Convolvulus Hawkmoth

I was delighted to trap my second Convolvulus Hawkmoth at Pontsaeson, Cross Inn, Llanon last night. (My first was 3 years ago).

Feathered Ranunculus

Despite a windy night in Aberystwyth the catch from a garden there of six species included this Feathered Ranunculus and a Merveille du Jour.

Carolyn & Evan

Ynys-hir

I expected more moths on a not too cold night with light rain.
The bats were flying and as I have told many people, "Warm drizzle is good for mothing".  Maybe I should add "usually" in the middle of there somewhere!
22 species of adult moths and Buff-tip larva.  Pink-barred Sallow and Light Emerald were the most numerous macros.  The 4 species of micro that hung around long enough to be ID'd were Acleris laterana/comariana, Archips podana, Acleris rhombana and Ypsolopha ustella.
Ina and Tony

Acleis rhombana

Angle Shades

Black Rustic

Brindled Green

Frosted Orange

Large Wainscot - Male (L) & Female (R)

Light Emerald

Red-green Carpet

Riband Wave

Llawrcwrt Improving Numbers

 

Numbers up at Llawrcwrt too, last night. 39 moths and 9 species. Most numerous were Pink barred Sallow with 18. I was particularly pleased with two shiny new Black Rustics. There was also my first Frosted Orange this year.

Cors Fochno 12degrees and windy

Eighteen species last night which was warmer than the last few nights and the last dry one for a while from the look of it.  A few photos of the more interesting moths that were willing to co-operate and pose for the camera...as usual the carpets flew.  I am sure that whoever originally thought up the stories of 'Flying Carpets' was a moth-er.

Canary-shouldered Thorn, Sallow, Pink-barred Sallow, Square-spot Rustic, Chevron, Small Wainscot, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Pinion-streaked Snout, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Green Carpet, Double-striped Pug, Bulrush Wainscot, Green-brindled Crescent, Common Marbled Carpet, Red-line Quaker, Dark Sword-grass, Heath Rustic and last of all Epinotia ramella, which also was camera-shy!

Ina and Tony

Bulrush Wainscot,

Canary-shouldered Thorn

Dark Sword-grass

Green-brindled Crescent

Heath Rustic

Pink-barred Sallow

Red-line Quaker

Sallow

Small Wainscot

First Mottled Umber

A cold moonlit night produced only two thirds of Tony and Ina's last catch including our first Mottled Umber of the season. Winter is approaching!

Carolyn & Evan

Talybont Garden - 6 moths!

A much colder night than forecast here last night, I wouldn't want to have sat up most of the night with a net to catch six moths.  However it does mean all are photographed and logged well before breakfast.
Ina and Tony

Dark Arches

Eudonia angustea

Pine Carpet

Rush Veneer - Nomophila noctuella

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Square-spot Rustic

Damp Morning on the Dunes

No Death's-head H/m this morning.  Seventeen species in all, thirteen macros, Brimstone, Green Carpet, Hedge Rustic, Flounced Rustic, Square-spot Rustic, Archer's Dart, Large Y/u, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Feathered Gothic, Lesser Y/u, Drinker, Anomalous and Galium Carpet.
Some photos below showing the variation in the 120 S-s Rustic, especially for those of you out there scratching their head over the LBJ they have in a pot!
Ina and Tony

Agriphila geniculea

Anomalous

Archer's Dart

Galium Carpet

Sallow

A selection of Square-spot Rustic.

Death's-head Hawk-moth

Another rare and spectacular moth has been found in Ceredigion. This is only the 13th county record for Death's-head Hawk-moth. It is the first live specimen recorded since 1983, although a dead one was found under a bee hive in 2015.  Thanks to Phil Evans, warden at Ynyslas nature reserve, for spotting it and for the photographs below.
We were very excited when we were told that this moth was sitting on a fence post in the dunes at Ynyslas. We abandoned everything at home and headed for the dunes. Luckily it was still there when we arrived. We tried to move it a little for photography and were threatened with raised front legs and a quite loud squeak, what a thrill.
Tony & Ina

Neglected Rustic

Thank you to Tony for confirming my tentative identification of this as a Neglected Rustic - the first for my 10km square.

Clifden Nonpareil - Catocala fraxini

A Clifden Nonpareil - Catocala fraxini - was found this morning by Carolyn and Evan on their house wall not far from a light trap.
This is only the fourth Welsh record the first was in September 2017 in Glamorgan and two in Gwent last year.  Keep an eye out folks, they are spreading.
Tony burst into action, up a ladder net in hand to capture the beast! 😃
To say he was excited is no exaggeration.  4.5cm wing length.

Brynarth

I made a short 2 night visit to Ceredigion this week, staying at Brynarth Guest House, just down the road (about a hundred yards) from Cors Ian nature reserve. Despite the inclement weather, I ran a single Robinson in the guest house garden. In fact the second night was wild with wind and heavy rain, but I still managed 19 species, and the night before 24 species plus a few leaf mines in the near area. A mix of late Summer and early Autumn species and all very typical of what you would expect. Migrants included Silver Y and Udea ferrugalis. Oblique Carpet was nice to see for me, Gold Spot, Hedge Rustic and a rather late Common Footman. I also have 2 Ear moths that will receive closer attention. I must try and visit earlier in the season! Peter Hall

Flounced Rustic lurking in my bedroom

Narrow-bordered bee hawk moth

Not round here unfortunately..

Bee hawk Moth