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Request for help from BBC Natural History Unit
Can anyone help please? I have been approached by Nick Smith-Baker of the BBC Natural History Unit who is looking for Herald Moth hibernation sites in Somerset caves. If anyone is able to help please contact Nick at nick.smith-baker@bbc.co.uk Thanks John
Two good nights recently with the highlight being my first ever Brown-Veined Wainscot. Last night I also had an Ear Moth, only my second one here, the first being in 2006. The night before I had Small Waved Umber and Barred Hook Tip which are another two species I have not seen for a number of years here.
A pleasant surprise to see a Jersey Tiger moth along the road verge at Shapwick Heath today. Looks like it is continuing to extend its range in the county.
Another Hummer
A brief visit to our garden yesterday by a Hummingbird Hawkmoth. Not surprising as the Buddliea, Black Mullein and Hebes are heaving with insects at present. I also have some very tall white Nicotiana plants just coming into bloom so they may attract something over the coming weeks.
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe.
The rain arrived for St Swithins Day but the number of species in the trap each night remains at around sixty. New for the year in the succeeding days - Yellow Underwings, Lesser, Broad-bordered and Lesser Broad-bordered. Satin Beauty, Rosy Rustic, Rosy Footman, Mouse Moth, Black Arches, Magpie, Yellow Tail, and a second-brood Purple Thorn. Micros include Carcina quercana, Udea lutealis and a first for our garden the delightful tiny A.brockeella. We saw a Humming-bird Hawkmoth nectaring on buddleia - our third this year.
A Black Arches last night was my 200th macro of the season. Although the moth is caught in large numbers around the county it is not a guaranteed annual here. Another recent first was Pale Mottled Willow. I was surprised that it was so late in the year before I recorded it but a check on my recent records has shown a marked decrease in numbers over recent years from a high of 94 in 2003 to only 13 last year. Hopefully this is just another temporary decrease like that of Heart and Dart and Dark Arches which both seem to have recovered this year. Other annuals I am still missing are Chocolate Tip and Figure of Eighty. doug.miller
To follow Johns photo of the Small Angle Shades my first impression was that it was a Cresent my thanks to John in helping to put the record straight my apolgies to the group for saying it was a moth i had never seen before well i still havent seen one. 2 from Westonzoyland
Doug asked me to have a look at and photograph his 'Crescent' (see his blog of 11th July) but it turned out to be a Small Angle shades.  2305 Euplexia lucipara Small Angle Shades Doug also showed me a smart little Tortricid.  This is 1197 Eucosma campoliliana. The larvae feed on the seeds and stems of ragwort ( Senecio jacobaea). This is probably another widespread and under-recorded species.
Hummingbird Hawk-moth nectaring on lavender today at the lavender farm in Faulkland (ST7354), the first I have seen in 2010.
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 15 degrees
A explosion in numbers has occurred here too Ian - we had over 80 species in the trap last night including firsts for the year - Dun-bar, Gothic, Shark, Sycamore and a female Oak Eggar As usual I put the Oak Eggar out in the hope of attracting males but no success this time.
After a fortnight away on holiday I have put the trap out three times since my return home last week. The explosion in numbers since before I went way is almost overwhelming and last night I had 580 individual macros from 80 different species. This included 10 new firsts for 2010 and 30 new firsts over the last three trappings. Nothing exciting but I did have my first Little Emerald and Lunar-spotted Pinion for 5 years. A holiday in Tuurkey was almost devoid of moths apart from Striped Hawk Moths, a Passenger and just the one Humming-bird Hawk Moth.
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 15 degrees
New for our trap (and for ST02) Small Purple-barred and firsts for the year Scalloped Oak, Clay and Ear Moth. doug.miller
New for the year Lappet, Rosy Rustic and Vapourer and one i have not seen before Cresent this is a cracking moth most probably recently emerged.
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 14 degrees
With the increasing temperatures we have been catching 70 species a night. New for the year Buff , Scarce, Muslin and Dingy Footman, White Plume, Ruby Tiger, July High-flyer, True Lovers Knot, Barred Red, Garden Tiger. Also new for our site - Lesser Wax Moth. Today in the garden we were delighted to see Small Copper and Comma - both fresh.
Wandering around the garden with a net just before dark last evening I caught a Small Dusky Wave, Treble Brown-spot, Udea olivalis and my first Mother of Pearl for the year.
Mother of Pearl
Udea olivalis A scarce Tortricid
I've only trapped once at home during the last 2 weeks as I have been away in Switzerland and Dorset.
Yesterday my wife Anne and I visited Fivehead Arable Fields SSSI in preparation for a walk she is leading for the SWT Heart of the Levels group next Sunday. In addition to the fascinating range of rare cornfield weeds I saw several individuals of a small pink Tortricid which I didn't recognise. After a frustrating 20 minutes one eventually 'sat' for me and I got a decent photograph. Back at home I consulted Manley and the UK Moths website and came up with 1064 Celypha rosaceana. James McGill confirmed my identification - many thanks, James. It turns out to be quite a good record. This species inhabits rough fields and the larva feeds on the roots of Dandelion and Sow-thistles. There is a good population of Perennial Sow-thistle Sonchus arvensis on the site.  1064 Celypha rosaceanaThe last record was by David Evans at Draycott Sleights in 2007. Does this species occur elsewhere? Perhaps it can be found where there are relatively undisturbed stands of Perennial Sow-thistle.
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe
An interesting week of trapping with warmer nights producing catches of sixty to seventy species. New for our trap (and for ST02) was a Fern and we had only our second (the first was in 2002) Pretty Chalk Carpet. We visited Hestercombe and saw only one Scarlet Tiger. We are a bit worried that the food plant Comfry seems to have been trimmed earlier this year than previously. |
