26th August 2016

Glad to add one of my favourite moths to the garden list:

[252] Frosted Orange

Frosted Orange Gortyna flavago

Nothing else of note so here's pictures of two of the regular late summer grass moths:

Agriphila geniculea

Catoptria falsella

24th August 2016

Despite some spectacular electrical storm the humidity won out and I hobbled into the garden to put the trap out. Nothing too thrilling turned up although a few things escaped as I struggled with the basics of picking up an egg box without dropping it back to the floor again. Nevermind. 

Four new:

[248] Orange Swift
[249] Cochylis hybridella
[250] Agriphila geniculea
[251] Garden Pebble

Orange Swift Hepialus sylvina

Cochylis hybridella

Nutmeg Anarta trifolii

12th August 2016

Putting out a moth trap with a freshly broken ankle was a rather poor idea and I wasn't even rewarded for my bravery/stupidity with anything too exciting. Sallow Kitten is always nice to see though and a couple of other species were also new to the garden:

[245] Agriphila selasella
[246] Sallow Kitten
[247] Straw Underwing

Sallow Kitten Furcula furcula

Agriphila selasella

Straw Underwing Thalpophila matura

Flounced Rustic Luperina testacea

6th August 2016

First trapping night in the month of August turned up a superb Drinker - this species seems to be common in many places locally but studiously avoids Cottenham - it was only my second record in the village. A Brown China-mark was a long awaited new moth - not sure how I've managed to avoid that one over the years. 

Drinker Euthrix potatoria

Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata

A total of 9 new for the garden:. 

[236] Acrobasis advenella
[237] Catropia falsella
[238] Brown China-mark
[239] Drinker
[240] Maiden's Blush
[241] Lime-speck Pug
[242] Canary-shouldered Thorn
[243] Square-spot Rustic
[244] Flounced Rustic

Maiden's Blush Cyclophora punctaria

Canary-shouldered Thorn Ennomos alniaria

Lime-speck Pug Eupithecia centaureata

Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla

Spectacle Abrostola tripartita

Acrobasis advenella

Bramcote, Notts 31st July

Caught around 35 species at 'home' last weekend including a few I haven't had in Cottenham:

Antler Moth Cerapteryx graminis

Common Wave Cabera exanthemata

Caloptilia robustella

Slender Brindle Apamea scolopacina

Species list:

Caloptilia robustella
Diamondback Moth Plutella xylostella
Bryotropha domestica
Bryotropha affinis
Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana
Scoparia ambigularis
Phycita roborella
Chrysoteuchia culmella
Crambus pascuella
Catoptria pinella
Catoptria falsella
Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis
Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella
Buff Arches Habrosyne pyritoides
Small Rivulet Perizoma alchemillata
Riband Wave Idaea aversata
Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata
Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata
July Highflyer Hydriomena furcata
Slender Pug Eupithecia tenuiata
Common Wave Cabera exanthemata
Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomoidaria
Swallow Prominent Pheosia tremula
White Satin Moth Leucoma salicis
Common Footman Eilema lurideola
Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta
Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua janthe
Double Square-spot Xestia triangulum
Cabbage Moth Mamaestra brassicae
Antler Moth Cerapteryx graminis
Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha
Slender Brindle Apamea scolopacina
The Dun-bar Cosmia trapezina
Marbled Beauty Bryophila domestica
The Uncertain Hoplodrina octogenaria

28th July 2016

A couple of stars were my second village records of Lunar-spotted Pinion and Olive. The latter is understated but quite smart, while the two pinions were both fairly drab individuals compared to the one I caught at Corbett Street in 2014.

Olive Ipimorpha subtusa

Lunar-spotted Pinion Cosmia pyralina

A total of sixteen species new for the garden taking the garden list to a fairly respectable 235:

[220] Oegoconia deauratella / quadripuncta
[221] Mompha subistrigella
[222] Spindle Ermine
[223] Anania coronata
[224] Agriphila tristella
[225] Tawny-speckled Pug
[226] Coxcomb Prominent
[227] Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
[228] Mouse Moth
[229] Copper Underwing
[230] The Dun-bar
[231] Lunar-spotted Pinion
[232] Cloaked Minor
[233] Olive
[234] Brown-line Bright-eye
[235] Chinese Character

Brown-line Bright-eye Mythimna conigera

Coxcomb Prominent Ptilodon capucina

Chinese Character Cilix glaucata

23rd July 2016

After missing the mini heatwave whilst in Devon, I was glad it was still pretty warm when I arrived back. The return of 83 species was by far the best trap in the garden so far, even if numbers of the usually abundant species haven't happened this year at all. 

Highlights for me were my first Mere Wainscot - identified belatedly after recording it initially as Small Wainscot. This species is listed as Nationally Scarce B and has a fairly restricted distribution in fens / woods in south-east England.

Mere Wainscot Photedes fluxa

Other new moths for my Cottenham moth recording were Small China-mark, Schnoebius gigantella, Cork Moth and what appears to be Caloptillia alchimiella but recorded as the aggregate with C.robustella. 

Schoenobius gigantella

Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata

Caloptillia alchimiella / robustella

Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella

In total, an amazing 29 were new for the garden taking the list to well over 200. Quality was provided by Silky Wainscot, Tree-lichen Beauty, White Satin and 3 Dusky Sallow:

[191] Cork Moth
[192] Tinea trinotella
[193] Case-bearing Clothes Moth
[194] Caloptillia alchimiella / robustella
[195] Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner
[196] Bryotropha affinis
[197] Bird Cherry Ermine
[198] Limnaecia phragmitella
[199] Carcina quercana
[200] Agonopterix alstromeriana
[201] Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix
[202] Euzophera pinguis
[203] Twenty Plume Moth
[204] Small China Mark
[205] Mother of Pearl
[206] Hypsopygia glaucinalis
[207] Schoenobius gigantella
[208] Dwarf Cream Wave
[209] Single-dotted Wave
[210] Slender Pug
[211] Small Blood Vein
[212] White Satin
[213] Ruby Tiger
[214] Dingy Footman
[215] Least Yellow Underwing
[216] Dusky Sallow
[217] Mere Wainscot
[218] Silky Wainscot
[219] Tree-lichen Beauty

White Satin Moth Leucoma salicis

Tree-lichen Beauty Cryphia algae

Dusky Sallow Eremobia ochroleuca

Ruby Tiger Phragmatobia fuliginosa

Pebble Hook-tip Drepana falcataria

17th - 21st June, Maidencombe, Devon

I had high hopes for a trip to the south-west but mothing was slightly underwhelming. Species diversity and abundance was rather low. However, here's a few species that I don't record (or have rarely) at home:

Barred Red Hylaea fasciaria

The Magpie Abraxas grossulariata

Rosy Footman Miltochrista miniata

Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella

Brussels Lace Cleorodes lichenaria

Small Angle Shades Euplexia lucipara

The Fern Horisme tersata

84 species in total were recorded:

Bird-cherry Ermine (Yponomeuta evonymella)

Honeysuckle Moth (Ypsolopha dentella)

Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella)
Carpatolechia fugitivella

Blastobasis lacticolella

Large Fruit-tree Tortrix (Archips podana)

Clepsis consimilana

Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)

Celypha striana

Eucosma cana

Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla)

Chrysoteuchia culmella

Eudonia lacustrata

Ringed China-mark (Parapoynx stratiotata)

Pyrausta despicata

Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella)

Endotricha flammealis

Thistle Ermine (Myelois circumvoluta)

Chinese Character (Cilix glaucata)

Buff Arches (Habrosyne pyritoides)

Common Emerald (Hemithea aestivaria)

Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata)

Dwarf Cream Wave (Idaea fuscovenosa)

Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata)

Riband Wave (Idaea aversata)

Shaded Broad-bar (Scotopteryx chenopodiata)

Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata)

Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata)

Barred Straw (Eulithis pyraliata)

Pine Carpet (Thera firmata)

July Highflyer (Hydriomena furcata)

The Fern (Horisme tersata)

Foxglove Pug (Eupithecia pulchellata)

Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)

The V-pug (Chloroclystis v-ata)

Green Pug (Chloroclystis rectangulata)

Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)

Small Yellow Wave (Hydrelia flammeolaria)

The Magpie (Abraxas grossulariata)

Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria)

Scalloped Oak (Crocallis elinguaria)

Peppered Moth (Biston betularia)

Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria)

Brussels Lace (Cleorodes lichenaria)

Common Wave (Cabera exanthemata)

Clouded Silver (Lomographa temerata)

Barred Red (Hylaea fasciaria)

Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor)

Buff-tip (Phalera bucephala)

Brown-tail (Euproctis chrysorrhoea)

Rosy Footman (Miltochrista miniata)

Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola)

Buff Footman (Eilema deplana)

Common Footman (Eilema lurideola)

Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum)

Ruby Tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa)

Heart And Club (Agrotis clavis)

Heart And Dart (Agrotis exclamationis)

Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)

The Flame (Axylia putris)

Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta)

Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)

Double Square-spot (Xestia triangulum)

Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa)

Dot Moth (Melanchra persicariae)

Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea)

Poplar Grey (Acronicta megacephala)

The Sycamore (Acronicta aceris)

Grey Dagger (Acronicta psi)

Knot Grass (Acronicta rumicis)

The Coronet (Craniophora ligustri)

Small Angle Shades (Euplexia lucipara)

Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha)

Middle-barred Minor (Oligia fasciuncula)

Common Rustic (Mesapamea secalis)

Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea)

The Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines)

The Rustic (Hoplodrina blanda)

Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis)

Silver Y (Autographa gamma)

Beautiful Hook-tip (Laspeyria flexula)

The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis)

9th July 2016

Still turning up around the 50 species mark, which at least makes it easier to check through before work! I did however spend a bit of time potting a few micros after dusk, which possibly inceased the haul.

Highlights were three species I haven't recorded in Cottenham before: Large Emerald (in pretty horrendous condition unfortunately), Yarrow Plume and Reddish Light Arches. The latter species is generally found in grassland on chalky or limestone soils, so I hadn't expected to record it here.

Reddish Light Arches Apamea sublustris

Large Emerald Geometra papilionaraia

Yarrow Plume Gillmeria pallidactyla

Other highlights of the 15 new for the garden moths were a couple of Swallow-tailed Moths, Buff Footman (I've recorded only a handful of these in the village) and Wax Moth:

[176] Swammerdamia pyrella
[177] Timothy Tortrix
[178] Ancylis achatana
[179] Yarrow Plume
[180] Eudonia lacustrata
[181] Wax Moth
[182] Large Emerald
[183] Small Fan-footed Wave
[184] Buff Footman
[185] Swallow-tailed Moth
[186] Garden Dart
[187] Reddish Light Arches
[188] Marbled Beauty
[189] Broad-barred White
[190] The Fan-foot

Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria

Buff Footman Eilema depressa

Garden Dart Euxoa nigricans

Eudonia lacustrata

Ancylis achatana