28th May - Clearwing lures

Sunny and a slight breeze meant it looked good for getting some pheromones out for the first time this year. I targeted two of the early season species that I haven't recorded before - both being seemingly rare in the area. These were Large Red-belted (CUL lure) and Yellow-legged (VES lure). 

Nothing happened for a couple of hours then one came in to  CUL ...but I was slightly disappointed to find it was a Red-belted. I was a little surprised that it had come in to the 'wrong' lure but any clearwing is still good to see....

Red-belted Clearwing Synanthedon myopaeformis

Broad-bordered Bee Hawkmoth - Holt CP

I took a quick post-work walk round Holt CP last week and found this rather fine BBBHM feeding happily on red campion. A rubbish picture but you get the idea....a superb moth and only my second ever.

24th May 2017

Another three species added to the garden list:

[285] Monopis obviella
[286] Notocelia trimaculana
[287] Oak Hook-tip

I haven't recorded the tortrix N.trimaculana at all in the village before although I think its very likely that it has been overlooked as it doesn't appear to be too uncommon. 

Oak Hook-tip was annual at Corbett Street 2011- 2014 but this is the first one since then. Incidentally, all those previous records were in July - September.

Oak Hook-tip Drepana binaria

Notocelia trimaculana

Monopis obviella

Amongst 7 species new for the year were Light Emerald and Pale Tussock:

Light Emerald Campaea margaritata

Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda

22nd May 2017

A reasonably mild night compared to anything else this year so it was no surprise that there were a few new for the garden, in fact three species:

[282] Tachystola acroxantha
[283] Spotted Shoot Moth
[284] Blood-vein

T. acroxantha is the scarcest of these , although I can't get too excited about adventives - this species apparently originates from Australia and has been recorded a handful of times in VC29 recently. Spotted Shoot-Moth is a smart tortrix and is only the second time I've recorded it in the village. The blood-vein is a fantastic moth and I surprised to find that I haven't recorded it since 2014. 

Tachystola acroxantha

Spotted Shoot Moth Rhyacionia pinivorana

Blood-vein Timandra comae

Other good moths included the gardens second (and my 4th ever) Orange Footman, the second garden/year Seraphim and a Cinnabar.

Orange Footman Eilema sororcula

Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae

Marbled Minor Oligia strigilis

16th May 2017

Despite the heavy rain it was the mildest night of the year so far. I'm guessing a fair few months escaped before the morning check but there were a few interesting ones left over including four new for the garden:

[278] Agonopterix heracliana
[279] Syndemis musculana
[280] Brown Silver-line
[281] Lychnis

The Brown Silver-line was the first I've caught in Cottenham - a common species elsewhere but not round here it seems. Its larval food-plant is bracken which goes some way to explaining their scarcity in the fens.

Brown Silver-line Petrophora chlorosata

Lychnis is however fairly regular in the area though and one of the more surprising absences last year in the garden

Lychnis Hadena bicruris

The was the first trapping result of the year with really any micros so I was a bit out of practice. The tortrix S. musculana I've only recorded once before in the village:

While this, to me at least, looks good for Agnopterix heracliana:

Agonpterix heracliana

A couple of more micros new for the year:

Notocelia cynosbatella

Garden Pebble Evergestis forficalis

6th May 2017

Still poor conditions for moth activity, but one new one for the garden to report:

[277] White-spotted Pug

White-spotted Pug Eupithecia tripunctaria

21st April 2017

April mostly involved cool nights so moths were at a premium, although a few species turned up on the 21st. This included two lifers for me:

[275] Brindled Beauty
[276] Seraphim

The Beauty is a moth I've wanted to catch for some time and it was quite smart indeed:

Brindled Beauty Lycia hertaria

The Seraphim took a short while to work out. I don't think its too common round here, which being a broadleaved woodland moth, isn't too surprising.

Seraphim Lobophora halterarta

Just as notable perhaps was a Maiden's Blush - two months earlier than I've ever recorded one before:

Maiden's Blush Cyclophora punctaria

Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta

7th April 2017

Just two moths but two new ones for the garden:

[273] Purple Thorn
[274] Red Chestnut

I was expecting Early Thorn but not Purple right now - this is my earliest record in Cottenham by nearly three weeks. I had a bunch of Red Chestnut records in the old garden in 2010/2011 but not since so good to get my eye in on this one again. 

Purple Thorn Selenia tetralunaria

Red Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa

30th March 2017

Some actual numbers of moths - 41 individuals of 8 species - formed a reasonable catch for this time of year. The majority were Common Quaker (27) although there were also 6 Clouded Crab in  variety of forms, a belated new species for the garden. Small Quaker was also new.

[271] Small Quaker
[272] Clouded Drab

Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta

Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata

Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica

Early Grey Xylocampa areola

13th March 2017

Just a single moth to the trap but a new one for the garden (and only my second in Cottenham) 

[270] Dotted Border

Dotted Border Agriopis marginaria

11th March 2017

An Oak Beauty as the first moth of the year is not a bad way to start. Not much else, although Grey Shoulder-knot isn't particularly regular (first record here and perhaps my 4th or 5th in Cottenham. After not trapping last year in early spring, Common Quaker is also new for the garden - somewhat of a guaranteed species this time of year. 

[267] Oak Beauty
[268] Grey Shoulder-knot
[269] Common Quaker

Oak Beauty Biston strataria

Grey Shoulder-knot Lithophane ornitopus

Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi

2016 Review

September / October 2016

Some almost forgotten moths from a handful of trapping nights last autumn included four new for the garden:

[263] The Sallow
[264] Black Rustic
[265] Beaded Chestnut
[266] November Moth agg.

The Sallow Cerrhia icteritia

Black Rustic Aporophyla nigra

Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua fimbriata

Wax Moth Galleria mellonella

Beaded Chestnut Agrochola lychnidis

So the year total of 266 wasn't too bad considering very little spring and autumn trapping. Now on to 2017....