Moths of Europe

Peter - yes I do have that volume and when the series is complete it will make a great companion to the volume I describe below. For a start there are maps!!! I agree about the illustrations not being quite as good but it will be good enough to identify that new arrival to our shores I think :-) We just have to hope for a change in wind direction away from these unvarying north easterlies.

Best moth so far this evening a Pale Eggar.

29 August 2007

Bill, my copy of "The Moths of Europe" arrived today. It is, except for two pages, in English !. The printing quality of the illustrations is not as good as that of Skinner or Waring and Townsend but the book is an essential piece of luggage for any 'mother' visiting the Continent. I wish I had had my copy the last time I was in Provence.  You can get details from www.napeditions.com.

I had a Cypress Pug in my garden trap last night, my first since August 2000 though I see that James Mcgill in Taunton had over 20 in 2006 alone.

My latest addition to the library arrived today. A French rival for Skinner. A snip at 31 euros plus postage. Over 1600 macros illustrated a la Skinner with most at 1x and the pugs at 1.5x - Minimal text giving flight periods etc but not much in the way of distribution maps. A nice book for looking at those things we might get over the next few years. My next job is to sort out, from the Latin names, all the "British" ones.

To acquire your own you probably need to go to www.amazon.fr or wait for Martin Cade to get some down at the Portland Observatory bookshop.

An excellent trapping session last night. 56 species in total which is superb for my garden. Alongside the hat-trick of Jersey Tigers, Silver Y, Udea ferrugalis and Pale Mottled Willow. Nothing else of a stunning nature but several moths new for the last few days. One moth from the night before that caused some interest was a fine fresh specimen of Mottled Umber. I'm sure that is going to set off a few flags on Mapmate when I add it :-)

Mottled Umber flight period

Mottled Umber in August!!!

One of three Jersey Tigers at my trap last night.

A Tissue trapped in North Somerset, courtesy of Paul Chapman.

A Hedge Rustic, also trapped by Paul.

Talking up the Records

James McGill and I went to Portland this afternoon to see a somewhat battered specimen of Scar Bank Gem. While there we met Dave Foot and talked moths for a bit. James was bemoaning the fact that he'd had a bad year for Jersey Tiger, only 80 this year compared to the 120 of last year. Dave and I laughed, as I have had one and Dave not many more - EVER. On the way back home I told James that I probably wouldn't run a trap tonight as I had done so for four nights running and tonight looked clear and moonlit. However, on getting home I decided what the hell and set up the trap. After about five minutes something brushed past me and landed on the sheet. A Jersey Tiger!!! I potted it up and went in to show it to my wife. On returning outside, a second Jersey Tiger was sitting on the sheet. I rang James and told him to stop throwing Jersey Tigers over my wall. On returning to the sheet, a THIRD Jersey Tiger was sitting there. Spooky or what???

Scar Bank Gem

I've really hit a purple patch at home this week. After the wonderful Great Brocade, the next night I had Sitochroa palealis along with a nice supporting cast. I also visited Dave Paull yesterday and saw some of the specimens that he has been catching in North Devon.

Feathered Ranunculus

Clouded Magpie

Cypress Pug

Sitochroa palealis

Langport, 25 August 07

Another Great Brocade in the trap this morning - a much better specimen than the previous one. Reports of this species from Northern Ireland - there does seem to be a big movement.

22 August Whitefield, Wiveliscombe

Not as special as some recent reports but in my garden trap I had my first Dark Spinach.  The Mapmate map indicates that this is the most westerly of the Somerset records.

Well what a surprise. Logged on to report the trapping session at Stockhill (somewhere I never want to trap at again thank you) when I saw Bill's blog. Last Night ran the trap here in Bournemouth last night and found on the outside of the trap what I just assumed was a grey arches. Bit out of season I know. I showed my partener who was duly impressed then dumped the moth in the nearby hanging basket. seeing Bill's blog I thought oh no!!!! My search of the basket eventually resulted in recapturing the poor moth which was a bit battered at the start. But it is a great brocade. So thanks to Bill.

The night at Stockhill was windy and going cold. Could not get in the car park due to the low barrier and my top box on the 4X4. Just as well because there were many folk and new age travellors(Being politic there) and It looked a bit vunerable. But it was a Forestry Commission site so with my trusty key we gained access. Mike Ridge, Robin Clatworthy and I trapped at various points in this conifer woodland with some heathy scrub. Well the wind got worse and it got colder and when it started to rain at 11pm I had had enough so had my chums. Collectively though we did amazingly well. We managed to get to 41 species and its a pity Mike did not take a full tally of his footman or should I say footmen but well I did. I caught some very odd looking Common Rustics which I will dissect at leisure which I will report on later

Just a couple of the hundreds we saw that night

• Code Taxon Vernacular Quantity
• 15 Hepialus sylvina Orange Swift 1
• 969 Pandemis corylana Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix 1
• 1304 Agriphila straminella 3
• 1313 Catoptria pinella 1
• 1334 Scoparia ambigualis 2
• 1344 Eudonia mercurella 12
• 1388 Udea lutealis 1
• 1640 Euthrix potatoria Drinker 3
• 1647 Watsonalla cultraria Barred Hook-tip 1
• 1665 Pseudoterpna pruinata Grass Emerald 2
• 1702 Idaea biselata Small Fan-footed Wave 2
• 1708 Idaea dimidiata Single-dotted Wave 1
• 1713 Idaea aversata Riband Wave 3
• 1724 Xanthorhoe spadicearia Red Twin-spot Carpet 6
• 1728 Xanthorhoe fluctuata Garden Carpet 2
• 1732 Scotopteryx chenopodiata Shaded Broad-bar 1
• 1738 Epirrhoe alternata Common Carpet 3
• 1759 Ecliptopera silaceata Small Phoenix 8
• 1762 Chloroclysta citrata Dark Marbled Carpet 1
• 1769 Thera britannica Spruce Carpet 1
• 1776 Colostygia pectinataria Green Carpet 2
• 1784 Melanthia procellata Pretty Chalk Carpet 1
• 1830 Eupithecia absinthiata Wormwood Pug 1
• 1856 Eupithecia lariciata Larch Pug 9
• 1906 Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth 3
• 1940 Deileptenia ribeata Satin Beauty 1
• 1956 Cabera exanthemata Common Wave 1
• 2008 Ptilodon capucina Coxcomb Prominent 1
• 2033 Lymantria monacha Black Arches 4
• 2044 Eilema griseola Dingy Footman 238
• 2049 Eilema depressa Buff Footman 86
• 2050 Eilema lurideola Common Footman 5
• 2064 Phragmatobia fuliginosa Ruby Tiger 1
• 2102 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 8
• 2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 39
• 2111 Noctua janthe Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 6
• 2176 Cerapteryx graminis Antler Moth 1
• 2318 Cosmia trapezina Dun-bar 1
• 2321 Apamea monoglypha Dark Arches 1
• 2343x Mesapamea secalis agg. Common Rustic agg. 13
• 2489 Zanclognatha tarsipennalis Fan-foot 1

Recent Great Brocade Records

The influx of Great Brocades into the country is of continental origin. Not surprising given the recent weather system in northern Germany/France giving Easterly winds across the North Sea. This is classic time for Great Brocade immigration though it normally only reaches the East Coastal region and usually up North. To get them this far West is a real bonus. The Scottish Great Brocades are much darker than this immigrant form and usually have a short flight period around late July/early August. The two from last night are the third and fourth records for Somerset. I think I may put a trap out tonight too :-)

I also had a Great Brocade in the trap at Langport last night. 5 also reported from Staffordshire on the Migrant recorders network. Have they been blown down from Scotland?

Hot News from last night. I was trapping in my garden using my big 400Watt light in conjunction with a 125 Robinson and catching much larger numbers than of late. Maiden's Blush was a really nice catch but after emptying the Robinson and going out to check around the trap for odd ones that hadn't gone in, it was totally eclipsed. I lifted the sheet and my eye was caught by a mass of Large Yellow Underwings. I counted eight all huddled together in a corner then right next to them I suddenly saw a pristine Great Brocade just sitting on the soil. Talk about heart-stopping moments. I had to leave it there while I got to a pot large enough to accommodate it.

Sat. 11th August - Blue Anchor

Our original intention had been to run a trap at Huish Moor reserve for National Moth Night, but when the Foot and Mouth outbreak was announced we decided to invite people to our house instead. Ginny and I were joined by Roger Sedgbeer, John and Janet Dixon, Chris and Jenny Wood and Dan and Glenn Clark. We got 58 species + 6 pugs that haven't yet been identified yet.

A few new ones for our garden were :

• 658 Carcina quercana
• 695 Agonopterix alstromeriana
• 714 Agonopterix yeatiana
• 1260 Cydia splendana
• 1316 Catoptria falsella
• 1415 Orthopygia glaucinalis
• 1439 Trachycera advnenella
• 1646 Oak Hook-tip
• 1708 Single-dotted Wave
• 1945 Brussels Lace
• 2008 Coxcomb Prominent
• 2297 Copper Underwing
• 2341 Cloaked Minor
• 2342 Rosy Minor

In addition we got 3 - Jersey Tigers, one of the target species for the night

This years National Moth Night was held at Breech wood the MOD site west of the village of High Ham. It was as predicted cloudy and not cold for most of the night till rain stopped play at 12.30. The trappers included Robin Clatworthy with his Robinson trap on a sheet.  Bill Urwin ran his huge 400 watt MV over his Somerset tent and a Robinson trap. He was assisted by James Mcgill and Mark Yeates. John Bryan from Staffordshire, down here on his holidays ran a 40watt actinic and I ran my 125 watt light above a sheet and two of my Robo traps with the help of Mike Ridge. We were joined by Andrew and Amanda Lawerence, David German, Pam Campbell, Rob Wilson, and last but not least Dudley Cheeseman. The latter were gathered around my sheet and had a slightly erratic start as one of my cables had a problem. However as soon as the lights came on the moths started to come in. It was not a busy night but the steady flow of moths kept coming until just before 12 'o' clock. Nothing really exciting though a nice poplar hawk came to my light to be enjoyed by the guests. I now have John's results and with his and the help of James most of the micros were sorted and this has upped the total to an amazing 84 species out of 565 moths. also John has 4 micros to dissect.

This is the list so far.

• Code Taxon Vernacular Quantity
• 15 Hepialus sylvina Orange Swift 5
• 220 Nemapogon clematella 1
• 658 Carcina quercana 6
• 695 Agonopterix alstromeriana 3
• 731 Eulamprotes atrella 1
• 858 Hypatima rhomboidella 1
• 873 Blastobasis adustella 1
• 969 Pandemis corylana Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix 12
• 998 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 2
• 1076 Celypha lacunana 1
• 1138 Epinotia nisella 1
• 1165 Zeiraphera isertana 1
• 1205 Spilonota ocellana Bud Moth 2
• 1211 Rhyacionia pinicolana 4
• 1236 Pammene fasciana 1
• 1259 Cydia fagiglandana 3
• 1260 Cydia splendana 12
• 1303 Agriphila selasella 1
• 1304 Agriphila straminella 35
• 1331 Acentria ephemerella Water Veneer 2
• 1334 Scoparia ambigualis 3
• 1338 Dipleurina lacustrata 2
• 1344 Eudonia mercurella 6
• 1376 Eurrhypara hortulata Small Magpie 1
• 1405 Pleuroptya ruralis Mother of Pearl 10
• 1413 Hypsopygia costalis Gold Triangle 2
• 1452 Phycita roborella 8
• 1470 Euzophera pinguis 2
• 1640 Euthrix potatoria Drinker 13
• 1647 Watsonalla cultraria Barred Hook-tip 2
• 1648 Drepana falcataria Pebble Hook-tip 1
• 1669 Hemithea aestivaria Common Emerald 1
• 1676 Cyclophora annularia Mocha 7
• 1681 Cyclophora linearia Clay Triple-lines 1
• 1702 Idaea biselata Small Fan-footed Wave 6
• 1713 Idaea aversata Riband Wave 18
• 1722 Xanthorhoe designata Flame Carpet 1
• 1724 Xanthorhoe spadicearia Red Twin-spot Carpet 7
• 1732 Scotopteryx chenopodiata Shaded Broad-bar 15
• 1738 Epirrhoe alternata Common Carpet 3
• 1742 Camptogramma bilineata Yellow Shell 1
• 1759 Ecliptopera silaceata Small Phoenix 16
• 1768 Thera obeliscata Grey Pine Carpet 3
• 1781 Horisme vitalbata Small Waved Umber 1
• 1784 Melanthia procellata Pretty Chalk Carpet 3
• 1862 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Double-striped Pug 3
• 1875 Asthena albulata Small White Wave 10
• 1883 Acasis viretata Yellow-barred Brindle 1
• 1884 Abraxas grossulariata Magpie Moth 1
• 1887 Lomaspilis marginata Clouded Border 1
• 1888 Ligdia adustata Scorched Carpet 5
• 1906 Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth 39
• 1914 Ennomos fuscantaria Dusky Thorn 1
• 1917 Selenia dentaria Early Thorn 5
• 1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 18
• 1940 Deileptenia ribeata Satin Beauty 3
• 1945 Cleorodes lichenaria Brussels Lace 3
• 1956 Cabera exanthemata Common Wave 1
• 1981 Laothoe populi Poplar Hawk-moth 1
• 1997 Furcula furcula Sallow Kitten 1
• 2000 Notodonta dromedarius Iron Prominent 1
• 2007 Pheosia tremula Swallow Prominent 2
• 2008 Ptilodon capucina Coxcomb Prominent 2
• 2011 Pterostoma palpina Pale Prominent 1
• 2026 Orgyia antiqua Vapourer 1
• 2030 Euproctis similis Yellow-tail 7
• 2033 Lymantria monacha Black Arches 24
• 2037 Miltochrista miniata Rosy Footman 11
• 2044 Eilema griseola Dingy Footman 25
• 2049 Eilema depressa Buff Footman 1
• 2050 Eilema lurideola Common Footman 2
• 2102 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 13
• 2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 40
• 2111 Noctua janthe Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 55
• 2126 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character 8
• 2158 Lacanobia thalassina Pale-shouldered Brocade 2
• 2198 Mythimna impura Smoky Wainscot 2
• 2199 Mythimna pallens Common Wainscot 1
• 2291 Craniophora ligustri Coronet 2
• 2318 Cosmia trapezina Dun-bar 7
• 2425 Colocasia coryli Nut-tree Tussock 14
• 2474 Rivula sericealis Straw Dot 18
• 2284x Acronicta psi/tridens Grey/Dark Dagger 2
• 2343x Mesapamea secalis agg. Common Rustic agg. 3

Thank you to all on the night. It got very wet clearing up but an enjoyable night overall.

John, Bill and James at Bill's 'Big Lamp' - with James nonchalantly netting a micro from his seat!

David Evans

Just to let you know of a new website feature:

You can now click on the Bradley and Fletcher 'Code' number on the What's on the wing tonight page and see the species distribution and flight plan.

You can also add distribution maps to posts on our latest sightings here (or any website page) by using the simple markup:

[[dist:species name]]

Where 'species name' is either the vernacular or scientific name for any species.  For example [[dist:Garden Tiger]] will produce:

The data is pretty much up to date and we will endeavour to keep it so.  All species, macro and micro are included.

You can also render an adult flight period chart using the markup:

[[flight:species name]]

For example [[flight:Convolvulus Hawk-moth]] will show as:

Which may be useful for illustrating points in posts.

The technology for doing all this was originated by and funded by the Essex Field Club .

Doug Miller Westonzoyland, Two Udea ferrugalis the first last night and a Jersey Tiger on the 7th the first for my site.

• I am always very wary as County Recorder when I get records of those species which are difficult to separate without dissection. We as recorders must always be aware that certain species cannot be done by eye alone. the most common being the following. Grey and dark daggers though males can be done on site with a hand lens. The minors such as marbled, tawney marbled cannot be done by wing markings. Rosy Minors can also fit into this catagory though those with a very vivid flush of red are fairly certain. There are others and the group of ear moths come into this catagaory. I enclose pictures of large ears and ear moths all dissected to sort them out. we were hoping for Saltern ears but it was not to be.
• Here they are.

• Large Ear

• Ear Moth (and again)

• Large Ear

• Ear Moth

• The tiny differences in the ear markings are irrelevant. Interesting though all the females had brown discal spots but that was just a fluke

• So if you have some don't knows in this or the other groups get them to me so I can dissect them.

• Best wishes

• David Evans

Once again I was absent from the SMGroup Meeting which was to be held on Hurlstone Point. Help with the access to this difficult site was arranged with the warden but as he had to go home early plans had to be changed and the event took place on Bossington Beach. Sheltered by a shingle bank with trees and ponds quite near the site had some promise. Mike Ridge and David Ayling enjoyed a cloudy but not cold night and caught 53 species. No mean total for the sort of site. The highlight was a Cresent Dart which is a new record for that 10km square. Also lots of ears were caught. Having dissected them all out of the 13 moths four were female and cannot be separated. Out of the other there were 4 large ears and 5 ear moths. I will show the pictures of the ears in my recorders remarks to show that you cannot indentify them without dissection.

• Bossington Beach Mike Ridge 3rd August 2007 Mike Ridge 3rd August 2007
• Code Taxon Vernacular Quantity
• 937 Agapeta hamana 8
• 998 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 4
• 1260 Cydia splendana 1
• 1293 Chrysoteuchia culmella Garden Grass-veneer 1
• 1302 Crambus perlella 1
• 1304 Agriphila straminella 6
• 1305 Agriphila tristella 1
• 1342 Eudonia angustea 1
• 1405 Pleuroptya ruralis Mother of Pearl 1
• 1439 Trachycera advenella 1
• 1452 Phycita roborella 1
• 1653 Habrosyne pyritoides Buff Arches 1
• 1738 Epirrhoe alternata Common Carpet 1
• 1742 Camptogramma bilineata Yellow Shell 2
• 1754 Eulithis prunata Phoenix 1
• 1764 Chloroclysta truncata Common Marbled Carpet 1
• 1784 Melanthia procellata Pretty Chalk Carpet 1
• 1793 Euphyia biangulata Cloaked Carpet 1
• 1803 Perizoma alchemillata Small Rivulet 1
• 1825 Eupithecia centaureata Lime-speck Pug 4
• 1906 Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth 5
• 1917 Selenia dentaria Early Thorn 1
• 1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 3
• 1997 Furcula furcula Sallow Kitten 1
• 2011 Pterostoma palpina Pale Prominent 1
• 2030 Euproctis similis Yellow-tail 3
• 2037 Miltochrista miniata Rosy Footman 1
• 2047 Eilema complana Scarce Footman 1

• 2090 Agrotis trux Crescent Dart 1
• 2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 1
• 2102 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 3
• 2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 6
• 2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 1
• 2111 Noctua janthe Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1
• 2118 Lycophotia porphyrea True Lover's Knot 3
• 2134 Xestia xanthographa Square-spot Rustic 1
• 2158 Lacanobia thalassina Pale-shouldered Brocade 1
• 2160 Lacanobia oleracea Bright-line Brown-eye 1
• 2193 Mythimna ferrago Clay 1
• 2198 Mythimna impura Smoky Wainscot 6
• 2321 Apamea monoglypha Dark Arches 13
• 2322 Apamea lithoxylaea Light Arches 1
• 2340 Oligia fasciuncula Middle-barred Minor 2
• 2342 Mesoligia literosa Rosy Minor 2
• 2352 Eremobia ochroleuca Dusky Sallow 2
• 2357 Amphipoea lucens Large Ear 4
• 2360 Amphipoea oculea Ear Moth 5
• 2441 Autographa gamma Silver Y 1
• 2450 Abrostola tripartita Spectacle 3
• 2469 Scoliopteryx libatrix Herald 1

Hope to see you at Breech Wood on Saturday. It's National Moth Night. We Meet at High Ham Cemetery at 8.30pm ST 425306

7 August 2007 Whitefield, Wiveliscombe

Jersey Tiger - a first for my garden and for ST02.  Over the last few years it has spread, originally it is believed, from some escapees from a breeder in Taunton.  Other interesting moths here in the last few days have been a Four-spotted Footman (a male) only the second I have had here, Bordered Beauty (2) and August Thorn (2).

National Moth Night 2007

Just a quick reminder that Saturday August 11th is National Moth Night.

Remember that we have an event planned at Breech Wood MOD - an excelent site that should produce lots of good moths so do come along.  See our Field Trips 2007 page for details.