The horned ones

The work moth trap turned up 7 species of moth last night including a couple of Yellow Horned. Only the second time I've seen these I think.

There was also this female Minotaur Beetle sitting patiently underneath the egg boxes.

Wandered round the work building security lights on Wednesday and found a number of species including these Engrailed, Oak Beauty and Twin-spot Quaker.

A first and second for the garden

Last night's overnight temperature didn't dip below 20 degrees so I put the MV moth trap. I was greeted at 4am to a sizeable haul of moths, many of which did a bunk as soon as I opened the trap. Such is the downside of warm nights.

300 moths of 70+ species but in amongst the usual suspects was the first Golden Plusia Polychrysia moneta for the garden and the second and third records of Lunar-spotted Pinion Cosmia pyralina.

Where the fairies play

Down the end of my garden is a slightly wilder bit where I let the grass grow each year and I have several woodpiles for invertebrates.

Whilst down there last week I came across a micro moth that I've been expecting to see in the garden but had never turned up before.

Esperia sulphurella sometimes known as the Sulphur Tubic, although the scientific name is far pretty.

Up close they are stunning moths. Flashes of yellow and deep blue. I often wonder if these and the dancing longhorn moths are what gave rise to the idea of fairies down the bottom of the garden.

Spring arrivals

It's been a slow start to natural history in 2016. Am still working my way through the remaining specimens from last year and planning some excursions. We're off to Cornwall next week and while I'm not expecting much, there's always the chance of some guerilla rock pooling, plus I'll be taking the moth trap on the off chance that there's a mild night or two.

Mothing so far this year has drawn a blank in the garden, but the security lights at work have served up Pale Brindled Beauty a couple of times. We finally got round to putting out the work MV trap on Thursday night and it turned up a reasonable selection for the first week in February.

A reasonable selection of spring moths

Pale Brindled Beauty               7

Spring Usher                               2

Common Quaker                      2

March Moth                               3

Chestnut                                      5

Agonopterix sp. (tbc)              1

Light Brown Apple Moth       1

Tortricodes alternella              1

Pale Brindled Beauty males. Form monacharia and a more standard version

Spring Usher

 


March Moth

Four-spotted horseman of the apocalypse

Things have been hectic at work and have just come back from 5 days in Rutland at the Birdfair. It was great to catch up with a whole lot of folk I only see once a year but the preparation and time away has meant that I haven't had time to write any more posts about my time in Dorset.

So here goes one about moths......

I ran my actinic trap 8 or 9 times whilst away and caught a reasonable selection of moths, although none in great numbers. There were several British ticks for me in the haul including some rather beautiful moths.

Rosy Footman was caught on two occasions and while not rare is not one I've come across before.

Brussel Lace is a lichen feeder with its stronghold in the south-west. These turned up on every trapping session and were subtly beautiful with some variation in the base colour of the wings.

Another new one was the Mocha. Up to 6 of these were caught most nights. They were rather delicately marked and I think were my favourite moth of the holiday.

The title of the post was inspired by Four-spotted Footman. I've trapped these in France but it was nice to see again. I'd also forgotten how big they are. When they open their wings they really are a whopper. Capable of all manner of biblical destruction. Possibly......

                  

 

Recent offerings

With the abysmal weather of the last few days and a mounting workload before summer holidays next week, natural history has taken a bit of a sideline.

I have had the moth trap a couple of times which has resulted in three new species for the garden

Firstly, Lunar-spotted Pinion Cosmia pyralina, not one that was on my radar and threw me at first when i turned over the egg box. Not unsusal locally though apparently.

Secondly, a new moth family for me, Ypsolophidae with the offender being Ypsolopha scabrella.

When seen up a close a really cool moth with three little tufts of scales along its back. What are their function?!?

And lastly, a Dark Spinach Pelurga comitata.

Off to Dorset for a fortnight at the end of this week. Not somewhere I know at all so hopefully will turn a few new things up and I'll be taking the moth trap to keep things ticking over, but my number one target species is Cliff Tiger-beetle........

Well marked and buff

There's a fair bit of variation in Buff Ermines Spilosoma lutea but this one that I caught last night is the most well marked individual I've seen.

I've found a couple of similar individuals online but nothing like it locally before.

You live and learn!

Not the norm...

Last week, work took me to the Canadian Rockies in Alberta. And whilst there wasn't too much time for natural history I did manage a few bits and bobs.

A security light left on each night attracted a variety of moths, including the North American version of Eyed Hawkmoth, known as One-eyed Sphinx Smerinthus cerisyi.

Other similar species included a Buff Arches look-alike known as Lettered Habrosyne Habrosyne scripta, (and following the rather annoying American trend where the Generic name becomes the second part of the English name.)

Other moths seen, I have no idea....

The longhorn beetle Spruce Sawyer Monochamus scutellatus was seen on a couple of occasions. Check out those antennae!!

For me this year the highlights were the mammals. I saw several new species including American Pika and American Beaver. However the winner (after 5 visits in 4 years) was finally catching up with Grizzlies. Four bears seen in 30 mins. First a lone bear, swiftly followed by a mother and two cubs!

A late rockabilly turn up

Last night looked good for moths, much warmer, cloud cover and the odd light shower. So I was righteously gutted when I checked the trap early doors to find three moths of three species. Fair enough two were new for the year: Pine Beauty and Yellow-barred Brindle. But hardly worth the cost of running the trap!

A few hours later and I'm getting ready for the weekly supermarket shop when my youngest son - he of the natural history interest - says 'Dad, look. Big moth'. and lo and behold a male Puss Moth was sat tucked out of the way on the side of the house.

A more thorough inspection of the nooks and crannies yield, a Bright-Line Brown-eye, a Swallow Prominent, a Pale Mottled Willow and best of all a Mullein with it's rockabilly hairdo. A new moth for the garden.

Success snatched from the jaws of defeat - all thanks to the ankle biter.

It's oh so quiet...

...and I'm hoping that like the Bjork song there will be a large eruption of noise (read moths) at some point. God I need that. Some pugs would be good.... some micros....

Moth trapping has been rubbish over the last week or so. Most mornings have seen only one or two individuals and most of them aren't in the trap but hiding at various points around the outside of the house, so take a bit of finding. The Early Thorn was found on a patio bench in the afternoon as I'd failed to notice it when checking the trap...

An Early Thorn doing it's best to look like a dried leaf

Pebble Prominent found on brick wall away from the trap

I did manage a very quick trip to Lakenheath RSPB reserve on Sunday with the family. It was a bit rushed but saw and heard my first Cuckoo of the year plus lots of other summer migrants. A booming Bittern was also nice.

I used to visit a lot about 7-8 years ago and what I noticed this time is that the RSPB have changed and landscaped things so that you are pushed towards the visitor centre rather than up onto the bank to overlook the washes and thus onto the public footpath. I can see why but I got confused as I wanted a view to scan for Garganey and it took me a while to find the right path.

Maybe I'm getting old but I preferred it in the old days!

A slow start

It's been a long, slow start to 2015. Moth numbers have been low, with 17 being the highest number of individuals in a catch. The majority have been Orthosia with a fair number of Early Grey thrown in for good measure.

The last week saw a couple of nights with higher temperatures and cloud cover, and although the trap was pretty sparse I did manage to pot a few moths from around the trap in the early evening.

Best of these were Streamer (with only one previous record) and Chinese Character, which is a new record for the garden (only the 2nd year at this location so still getting lots of additions).

Also had a Nicrophorus humator beetle one night, but it met an unfortunate end as it had jammed itself in a back door crevice and was only discovered on opening, as it fell out in pieces.....

Streamer 

Chinese Character

Hebrews and Quakers

The days are feeling warmer and the sun's strength is increasing. My default litmus test is whether I need to wear a hat or not (I'm bald). These last few days I'm more frequently hatless. There's probably another religious link I could make to tonsures but think I'll just leave it there.....

The moth trap has been getting some action and I've amassed a grand total of 7 species so far this year. It's always good to reacquaint oneself with old friends.

Last night saw 9 moths of 6 species. Early Grey and Common Plume were new for the year backed up with the old favourites like Common Quaker, Clouded Drab and Hebrew Character.

Is it just me or...

I always find it weird that I prefer field guides with illustrations rather than photos. I mean, well-taken photos, presented properly should show exactly what the creature looks like in the field.

But I have to admit to finding something 'unnatural' about guides such as Richard Crossley's that use the latest in imaging technology to create a photo collage of similar species in a field guide form.

I suppose the clean, pale backgrounds of an illustrated guide mean that the focus is on the bird or moth. I never liked the Lars Jonsson guide to European birds because I thought he added too much extra detail around the birds. I found that this distracted from the job at hand - focussing on the bird.

Me, I always go for a Alan Harris, Killian Mullarney or Richard Lewington kind of guide. I tend to stick with what I like.

So that thought-dump preamble was due to the fact that I recently bought the 2nd Edition of the Manley moth guide.
And it's all photos......

I have the first edition but have to admit not using it too much, except for the odd micro confirmation. This edition has dropped the butterflies and added lots more micros and more importantly has tried to add consistency into how each species is presented. i.e. facing the same way and in a similar position for species of the same family.

I've spent a couple of bedtimes flicking through it so far, and I think it will get some use, but mainly as back up reference. The Lewington-illustrated guides will always be my first port-of-call.

The new images are far better, and there's a useful scale bar to help with size comparison. I have found a few errors in the new numbering system without looking too hard. For example, there's a Netted Pug masquerading as something else and several species around Amata phegea seem to have the same reference number.

These small gripes aside, this is a big improvement on the original and it should encourage less photo field guide phobic people than myself into the wonderful world of moths.

Spring has sprung

The first macros in the moth trap last night. Two Hebrew Characters. They were both under the last egg box I turned over and had almost consigned myself to another blank.

Spent the day in the garden tidying up a few things and managed a few new insects for the year. Two Small Tortoiseshells, a Brimstone and a Peacock were all nice to see. The first hover of the year came in the form of a Marmalade Hoverfly. 

A female Sparrowhawk barrelled through, and the resident pair of Green Woodpeckers were in evidence as well as a Great Spot. 

A good day to be outside..... 

And so it begins...

Third time lucky. Finally got my 2015 garden moth list off to a flying start last night, with my third trapping session of the year. Well I say flying, the single moth I caught was, and even that wasn't in the trap.

A single Agonopterix heracliana was the only thing doing but despite being pretty common I didn't catch it last year and so therefore is new for the garden....

Mothing - a quick overview of 2014

So 2014, was my return to mothing since moving 3 years ago to a village just north of Cambridge. The village is on the edge of the fens and I had high hopes for my little skinner trap, with its actinic bulb.

Pine Hawkmoth

The garden is about acre with a mix of open grass, borders, some mature trees and a small orchard. The surrounding land is garden and open pasture and arable.

My species total ended up being 226 for the year and I have to admit to being disappointed with this. Numbers were never huge and there seemed to be an almost complete lack of micros and pugs.

I caught some great moths such as Goat Moth

but there were lots of common stuff missing. I guess as a first full year of trapping at this site this now becomes the baseline for future years, but I would have expected to be starting from 300+.

I suppose best/rarest moth of the year was a Scarce Silver Y which appears to be only the 3rd of 4th for the county

Scarce Silver Y

But the year finished with the looker that is a Merveille de Jour, which are always a joy to catch.

One species which was new to me was The Wormwood

The NBN map shows a scattered distribution and I now realise that I've no idea what Wormwood (the plant) looks like so need to check that out to see if I can find any nearby.

So all in all, an interesting start to mothing here and it will be interesting to see how things progress over 2015.