ObsIdentify says that these are 3rd instar larvae of Emperor Moths. Paul Taylor thinks so too. What do others think?

They are in the turning circle at the end of the forestry track into Cross Inn woods on the south side of the road to Bethania.

Bumper catch at Bontgoch

In 40 years of mothing I have never had a more spectacular catch in my garden as I did last night. Certainly not at the start of May!  43 species and 193 moths plus numerous May bugs filled my MV trap and carpeted the surrounding grass under goat willow and a mixed thorn hedge. 

The pick of the catch were Orange Footman and Barred Umber and it was great to see species like White Ermine and Scorched Wing in double figures. A spring Setaceous Hebrew Character was a first for me as was Grey Pine Carpet.

 

And then they came

Having bemoaned the lack of visitors to my garden trap, last night they came. Knot Grass and Light Knot Grass, Bactra lancealana (3), and Dioryctria abietella. Also first for year Golden-rod Pug, May Highflyer, Swallow Prominent, Heart and Dart, Mottled Rustic, and Azalea Leaf Miner.

May Highflyer

Swallow Prominent

Azalea Leaf Miner

Knot Grass

Dioryctria abietella

A mine that I collected from a tree last November, that I had labelled as Acer sp. but which I now believe to be Oriental Plane, hatched today: I think it is Phyllonorycter platani.

The ox-eye daisies in Aberystwyth cemetery are just starting, and I was pleased to find two Bucculatrix nigricomella and a Dichrorampha acuminatana yesterday evening.  Also c30 Glyphipterix fuscoviridella, Aspilapteryx tringipennella, Monopis laevigella, and the now ubiquitous Tachystola acroxantha.

Bucculatrix nigricomella

And finally, an Ochreous Pug on my walk to work this morning. 

Rheidol Woodland

At last a trapping session in woodland in the Rheidol Valley last night. Forty different species, with most numerous being Brindled Pug (25), Great Prominent (23) and Scoparia ambigualis (12). Good to see moths that rarely venture into the garden, including Nut-tree Tussock, Peach Blossom, Water Carpet, Red-green Carpet (2), Scorched Wing (3), Pebble Hooktip, Marbled Brown (4), Oak Nycteoline, Chinese Character, White-pinion Spotted and Pale Pinion. This Square-Spot and White Ermine decided to spend the night together:

Now is the time!...Pachyrhabda is out!

 Now is the time to look for the alien micromoth Pachyrhabda steropodes and there has been a spate of records in the last week from Carmarthenshire after I prompted local moth`ers to look for it. It occurs on soft shield-fern, a species growing on slightly base-rich soils and is often associated with hart`s-tongue fern and a cover of ash trees in woods or hedgerows. Soft shield-fern is not rare in Ceredigion.

Where established this tiny moth (at first glance it can look like a pale-golden gnat to the uninitiated) can engage in courtship swarms of the host fern, but where newly-established it can occur as singletons or in small numbers. In dull weather it can be flushed by gently tapping the fern with a stick (or your foot) - it usually returns to the same or nearby spot. 

Later in the summer/autumn/early winter, the elongated larval spinnings distinguish it from other fern spore-eating micros.

It is spreading really well in SW England (where it originated from gardens in Abbotsbury) and it has now been found in most parts of Carmarthenshire (it was first seen at the National Botanical Gardens at Llanarthne in the Tywi Valley in the early 2000s). It is also spreading well in Pembrokeshire.

Come on, Ceredigion recorders! - it must be in south Ceredigion by now (it`s in the Teifi Valley area of Carms).

               Above: larval spinnings on soft shield-fern and, below, an adult moth.

20 plume ..big pic needed!

 Trap out last couple of nights after a long hiatus in my trapping mostly due to the exposure of my garden!

I'm posting this 20 plume as Shane has joined our blog and this is a challenge to him to produce one of his magical super micro images!  Its so difficult to see the actual plumes in detail but despite their delicate appearance I have never seen a battered one! So Shane keep a lookout for this one, frequently found indoors, please!

Other moths of interest last night: May Hiflyer almost bang on time, and surprisingly a Red Green Carpet which according to the book must be an over wintered female. It lacked the usual colouration but then I suppose it would be a bit faded if it had spent the winter in my garden.

Welcome back to action Pete!

Bucculatrix thoracella

This tiny moth was walking around our house yesterday evening. We don't have any lime trees!

Some March records

 Here are a few of my highlights from 3 productive nights trapping at Troedrhiw Seiri, Bontgoch

 in March, starting with Yellow Horned on the 19th.                                                                                                                                                                                   

Tawny Pinion, 22.3.25 

Grey Shoulder-knot, 22.3.25

Frosted Green 31.3.25

 

Unexpected Visitor

This rather tatty moth turned up at the kitchen window a couple of nights ago. The blog has been very slow of late so I thought some viewers might enjoy her. I put her out on a shaded wall  but no male turned up.

DW