Late August 2019

Small Mottled Willow is a near annual migrant to Cambridgeshire, so I was glad to catch up with one here:

Small Mottled Willow Spodoptera exigua

There were also three plain tortrix species in the trap on the 25th - I very nearly passed them off as worn Cnephasia but potted two of them all the same. Photos show they are Celypha rosaceana, a new moth for me although only one individual had any traces of pink that give it its name(and even then you have to squint a little):

Celypha rosaceana

Fortunately I caught another one on the 27th which was much smarter and considerably more gratifying:

Celypha roseaceana

A third new moth for the garden turned out to be a somewhat fortunate addition. I absentmindedly took a few photos of moths at the bottom of the trap which i reviewed a few days later. One of which was clearly Pyrausta purpuralis not the regular P. aurata. Making it even more jammy was that the photo had it opening its wings showing the diagnostic markings on the hind wing:

Pyrausta purpuralis

[551] Celypha rosaceana
[552] Pyrausta purpuralis
[553] Small Mottled Willow

Other good moths included my second Cypress Pug:

Cypress Pug Eupithecia phoeniceata

Plus third records of Rhomboid Tortrix and Tawny-barred Angle:

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana

Tawny-barred Angle Macaria liturata

While a new for year Oak Nycteoline was one of the best looking versions of this variable species that I have caught:

Oak Nycteoline Nycteola revayana

7th August 2018

Three new for the garden this time:

[471] Epermenia falciformis
[472] Epinotia nisella
[473] Tawny-barred Angle

Epermenia falcifoirmis is a good looking micro that seems to be quite local in the region. Its also the second species of this genus recorded this year.

Epermenia falciformis

Last year at about this time I recorded some worn Epinotia species that remained unidentified. Two similar moths occurred in this trap, both with a faint chestnut patch on the forewing - so these (and presumably last years) seem good for E. nisella. 

Epinotia nisella

No such ID problems with this Tawny-barred Angle that was on the wall next to the trap. Only my second in Cottenham, with the previous record being from July 2015:

Tawny-barred Angle Macaria liturata

The other highlight was my second ever Oak Nycteoline and the first to stick around for a photo:

Oak Nycteoline Nycteola revayana