Grey Birch & Lunar Marbled Brown

Last night was milder producing the usual visitors to the garden trap.  The woodland, on the other hand produced 16 macro species with abundant Double-striped & Brindled Pugs.  Others included our first Lunar Marbled Brown for this year and  this rather early Grey Birch.

Carolyn & Evan

Lunar Marbled Brown

Grey Birch

Tawny Pinion at Llanon

Matthew Cock was surprised to see this Tawny Pinion fall to the ground as he opened his shed door. This species seems to be increasing slightly in Ceredigion, with 4 of the 6 county records taken in the last 2 years. The adults overwinter and then mate in the spring and the larvae feed on Ash.
Tony

Herald of Spring?

Exactly 50 moths at Wallog last night. Just 1 micro and 15 macro species including our first Herald of the year, let us hope it does herald the arrival of Spring.
Tony & Ina

Herald

Engrailed

Grey_Shoulder-knot



Twin-spotted_Quaker

Water_Carpet

Orange Underwings are out

On a short walk today from Tre'r-ddol up the coastal path we found some Willows in flower. They were attracting many insects including at least 1 Orange Underwing, 2 Peacock butterflies and a Comma. Attempts to photograph the moth were unsuccessful but I did capture the Comma. Lookout for Willow flowers with Birch nearby in sunshine.
Tony & Ina

Shoulder Stripe

At last a reasonable number of moths in spite of a minimum temperature of 1.7°C last night!  We had 17 macro species and one micro from our nearby oak woodland. One new entrant for this year was this attractive Shoulder Stripe.  The most numerous were the Chestnut (15) and March Moth (10).  We also had a Yellow Horned with an unusually shaped kidney mark.

Carolyn & Evan

Shoulder Stripe

Early Thorn

Yellow Horned

March Moths Galore and an uncommon treat for Llawrcwrt

 

I think it must have been about the first dry night for several weeks. Anyway the  6W actinic trap had no fewer than 39 March Moths in and on it. Also an Oak Beauty. I thought this was a species new to me. However a trawl through records suggests that I recorded one in 1991.
It was also the first night that I used a new battery, the subject of recent heavy investment. It is described as an 18 Hole Lithium Golf Trolly battery, 16aH and weighs only 2.2 kg. It is said to last for 2000 rounds of golf which must equate to a lot of moth trapping. After 14 hours use with the 6W lamp, it recharges in about 3 hours. It will certainly widen my field of operation, hitherto limited by how far I was prepared to push a tractor battery in a wheelbarrow.

Ynys-hir Sunday

Just a reminder about the Ynys-hir event this coming Sunday

8th April 2018.  Possibles - Red Chestnut, White-pinion Spotted, Early Tooth-stripe, Streamer, Peach Blossom, Lunar Marbled Brown.  (no promises though)
Maybe even Acleris literana.

Traps open 9am on the car park/picnic area.

All welcome