Thursday 22 November 2012

Moths of the Lot: part IV

A few more images from this summer's trip to SW France...

Beautiful Hook-tip (Laspeyria flexula)
Beautiful Hook-tip (Laspeyria flexula)

Lythria cruentaria
Lythria cruentaria

Dewick's Plusia (Macdunnoughia confusa)
Dewick's Plusia (Macdunnoughia confusa)

Latin (Callopistria juventina)
Latin (Callopistria juventina)

Epicallima formosella
Epicallima formosella

Thursday 15 November 2012

The Sphinx puts in an appearance

Things ticking over in the garden as the year end approaches, but still had time to add one to the garden list, one that has been long overdue - Sprawler (Asteroscopus sphinx) - which takes the garden list to 674 species.

Sprawler (Asteroscopus sphinx)
Sprawler (Asteroscopus sphinx)

Dave

Monday 15 October 2012

Friday night is migrant night

Been running the garden MV trap any suitable night of late, with a steady flow of autumnal species, however the last two Friday's have been the highlights with migrants in the shape of Vestal on 5th October

Vestal (Rhodometra sacraria)

and Delicate on the 12th.

Delicate (Mythimna vitellina)

Multiple migrants: Vestal (Rhodometra sacraria) and Delicate (Mythimna vitellina)

Dave


Monday 24 September 2012

Moths of the Lot: part III

Just a few more from this summer's trip to SW France to brighten the already dank days of autumn.

Six-belted Clearwing

Six-belted Clearwing (Bembecia ichneumoniformis)

Broad-bordered Bee Hawkmoth

Broad-bordered Bee Hawkmoth (Hemaris fuciformis)

Frosted Yellow

Frosted Yellow (Isturgia limbaria)

Cloaked Carpet

Cloaked Carpet  (Euphyia biangulata)

Spurge Hawkmoth

Spurge Hawkmoth (Hyles euphorbiae)

Large Dark Prominent

Large Dark Prominent (Notodonta torva)

Tawny Prominent

Tawny Prominent (Harpyia milhauseri)

Pine-tree Lappet

Pine-tree Lappet (Dendrolimus pini)

Dave


Tuesday 18 September 2012

A few from the Autumnal cast

The nights are certainly drawing in now leading to much cooler temperatures.  The trap is slowing down but at least new for year species are still being added to the garden list as the cast of autumnal moths takes over...

The images are not of a usual standard and a little bland as we are building an extension and I have temporarily lost my photo 'lab'.

Mallow
Mallow (Larentia clavaria)

Red Underwing
Red Underwing (Catocala nupta)

Feathered Gothic
Feathered Gothic (Tholera decimalis)

Lunar Underwing
Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa)

Feathered Ranunculus
Feathered Ranunculus

Dave

Wednesday 12 September 2012

Ginger Funk

Is this the funkiest caterpillar, quite possibly.

My kids found it at school yesterday and Christened it "Ginger Funk",  a very apt name indeed.

Sycamore

Sycamore

Sycamore

Dave

Friday 7 September 2012

Moths of the Lot: part II

Laptop back working now and happily connecting to the internet, so here's another few moths from the holiday in SW France...

Beautiful Marbled
Beautiful Marbled (Eublemma purpurina)

Calybites phasianipennella f. quadruplella
Calybites phasianipennella f. quadruplella

Evergestis limbata
Evergestis limbata

Passenger
Passenger (Dysgonia algira)

Pyrausta sanguinalis
Pyrausta sanguinalis

Portland Ribbon Wave
Portland Ribbon Wave (Idaea degeneraria)

Drymonia querna
Drymonia querna

Shoulder-striped Clover
Shoulder-striped Clover (Heliothis maritima)

Dave

Wednesday 22 August 2012

Moths from the Lot: part I

Just back from a fortnight at Las Descargues in the Lot region of SW France, two words sum it up - mothing paradise.

Amassed over 300 species from two MV traps, one actinic on the balcony and daytime searches including miners, larvae etc.

Impossible to pick a highlight, but first moth really set the tone, Spotted Sulphur:

Spotted Sulphur (Emmelia trabealis)

Others included...

Plum Lappet (Odonestis pruni)

Purple Cloud (Actinotia polyodon)

Fiery Clearwing (Pryopteron chrysidiformis)

Guernsey Underwing (Polyphaenis sericata)

Ethmia quadrilella

Many more to follow

Dave

Thursday 2 August 2012

Another vestigial winged wonder

Reared this female Vapourer from a caterpillar found a couple of weeks ago. I never cease to be fascinated by the evolutionary story behind this adaptation...


Vapourer - female on cocoon with eggs

Vapourer - female (2)

Vapourer - female

Dave

Wednesday 25 July 2012

On the scent

With the lovely weather decided to give the Clearwing pheromone lures ago in the garden yesterday.

Orange-tailed Clearwing (Synanthedon andrenaeformis)

Orange-tailed Clearwing (Synanthedon andrenaeformis)

Orange-tailed Clearwing (Synanthedon andrenaeformis)

Was rewarded almost instantly with four Orange-tailed Clearwings to the VES lure.  Have placed it again today and there has been a maximum of eight individuals at any one time.

Very pleased with this addition to the garden list.

Dave

Tuesday 24 July 2012

Four Footmen and more

Another great night at the garden trap on 23rd July; a few left to confirm but currently 386 moths of 78 species.  Crambids and Footmen posting the big numbers and four species of the latter group:

Rosy Footman
Rosy Footman (Miltochrista miniata)

Scarce Footman
Scarce Footman (Eilema complana)

Dingy Footman
Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola)

Common Footman
Common Footman

A few more images from recent nights:

Yellow-tail
Yellow-tail (Euproctis similis)

Brown-tail
Brown-tail (Euproctis chrysorrhoea)

Dusky Sallow
Dusky Sallow (Eremobia ochroleuca)

There were two very obvious highlights but need to wait for it to cool down before I can get any images so they will have to wait to a subsequent post...

Dave