included Square Spot, Brindled Beauty, Purple Thorn, Early Thorn, Great Prominent, Powdered Quaker, Streamer and Water Carpet but only one species of pug (Brindled).  The micros were Dyseriocrania subpurpurella and Agonopterix heracliana/ciliella.

Carolyn & Evan

Square Spot

Brindled Beauty

Purple Thorn

Great Prominent

Dyseriocrania subpurpurella with its scruffy hair-do!

Cross Inn, Llanon

Another quiet night with only 2 moths but this rather fine Brindled Beauty lived up to its name.

Twenty-plume Moth

New to me last night was this Twenty-plume Moth. I just wish I could persuade it to open its wings!

I didn’t have to trap it as it came into the house and landed on our television screen.

Late March Moth

I have been absent from the postings on here this year so having moved into the south of the County I thought I had better make an effort.
Unfortunately I seem to have chosen a very windy spot but Tuesday evening was calm so the 60w Actinic was given an outing and I managed 12 moths of 5 species amongst which was this very well coloured March Moth.
Small beer compared to the catches some of you have had during the false Spring in Feb but pretty enough to warrant a pic particularly as it kindly opened its wings.

Oak Beauty

New to me last night were 5 Oak Beautys.

In addition I trapped 21 Hebrew Characters, 4 March moths, 11 Common Quakers, 10 Clouded Drab,
3 Shoulder Stripe, 4 Early Thorn, 2 Early Grey and a Brindled Pug. My biggest catch in years.

Moth Event - RSPB Ynys-hir - 14thApril

Just a quick reminder about the above event.

Traps open 9am sharp until approximately 11am. (Usually goes on a little longer)
Spring moth species do seem to be emerging a little earlier this year so there could be the odd surprise.
We will meet in the usual place on the car park, weather permitting, otherwise in front of the visitor centre.

Tony and Ina

Wildlife 'Out ot Sync'

The first in-depth analysis into the seasonal timing of certain bird and insect behaviours has confirmed that spring is indeed getting earlier each year – but that exactly how much earlier these events now start depends on where in the UK and in which habitat they occur.
You may have seen this in the press yesterday.
To read this in full the please,
click here

Orange Underwings for a visiting moth-er

We spend quite a lot of time in Ceredigion as our caravan is currently at a site near Machynlleth and as we pass through on the way there from Pembs we stop off at various sites to look for birds/moth/butterflies etc. Our favourite is Cors Fochno. We stopped off there on Thursday 28th to try and find Orange Underwings and we were successful  - 5 definitely separate individuals plus one which may have been a duplicate. We were very pleased with this result. They were all flying around and between the tops of birch trees in textbook fashion, and sometimes settling on birch twigs, usually upside down which makes them strangely difficult to see. I thought the season may have been over as the first report on this blog this year was way back on 24th Feb but apparently not. We also saw Brimstones, which we don't have in Pembs. 
On Saturday we found an Orange Underwing at Ynys Hir, though it was a long way from the birch trees, being near the Marian Mawr hide. Also another Brimstone. Nice to see plenty of Peacocks everywhere.