Feb and Fifty

Just been getting MapMate up to date and now realise that I have reached over 50 species already this year and it is still February, albeit the last day of February. It took until 25th March to get there last year.

The success, like last year, is simply down to extensive daytime searching for early stages, predominantly of micros.

The species to push the list to 50 this year was the not-so-spectacular mine of Bucculatrix nigricomella in my front garden.






 The new for garden Red Chestnut from my most recent post, was species #51 for 2014, so hopefully onwards and upwards.

Code Red: February yields a garden newbie

Nice to get a new one for the garden so early in the season.

This beautiful Red Chestnut was flying around the security light yesterday.

Not-so Dotted Border

... although it's hardly her fault, given the vestigial nature of her wings, there's no room for the dots seen on the males.

Was very pleased to find her scuttling down an Ash tree trunk; there were males on nearby bushes too.

Solid start to the year

Mainly thanks to fruitful early stage searches (predominantly for micros) the year list is already just above 30 species, not bad for late January.

The highlight by a country mile being the Yarrow-feeding larvae of Aethes margaritana; not much to look at now but the adult completes a real ugly duckling story.





Some of the rest include:

Raspberry Clearwing larvae - good to see the local colony thriving, although under the threat of development!
Pammene regiana - cocoons under Sycamore bark
Limnaecia phragmitella in Typha seed heads
Metzneria metzneriella larvae in Knapweed seed heads
M. lappella larvae in burdock seed heads
Angle Shades and Brimstone Moth larvae
Female Early Moth
Luffia ferchaultella cases in several locations
Cases of Coleophora gryphipennella masquerading as thorns on Dog Rose

The only other adult moths have been Ypsolopha mucronella, Agonopterix heracliana, Dark Chestnut, Mottled Umber and Emmelina monodactyla.

Late addition to the garden year list

Having missed out on this one in the Spring was pleased to get a Satellite as the only visitor to the garden trap last night.

Autumnal Assembly

It has been a good autumn so far at the garden trap, this just a chance to reflect on some if the beauties trapped thus far...

Brown-spot Pinion and Autumnal Rustic




Brindled Green




Beaded Chestnut



Sallow, Barred Sallow and Pink-barred Sallow



Black Rustic

Vestal variations

Well it is certainly turning out to be a pretty good autumn for migrant moths and I have managed to get in on the action a little too.

Had five Vestal over the last three days, showing the considerable variation in this beautiful species.