Longhorn moths

For the second year running Nemophora metallica are present along Cottenham Lode. However I only located a single male in what is now a depleted stand of scabious (courtesy of our friends at the EA).

Nemophora metallica

An even more exciting sighting was a handful of Nemophora fasciella in Kings Hedges of all places. A great find by Jon Heath and my successful twitch allowed some half decent photos:

 

Nemophora fasciella

An orchid in Cottenham

Cottenham features plenty of intensive agriculture and very little in the way of rich meadow habitat. Bee Orchid is the only orchid I have seen in the village so I was taken aback by a very obvious Pyramidal Orchid at the edge of Les King Wood. A species that is relatively common elsewhere of course but it was great to see; lets hope it survives and we get more appearing in years to come.

Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis

While the orchid was an interesting it didn't compare to the ridiculous sight of a FULMAR over LKW on Friday 12th June at just before 5pm. It was definitely one of those where it took a few seconds for me to compute what was going on. The bird circled a couple of times and then headed south towards CPS. What was surely the same bird was then picked up over Little Shelford about half an hour later and continued south. 

15th June 2020

Another good June night as we approach the summer solstice. Three excellent new moths for the garden included two unexpected micros:

[581] Aethes dilucidana

[582] Brown Oak Tortrix

[583] Clay Triple Lines

I've recorded three species of tortricid in the genus Aethes before, however I quickly noted the incomplete median fascia of this individual:

Aethes dilucidana

This feature is diagnostic of A.dilucidana which is a very scarce species both locally and nationally. It hasn't been recorded in modern times in Hunts while there have been only two recent records in Norfolk (in the Broads). I'm not sure how many records there are in VC29 but it has been recorded at Wicken Fen at some point.

Cottenham isn't exactly blessed with many oak trees or indeed woodland so this Brown Oak Tortrix was a surprise occurrence:

Brown Oak Tortrix Archips crataegana

Clay Triple-lines is perhaps a little more expected but still scarce locally. Its just a shame that the individual trapped had clearly had a hard time of it recently:

Clay Triple-lines Cyclophora linearia

A supporting cast included several species recorded very infrequently here:

Four-dotted Footman Cybosia mesomella

 

Double Lobed Lateroligia ophiogramma

Beautiful China-mark Nymphula nitidulata

12 - 13th June 2020

Two warm nights convinced me to do back to back trap nights for the first time in a while. I was rewarded with five new moths for the garden, all of which were lifers:

[576] Paraswammerdamia albicapitella

[577] Phyllonorcycter leucographella

[578] Coleophora mayrella

[579] Cydia nigricana

[580] Blotched Emerald

We'll get the Blotched Emerald out of the way first. I have no photo as it escaped while I tried some cack-handed attempts to pot it. I was pretty gutted as its a stunning moth and one I had been hoping to catch. There have been a few records in recent years in the County but mostly south of the city. 

Paraswammerdamia albicapitella isn't quite as exciting but glad to catch a good specimen after relegating one to the 'possible' camp last year:

Paraswammerdamia albicapitella

I wait 7 years for an identifiable Phyllonorycter leaf miner in the garden and I get two in a couple of weeks. This one is the adventive Firethorn Leaf-miner:

Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella

I've been looking quite hard at the metallic Coleophora in the last couple of years and a notable gap in the garden list was C.mayrella with its distinctive ringed antennae:

Coleophora mayrella

An unassuming tortrix turned out to be Cydia nigricana a pest of pea crops. It is actually quite scarce in the County although not sure it is in Cottenham as I netted one in a local wood later in the afternoon!

Cydia nigricana

A couple of other nice micros were new for the year:

Phtheochroa rugosana

Gypsonoma sociana

2nd June 2020

Despite being cooler than the warm week in late May, this first trapping night in June was still somewhat underwhelming with just 36 species recorded. I shouldn't complain too much as there was still a new moth for the garden:

[575] Sandy Carpet

While it is not uncommon I have only recorded Sandy Carpet out of County before. 

Sandy Carpet Perizoma flavofasciata

A  Brown Silver-line was just the second to be recorded here, with the first record coming in 2017:

Brown Silver-line Petrophora chlorosata

The best of the rest was a new for the year Beautiful Hook-tip:

Beautiful Hook-tip Laspeyria flexula

30th May 2020

A much reduced catch to round off the number nevertheless had considerable quality to keep me entertained. There were two obvious headliners out of three new for the garden:

[572] Matilella fusca

[573] Pale Oak Beauty

[574] Spinach

An extremely dark pyralid caught my attention straight away - there are a few similar species but it was clear after working through the options that it involved Matilella fusca (Brown Knot-horn). This is just the second record for VC29 after Pete Holt recorded one in Cambridge in 2018. 

Matilella fusca

Not one but two Pale Oak Beauty also turned up. This is a species mainly associated with woodland so is quite local in the County - I've only recorded it previously at Chippenham Fen. This is the better marked of the two individuals:

Pale Oak Beauty Hypomecis punctinalis

It took over a day for me to realise that the Spinach is new for the garden - I was getting confused with Dark Spinach it seems! 

Spinach Eulithis mellinata

There were a suite of nice noctuids that were new for the year:

Toadflax Brocade Calophasia lunula

Campion Sideridis rivularis

Varied Coronet Hadena compta

Small Elephant was the fifth hawkmoth so far this year:

Small Elephant Hawkmoth Deilephila porcellus

May 26th 2020

One of the group of micro moths that made me realise that I should have been paying attention earlier were two Ethmia species I trapped at my old garden in 2013/2014. I've had neither since so I was very pleased to finally get a stunning E. quadrillella here. 

There was another new micro, this time totally new for me, a Phyllonorycter species. I've not positively identified any of this group before in Cottenham, which even though a fair bunch are only separated by dissection, it is something of a surprise considering the number of species out there. This individual is one of the less well marked species in the group and I quickly got it down to two species - viminiella and corylifoliella. The dark suffusion at the end of the forewing among other features fits P. viminiella - a willow mining species that is considered to be widespread and common - its just an irregular visitor to light traps.

[570] Phyllonorycter viminiella

[571] Ethmia quadrillella

Ethmia quadrillella

Phyllonorycter viminiella

A tiny micro that I have always failed to get a decent photograph of is Apple Leaf Miner. This one isn't great but its still better than I have taken previously:

Apple Leaf Miner Lyonetia clerkella

May Clearwings

With consistent warm weather, clearwing activity has been early this year. Four species were lured into the garden before the months end:

Red-belted Clearwing Synanthedon myopaeformis

Currant Clearwing Synanthedon tipuliformis

Yellow-legged Clearwing Synanthedon vespiformis

Red-tipped Clearwing Synanthedon formicaeformis

May 21st 2020

The final trapping night of an excellent week was dominated by micros. In fact I had four new for the garden:

[566] Glyphipterix simplicella

[567] Stigmella salicis

[568] Brachmia inornatella

[569] Pine Bud Moth

Glyphipterix simplicella is generally a day flying moth that I know is present not far away in Cottenham. There has been no sign of it turning up in the day so it was a pleasant surprise to trap one:

Glyphipterix simplicella

On to the first of two tricky moths - a Stigmella, which are tiny leaf mining species. This individual is a brightly marked one with a yellow head, white collar and eye caps, a wide irregular white fascia and distinct white cilia fringing at the end of the forewing:

Stigmella salicis

There are three species in a complex that have these (or most of these) features: salicis, obliquella and myrtillella. Myrtillella is pretty much extra-limital to Cambridgeshire being found in upland areas. Obliquella on the other hand could occur - differences include it being a slightly smaller moth (if you count 1mm difference!), a narrower fascia that is central on the forewing and in general is a more coarsely scaled moth. So while this won't meet the standards for an official record I'm happy this is S. salicis. It is widespread in Cambridgeshire and mines on willow.

So on to problem moth #2. Difficult Elachista have been a theme this year and here's another one!

Elachista spp.

This individual differs to a lot of other I have had in that it has just a single, broken fascia. There actually are a few Elachista with the median fascia obscured. This most closely matches E.humilis but I can't rule out alpinella or even subnigrella so I have changed my mind on trying to positively identify this unfortunately. 

Easier to work out was an excellent gelechiid that I missed when checking the trap first time around. I only spotted it when about to let all the moths go in the evening. Brachmia inornatella (AKA Fen Crest) is Nationally Scarce A which feeds on common reed:

Brachmia inornatella

Pine Bud Moth Pseudococcyx turionella is a cracking tortrix and not one I was expecting here. I actually took some time in trying to rule out the similar P. posticana:

Pine Bud Moth Pseudococcyx turionella

Otherwise both Dog's Tooth and Small Clouded Brindle were new for the year:

Dog's Tooth Lacanobia suasa

Small Clouded Brindle Apamea unanimis

As was Nephopterix angustella:

Nephopterix angustella