26th July 2018

The flood of new moths shows no signs of abating, with the latest selection taking the garden list attained in not quite three years past that of what I achieved at Corbett Street in  seven!

[462] Bucculatrix ulmella
[463] Borkhausenia fuscescens
[464] Stathmopoda pedella
[465] Apotomis betulatana
[466] Grapholita compositella
[467] Dewick's Plusia

There were two headliners, with the formerly rare migrant now probable scarce resident, Dewick's Plusia, being much anticipated:

Dewick's Plusia Macdunnoughia confusa

The second major highlight was much less expected: the quite frankly weird micro Stathmopoda pedella:

Stathmopoda pedella

A small micro at the trap bottom looks good for Bucculatrix ulmella:

Bucculatrix ulmella

I've done incredibly well for tortricids this year with a stack of new ones and here's another:

Apotomis betuletana

...and another in the form of Grapholita compositella which is locally regionally and one I wasn't anticipating here:

Grapholita compositella

Borkhausenia fuscescens is more expected (I recorded it a few times at Corbett Street):

Borkhausenia fuscescens

24th July 2018

A surprise when checking the egg boxes was not one but two male Oak Processionary moths. I had heard about some turning up in coastal locations but still! Even more amazing was that it quickly became apparent that an influx was under way with multiples also recorded by Pete Holt and Ian Barton on the same night. This bunch may be the first VC29 records? The species isn't exactly popular due to various issues and the London adventive population is subject extensive control measures. These migrant individual are all males though - and possibly from the continent so no threat locally just yet....

Oak Processionary Thaumetopoea processionea

There were three new for the garden in total:

[459] Bactra furfurana
[460] Oak Processionary
[461] Fen Wainscot

There were two, probably three Bactra furfurana of various forms. This one being the most distinctive:

Bactra furfurana

Fen Wainscot has been one I was concerned that i had overlooked in the past - however after capturing this one I don't think I have - they are quite obvious:

Fen Wainscot Arenostola phragmitidis

Pale Prominent Pterostoma palpina

21st July 2018

I rarely trap on consecutive nights but on this occasion the forecast convinced me that I should. A reward of six new species for the garden including one of my most wanted species, Peach Blossom, justified it somewhat.

[454] Zelleria hepariella
[455] Phalonidia manniana
[456] Eucosma conterminana
[457] Peach Blossom
[458] Small Wainscot

Peach Blossom didn't disappoint after a nine year wait for one in Cottenham

Peach Blossom Thyatira batis

Zelleria hepariella is a distinctive but rare micro - not sure how many records there have been in VC 29 but its not likely to be many:

Zelleria hepariella

This totricid took a little more work before I settled on its identity:

Phalonidia manniana

Small Wainscot has never been regular in Cottenham and this was a fresh individual:

Small Wainscot Denticucullus pygmina

I was a little surprised that on looking up records that I had recorded A. subpropinquella just once previously in the village:

Agonopterix subpropinquella

After the previous nights influx Horse Chestnut Leaf miners were down to a sorry 50, while Blastobasis adustella are also commoner than they ever have been with >20 recorded each night currently:

Blastobasis adustella

Of other interest was a 'proper' looking Argyresthia albistria after the odd looking individual last month:

Argyresthia albistria

While Bryotropha affinis is regular in small numbers:

Bryotropha affinis

20th July 2018

A huge haul of moths including a ridiculous 250+ Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner made it hard work picking out the good stuff. There were also 120 Common Rustic agg. which must be a record number. I do seem to be getting a handful of new moths each night currently though with three turning up this time around:

[451] Gelechia senticetella

[452] Eucosma campoliliana

[453] Dark Spinach

The tortix didn't stick around for a photo which is a shame as it was quite smart. The other two did though and the Dark Spinach was the first I've recorded in the village:

Dark Spinach Pelurga comitata

G. senticetella (AKA Cypress Groundling) is a scarce adventive gelechid:

Gelechia senticetella

Some of the classic late summer species are now appearing:

Least Yellow Underwing Noctua interjecta

Copper Underwing Amphipyra pyramidea

Euzophera pinguis

Agriphila tristella

Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata

16th July 2018

More than 100 species again with some quality amongst the quantity. Four species new for the garden, all of which are lifers:

[447] Double Lobed
[448] Gracillaria syringella
[449] Aproaerema anthyllidella
[450] Cochylimorpha straminea

Double Lobed Lateroligia ophiogramma

Gracillaria syringella

This gelechid took some working out but seems ok for A. anthyllidella more by a process of elimination (not that you could tell by the terrible photo):

Aproaerema anthyllidella

Cochylimorpha straminea

Best of the rest included two Tree Lichen Beauty, with this being the smartest:

Tree Lichen Beauty Cryphia algae

While Olive is always welcome:

Olive Ipimorpha subtusa

While this Webb's Wainscot is substantially brighter than others I've caught and caused me to consider other species:

Webb's Wainscot Globia sparganii

Acrobasis consociella

Possibly better than all the moths though was this stunning Large Poplar Longhorn Beetle which was perched on the side of the trap:

Large Poplar Longhorn Beetle Saperda carcharias 

10th July 2018

Possibly the smallest moth I have caught - features look a very good match for:

[446] Stigmella aurella

7th July 2018

Another tremendous catch with 111 species meaning that over the two nights I caught around 150 species in total. Headliners were the rare migrant pyralid Sciota adelphella, which may be the first record for VC29 plus my second ever Goat Moth. 

Five were new for the garden:

[441] Monochroa cytisella
[442] Hemp-agrimony Plume
[443] Sciota adelphella
[444] Common White Wave
[445] Dog's Tooth

Sciota adelphella

Monochroa cytisella is  a scarce gelechid with bracken as its food plant. I wonder if this individual has wandered from the Brecks?

Monochroa cytisella

Hemp-agrimony Plume is the smallest UK plume and I almost brushed it off as something over than a moth! 

Hemp-agrimony Plume Adaina microdactyla

Common White Wave has done well no to be trapped in the garden until now:

Common White Wave Cabera pusaria

Dog's Tooth has always been scarce though - just two records in Cottenham previously - 200 and 2013):

Dog's Tooth Lacanobia suasa

As nice as all the above are, they are not in the same league as....

Goat Moth Cossus cossus

Although I reckon The Drinker is a really tremendous moth too (2nd for the garden):

Drinker Euthrix potatoria

6th July 2018

An amazing night and morning with 115 species identified which is likely a record catch for me in Cottenham. After over two hours of processing I ended up with eleven moths new for the garden with four of these completely new to me:

[430] Batia lunaris
[431] Batrachedra pinicolella
[432] Parachronistis albiceps
[433] Gelechia sororculella
[434] Epinotia tenerana
[435] Cydia fagiglandana
[436] Pammene fasciana
[437] Acrobasis suavella
[438] Small Emerald
[439] Large Twin-spot Carpet
[440] July Highflyer


Batia lunaris is smart micro that I've recorded just once previously (July 2013):

Batia lunaris

Terrible photo but this minuscule Batechedra pinicolella was nearly missed. The first record for me of this Nationally Scarce B species which is very local in East Anglia. 

Batrachedra pinicolella

Parachronistis albiceps is a distinctive gelechid which again seems to be far from regular in the area; this is the first that I have trapped:

Parachronistis albiceps

Another gelechid, not as smart as the above but still relatively distinctive is this Gelechia sororculella. It is supposed to be common nationally but there aren't many records from either Hunts or Norfolk:

Gelechia sororculella

Same goes with this tortrix, Epinotia tenerana (AKA Nut Bud Moth), although it does seem a bit more regular in north Norfolk. 

Nut Bud Moth Epinotia tenerana

I had a run of a few records of Cydia fagiglandana records in 2015 which at that time were some of the first records in VC29 I seem to remember. I haven't caught any since however and I struggled to recognise this ones identity!

Cydia fagiglandana

Yet another tortrix, Pammene faciana I've recorded a few times but not since 2015:

Pammene fasciana

Of several species of similar looking pyralids, Acrobasis suavella is one of the more rarely encountered here. I trapped this species three times at Corbett Street  (in 2013 and 2014):

Acrobasis suavella

Small Emerald used to be pretty common with several recorded at Corbett Street annually. Not sure why but glad to get it on the High Street list at last:

Small Emerald Hemistola chrysoprasaria

Despite being apparently common in the region I've trapped just one Large Twin-spot Carpet before (July 2014). So I was surprised to get three in the trap this morning:

Large Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe quadrifasciata

and finally, my first July Highflyer since 2013:

July Highflyer Hydriomena furcata