Miner Forty-Niner

Whilst it may be a little behind last year, I am once again on the cusp of 50 species for the year.

The majority of the list is of course made up of early stage micros and miners plus the customary January 1st tick of Raspberry Clearwing galls and larvae.




The usual suspects are also putting in an appearance at the garden trap, with numbers rising steadily over recent days, including Grey Shoulder-knot, Dotted Border, Oak Beauty and Clouded Drab








...and apologies for the dodgy reference to a Scooby Doo villain, couldn't resist given that it's leaf miners that have contributed most significantly to the year total to date...



Ectoedemia heringella tenanted mines

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.

Après moi, le deluge??

Whilst this time last year all the talk was of a drought in relation to lack of rainfall, there is a drought again this year, only this time it is of moths; spring is really taking its time to arrive this year...

Also on a drought theme, the post-Orthosia drought is well documented, but a pre-Orthosia drought too; it is almost too much to bear.

However, for the first time in weeks I put the trap on for a few hours yesterday evening and managed to end the drought, albeit with a single March Moth, that was at least new for the year list, so I should be thankful for small mercies.  Also had Dotted Border on the blackthorn thicket when dusking.






I just hope the March Moth was a portent: "Après moi, le deluge", one can only hope we will soon be under a deluge of moths, but looking at the weather I doubt it just yet.

Dave

Brachypterous beauty

After long hours scouring bushes and trunks, finally managed to locate this wonderful female Dotted Border.

She was not an easy catch as she was scuttling up an Ash tree trunk and I had to clamber about 10ft up, wedge myself so that my hands were free and then coax her into a pot. Having the head torch was essential. I don't know what anyone walking past would have thought...







Dave

Slight improvement

Well the respite from really cold and wintry weather has seen a rise in the number of moths around with a few being added to the garden year list including Early Moth, Early Grey and Chestnut.

Early Moth




Early Grey



The most notable sighting though was of a significant flush of emergence of Dotted Border and Early Moth, with the blackthorn bushes by the house literally crawling with them two evenings ago.



This was followed a night later by a flush of dozens of Agonopterix heracliana on the garden hedge, was fascinating to see so many at once.

A tale of 3 Vices...

...3 Vice Counties that is: East Gloucestershire, Breconshire and East Kent.

A weekend trip to a wedding in the Brecon Beacons offered plenty of opportunity for moth recording much further afield with a stop-over in Gloucestershire on the way.

Ran the 125W MV in a rural garden in Grafton, Gloucestershire, close to a blossoming Sallow and had probably the best March night I've ever had:

112 Small Quaker
47 Clouded Drab
39 Hebrew Character
19 Common Quaker
11 Twin-spotted Quaker
5 Lead Coloured Drab (NFY)
5 Red Chestnut (NFY)
2 Satellite
2 Engrailed (NFY)
Double striped Pug (NFY)
Dotted Border
Pale Pinion (NFY)
March Moth
Early Thorn (NFY)
Chestnut
Agonopterix heracliana
A. alstromeriana
Parsnip moth












Although busy with the wedding, manged a few species around the lighted windows/security lights of the hotel (near Bwlch):

Red Sword-grass (NFY) - or what was left of it in a spider's web:





Mottled Grey (NFY)
Twin-spotted Quaker
Common Quaker
Small Quaker
March Moth
Clouded Drab
Hebrew Character

Plus Psychoides filicivora mines and possibly its congener, P. verhuella (larvae being reared through but will also have closer inspection in the week). 


On return home and cold, foggy conditions, still fired up the garden trap last night which yielded zip!


But all in all a very productive weekend all round.

Dave

Usual suspects plus cat for ID...

A new month but on the moth front it is decidedly business as usual.  Of note was the record total of 7 Dotted Border for the garden trap.

Back Garden trap results 1st March 2012

Tortricodes alternella
Emmelina monodactyla 3
Dotted Border 7

Hebrew Character 9
Early Moth 2
Satellite
Chestnut 2
Pale Brindled Beauty

Plus on the night time dog walk:

Female Early Moth
Angle Shades caterpillar
Three as yet unidentified caterpillars (ca. 17mm long), browsing on Blackthorn buds (comments welcomed) Edit: Thanks to Douglas over on Back Garden Moths - these look like Lesser Y U cats.

Dave

Last of the February moths

A good night at the garden trap again to end a very productive February:

Spring Usher (NFY)
March Moth
Dotted Border 4
Chestnut 2
Satellite
Hebrew Character 7
Early Grey
Tortricodes alternella 2
Emmelina monodactyla

plus Dark Chestnut out dusking

Latest pics

March Moth

Early Grey

Hebrew Character and its inherent variability

Lets hope March continues in a similar vane

Dave

A good weekend

Added several species to the year list over the last few days with a combination of the garden trap, nearby dusking and visit to ancient woodland at Kings Wood, Challock.

Garden trapping 25-27 February

Ypsolopha mucronella

Agonopterix alstromeriana 

A. heracliana
Tortricodes alternella
Emmelina monodactyla 

Dotted Border

March Moth
Early Moth
Pale Brindled Beauty
Hebrew Character
Chestnut
Satellite

Dusking adjacent to garden:

Dark Chestnut
Early Moth
E. monodactyla
A. heracliana
Angle Shades cat.

Kings Wood - daytime obs

Taleporia tubulosa - cases, all on Beech

Agonopterix assimilella - larvae on Broom

T. alternella
Stigmella aurella - mines on Bramble

All in all a very productive weekend for late February.

Dave