Wednesday 24 October 2012

Lower Ochrwyth - 23 October

A mild and misty night so decided to give the MV an outing before the cold spell arrives - loads of Redwing flying over to suggest that its not far off .  Some 33 moths trapped of just 8 species.  Mostly November Moth (Agg.) and Common Marbled Carpet, but also Winter Moth, Red-green Carpet (x5), very worn Lesser Yellow Underwing, Acleris sparsana, Feathered Thorn and a Large Ranunculus.

Feathered Thorn

Large Ranunculus

Sunday 21 October 2012

Lower Ochrwyth - 20 October 2012


Set the MV, but it was very cool and a little windy so not a great return with just 7 moths of 5 species: Spruce Carpet x2, Red-green Carpet x2, Light Emerald, Common Plume and Brown House Moth.

Common Plume
Spruce Carpet

Thursday 11 October 2012

Newport Wetlands 10th October

18 moths of 12 species to MV at Redhouse Barns. 4 species were FFY at this site: Large Wainscot, Black Rustic, Figure of Eight and Mottled Umber. The latter 2 weren't in the trap, but on the building's back wall, about 4m from the trap. I always check the wall for moths and always find some, but I only just noticed the Figure of Eight.

Mottled Umber
 
Figure of Eight
 

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Newport Wetlands 9th October

27 moths of 12 species came to MV Robinson trap at Redhouse Barns. FFY were Barred Sallow and The Sallow. The best moth was an L-album Wainscot, a 3rd County Record.

Barred Sallow
 
The Sallow
 
L-album Wainscot
 
Another moth I was pleased to see was an Angle Shades. Although a very common moth, I can remember the first time I saw one and how excited I was because it was a moth I had seen lots of pictures of. It was the first time I ever went moth trapping with my newly arrived Skinner trap, back in 1994. I ran it at Crymlyn Bog NNR, Swansea, with Martin White and we caught 95 species! I'm sure many of the species were very rare, specialities of Crymlyn, but it was my first ever Angle Shades that sticks in my mind.
 

Angle Shades
 
Angle Shades
 
 

Monday 1 October 2012

Newport Wetlands 1st October

Not so many adult moths this time of year, but worth looking out for larvae. Today I found two caterpillars purley by chance. The first was a knot grass feeding on teasel. I took it home to photograph, which is why it is shown on dandelion in front of a Christmas cactus!

 
 
The second caterpillar was a species I have seen many times before, but I did not recognise it. It was an oak eggar and I have only ever seen the fully grown caterpillars in June when they are about 10cm long. This one was only about 12mm long and they look completely different at this stage. Sorry, no photo.