Saturday 30 June 2012

Moths after the storm

It's still raining of course but last night was forecast dry so the trap went out. I had to rely on the Met Office for the forecast as the Newcastle Supercell Storm as they are calling it seems to have wiped out my weather station. With all the lighting I think it may have been zapped too,  as it's on a high metal pole at the bottom of the garden.
Still they were right and it did keep dry overnight and this morning- 56 moths of 30 species  which is the best this year but still down on what should be presnt this time of year. As I'm seeing (and posting) so little due to the weather and work I 'll list the whole contents as it was quite a mixed bag

      Coleophora species (Coleophora sp.)  1
      Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus)  1
      Map-winged Swift (Hepialus fusconebulosa)  2
      Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella)  1
      Clepsis consimilana  2
      Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  2
      Apotomis turbidana  1
      Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)  2
      Scoparia ambigualis  2
      Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella)  1
      Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata)  3
      Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica)  2
      Small Rivulet (Perizoma alchemillata)  1
      Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)  1
      Grey Pug (Eupithecia subfuscata)  1
      Golden-rod Pug (Eupithecia virgaureata)  1
      Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  1
      Peppered Moth (Biston betularia)  1
      Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedarius)  1
      Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum)  1
      Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis)  14
      Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta)  1
      Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)  2
      Purple Clay (Diarsia brunnea)  1
      Cabbage Moth (Mamestra brassicae)  1
      Poplar Grey (Acronicta megacephala)  1
      Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha)  3
      Clouded-bordered Brindle (Apamea crenata)  1 [melanic form] (A. crenata ab. combusta)  1
      Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.)  3
      Beautiful Golden Y (Autographa pulchrina)  1


Map-winged Swift

Can you see me? - Peppered Moth

Buff Ermine
Purple Clay


 The Coleophora  was a tiny grey species and may have been C. juncicolella. The Golden-rod Pug is usually double-brooded [May-June & July-August) so this one was either very late or very early, with this weather, unlikely to be the latter. It was a very fresh specimen.
Also a Large Green Lacewing, several Ophion-type Ichneumon Wasps, a Lesser Earwing (Labia minor) and a species of Caddis-fly









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