3 November 2017

A relatively mild night, possibly the last for a while, didn't turn up much at all. However, a Satellite was new for the garden; a smart noctuid that has only been infrequently recorded in Cottenham over the years. This one being of the orange marked form:

[391] Satellite

Satellite Eupsilia transversa

A late Turnip Moth caused me to attempt to turn it into something rarer:

Turnip Moth Agrotis segretum

26th October 2017

There's still some of the more 'standard' autumn species missing from the garden list, and two of these turned up this time around - two Red-green Carpet and a single Red-line Quaker. In addition, a large tortrix appears to be Acleris sparsana which although underwhelming in appearance is completely new for me.

[388] Acleris sparsana
[389] Red-green Carpet
[390] Red-line Quaker

Red-line Quaker Agrochola lota

Acleris sparsana

There was also another excellent Feathered Thorn:

Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria

Although the most surprising moth was a Dark Arches, the first time I've caught a second generation individual. My previous latest record was 4th September!

Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha

24th October 2017

A good October catch with some minor migrant action thrown in through a nice Vestal arriving at about 10 pm. 

[384] Vestal
[385] Feathered Thorn
[386] Blair's Shoulder-knot
[387] Brick

I've recorded Vestal just once before (October 2013) but there was always a good chance of one turning up this year as many have been trapped on the coast.

Vestal Rhodometra sacaria

Feathered Thorn is a superb moth and I record one every couple of years it seems:

Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria

Blair's Shoulder-knot is a regular autumn species:

Blair's Shoulder-knot Lithophane leautieri

The Brick has been fairly scarce in Cottenham - this is just my fifth ever here, all in mid - late October:

Brick Agrochola circellaris

14th October 2017

Unseasonably mild weather forced my hand and the MV trap went out. amongst the decent haul of 24 species, I was rewarded with four new moths for the garden including the always superb Merville du Jour (two individuals) and an incredible five Large Wainscot (the number of which equals my total recorded in Cottenham from 2009 - 2015).

[380] Merveille du Jour
[381] Green-brindled Crescent
[382] Yellow-line Quaker
[383] Large Wainscot

Merveille du Jour Dichonia aprilina

Large Wainscot Rhizedra lutosa

Yellow-line Quaker Agrochola macilenta

Green-brindled Crescent Allophyes oxyacanthae

Beaded Chestnut Agrochola lychnidis

Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

30th September 2017

I've not been doing much mothing through the autumn, which is a shame as I didn't do too much last year either. I have however got a trap out a couple of times. A few nice autumn species turned up in late September including one new for the garden:

[379] Barred Sallow

Barred Sallow Xanthia aurago

Its always good to get a Frosted Orange:

Frosted Orange Gortyna flavago

The Sallow Xanthia icteritia

22nd August 2017

A rather battered Dark Sword-grass was the first record of this migrant here. I recorded it quite regularly at Corbett St between 2010 and 2013 (11 records) but I've not had one anywhere since. 

Was also pleased to catch another Latticed Heath which this time stuck around for a photo.

[378] Dark Sword-grass

Dark Sword-grass Agrotis ipsilon

Latticed Heath Chiasmia clathrata

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana

17 August 2017

Two new for the garden:

[376] Grapholita janthinana
[377] Currant Pug

Grapholita janthinana

Currant Pug Eupithecia assimilata

The tort is just my second record, with one identified at Corbett st in July 2014. 

11th August 2017

Although I was back using the actinic in order to not upset next door who had recently returned from holiday, there were still four new moths for the garden:

[372] Epinotia ramella

[373] Udea lutealis

[374] Latticed Heath

[375] Yellow-tail

The Latticed Heath was my first since 2013 in Cottenham (although I recorded 8 individuals at Corbett St between 2011 and 2013). It made a getaway before being photographed unfortunately, unlike this Yellow-tail:

Yellow-tail Euproctis similis

This declining species was my first in the village since 2014, while E. ramella is a species I've only recorded on one occasion before (August 2013):

Epinotia ramella f. costana

U lutealis is another one I've only recorded in August 2013 (two individuals):

Udea lutealis

Otherwise, diversity is now dropping although both Marbled Beauty, Sallow Kitten and Mouse Moth appeared for the first time this year:

Marbled Beauty Cryphia domestica

Sallow Kitten Furcula furcula

Mouse Moth Amphipyra tragopogonis

While the smart Carcina quercana occurs annually in small numbers and for some reason I haven't posted a photo before:

Carcina quercana

4th August 2017

I was lucky enough to receive a rather tasty MV trap for my birthday and this was the first opportunity of getting it out. First impressions were definitely favourable with the number and range of moths seeming pretty good considering that it wasn't optimal weather conditions. 

Eight were new for the garden, with of two of these being 'Cottenham lifers' - so a good night:

[364] Beautiful Plume
[365] Aethes smeathmanniana
[366] Acleris laterana
[367] Rhyaconia pinicolana
[368] Agriphila straminella
[369] Plain Pug
[370] Barred Rivulet
[371]Square-spotted Clay

This all means that I have now recorded over 100 new species in this second year of trapping compared to last year. The first completely new species was Barred Rivulet and in fact there were at least two individuals (another probable got away) - this is a species of chalk soils so perhaps its no surprise that I haven't seen it before. 

Barred Rivulet Perizoma bifaciata

Barred Rivulet Perizoma bifaciata - second individual

A. smeathmanniana was the other totally new one and the third species of Aethes recorded this year:

Aethes smeathmanniana

After the above two, Square-spotted Clay was the undoubted highlight. A very smart moth which is nationally scarce and only the second time I've picked one up in Cottenham:

Square-spotted Clay Xestia stigmatica

Rhyaconia pinocolana is a smart tortrix and recorded very infrequently here my me (just two records in 2013):

Rhyaconia pinicolana

Acleris laterana and comariana are a difficult species pair normally requiring dissection. Although I may report this eventually as the aggregate species, the time of capture and size of the moth points firmly to the former species:

Acleris laterana

Plain Pug is never a stunner but this one is even worse than normal:

Plain Pug Eupithecia simpliciata

Even less interesting than pugs perhaps are grass moths - I am surely guilty of totally overlooking A. straminella as its an abundant species. However, I looked at the small crambids this time around and they were all this species rather than C. culmella. 

Agriphila straminella

Just to get some colour in the post, here's a few good looking species:

Canary-shouldered Thorn Ennomos alniaria

Burnished Brass Diachrysia chrysitis

White-point Mythimna albipuncta

July 2017 - some common species

Here are some photos of common species that have been ignored in my previous posts:

Lesser Yellow Underwing Noctua comes

Bud Moth Splionota ocellana

Endotricha flammealis

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua janthe

Shaded Broad-bar Scotopteryx chenopodiata

Dot Moth Melanchra persicariae

Agonopterix alstromeriana

Scalloped Oak Crocallis elinguaria

Fan-foot Herminia tarsipennalis