Imperial Park

December has not been a very productive month for moths for me thats for sure. Only ran the trap at home on Lighthouse Park twice this month due to work commitments and bad weather both times drew a blank. Just 1 x Winter Moth & 1 x December Moth on 14th & 1 x December Moth on the 18th from under my works security lights on Imperial Park. Roll on spring and getting started again.

Imperial Park

Ok so it might only be a December Moth... but after failing to find one last winter was nice to find my first one of the species under the works security lights this morning.

15 November - Chepstow

The picture here taken inside a moth pot, is of the micro Psychoides filicivora.
Psychoides filicivora or 'Fern Smut' as it is commonly known, is active by day and night and is classified Nationally as 'Local'.
This one was found in the daytime resting upon a wall.

County micro moth recorder Sam Bosanquet informs me that very few records exist for Vice county 35.
This one apparently was just the 6th recording, but ties in nicely with the previous 5 as all were recorded from the Wye Valley.
The Wye Valley provides a ideal habitat and hosts a variety of ferns upon which the moth feeds upon.
The moth is incredibly small even for a micro, which may play a part in the fact that not many have been recorded as it could be easily overlooked.

Lighthouse Park

Gen-det results just back this morning confirming this as Mompha bradleyi a first record for vc35. Taken with MV trap at home on the 30th October.

Imperial Park

The last 5 nights on the nightshifts have seen wind, rain, frost, fog and temps down to 3°... The moth activity under the works security lights has been dire.... With just these two moths a Feathered Thorn and a dark form of Mottled Umber the fruits of my efforts while out on my coffee breaks.

Lighthouse Park

Ran the MV all night friday 31/10 just 9 moths of 6 species
Red Line Quaker 1
Blairs Shoulder-knot 1
November Moth agg 2
Brick 1
NFY..Dark Chestnut 1
LBAM 3

Imperial Park

Very few moths about this week while on the night shifts then this morning found this Merveille du Jour under the works security lights.

Lighthouse Park

Ran the mv for a few hours tonight very hard going temp down to 8° clearing sky and heavy dew down by midnight....just 12 moths of 6 species 3 Cypress Carpets were nice...NFY were Green-brindled Crescent and Blairs Shoulder-knot.

Mallow on Mallow

Seven Mallow moths to actinic Skinner trap, next to large stand of Marsh Mallow, north end of Fisher's Gout at Goldcliff last night. Pictures attached. The first  shows a Mallow moth on Marsh Mallow.

Kevin Dupé

Goldcliff 1st October

Inspired by Mel, I put an actinic Skinner trap next to a large stand of Marsh Mallow in Goldlciff last night. This morning I could see a Mallow Moth on the outside of the trap. I was worried it would fly off before I could get a photo, but I need not have worried - unlike most Geometers, they are not flighty. I got a photo of that one, but was then surprised to find another 6 in the trap!
Neil Horton caught 6 Mallow moths in his garden in Usk - all singletons and the last one being in 1983. Despite the massive increase in trapping effort all over the county, none were caught for over 30 years, until Mel's a few days ago. I've being trying to catch them at Goldcliff for around 13 years. I may have been trying too early in their flight season - most of Neil's were caught in late September or early October. Of the 7 I caught last night, 6 were very fresh looking and only one was worn. Still no Marsh Mallow moths though!

Seaview 1st October

Still enjoying the fine weather! Ninety-six moths from 19 species last night; new for us this year was a Blair's shoulder knot. More interesting perhaps is the attached photograph which we think is a Delicate. Any comment?
Diana and John

Lighthouse Park

Trapped this micro way back on 22/2/14 at home.

just had it confirmed by county recorder as Agonopterix yeatiana. A first record for vc35. Sorry for the pic quality.

Lighthouse Park

Ran a new home made robinson style MV trap last night 67 moths of 25 species but the star of the night was this Mallow. Only 4th county record and first record since 1983.

Lighthouse Park

Trapped this Cochylis molliculana 0n 19.9.14 at home. just been confirmed by county recorder as a first record for vc35.

Seaview moths 26th September

Another very satisfactory catch, the weather was perfect. Our Robinson trap and adjacent wall caught 134 moths from 27 species. New for us this year were Orange sallow, Small blood vein, Green brindled crescent and, we think, a Pinion-streaked snout.
Diana and John

Imperial Park

My first Feathered Thorn of the year from under works security lights this morning beats last years by a month to the day.

Lighthouse Park

4 hours with the actinic tubes & sheet last night just 30 moths of 18 species. 2nd Vapourer of the year.. NFY were 2 Barred Sallow & a Carnation Tortrix.

Redhouse Barns - 23 September

2 L-album wainscots at Redhouse Barns, plus 2 black rustics and a pinion streaked snout amongst 20 species.

Kevin Dupé

Seaview 22nd September

A good night for moths; last night saw 91 moths from 20 species in the trap. Extra Brimstone moths and Light emeralds were on the adjacent wall.
New for us this year, Black rustic (2), Beaded chestnut (13), Centre- barred sallow, Pink-barred sallow (2), the Sallow and a Lunar underwing.
Nice to see three sallow moths together for comparison.
Diana and John
PS. The swallows seem to have gone this morning :(

Lighthouse Park

A 5 hour trapping session in the garden last night gave 58 moths of 22 species NFY were Large Fruit-tree Tortrix, Lunar Underwing & 2 Pink-barred Sallow.

Lighthouse Park

Knocked up a MV trap today and gave it a test run sat night. ENE10 13°& mostly clear not ideal conditions but in 5 hours had 68 moths of 23 species. Nothing special. lookers were 3× Spectacle 1× Small Angle Shades 1×Center Barred Sallow 1× Yellow Barred Brindle 1× Small Blood-vein. still getting high numbers of Brimstone moth.

Lighthouse Park

3 hours with the actinic tubes & sheet gave 103 moths of 28 species. 32 Brimstone moths the biggest number of them that i have seen.4 Oak Hook-tip were very welcome. On the NFY front were Tawny Speckled Pug & a really fresh Feathered Gothic.

Seaview Moths 30th August

A good night for moths! There were 284 moths from 26 species in the trap this morning, large numbers of Large Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character and Square Spot Rustic.
New for us this year were an Orange Swift, Peach Bossom and two Light Emerald moths.
The Peach Blossom had clearly been reading Waring and Townsend, it didn't enter the trap and was photographed on the adjacent wall.
DandJ

Lighthouse Park

A couple of 3 hour sessions with the sheet on the 22nd & 24th August saw a drop in moth numbers but NFY were Old Lady, Centre-barred Sallow & a worn Mocha.

imperial park

Found this Red Underwing on the factory wall this morning first one of the year despite putting sugar out at home over the last few weeks as i had a few last year with this method.

Seaview 8th August

Last night produced 209 moths from 41 species, an astonishing number. There were also signs of predation with pieces of poplar hawkmoth and red underwing unmistakable around the trap.

We too saw lime speck pug and a september thorn, also a V pug and a double-striped pug (photo). We had a pale mottled willow and a swallow prominent (photo), the first this year.

In the garden yesterday were a small copper and a common blue (photos), as well as a red admiral and many large whites!
Diana and John

Lighthouse Park

Highlights from last nights trap Orange Swift, September Thorn, Brown-veined Wainscot & Lime Speck Pug.

Pantside, Newbridge - 3 August

I had a visit today to the Pant area near Newbridge to have a look at the landscaped colliery spoil there - it was very good for butterflies with 89 seen of 14 species: my first Grayling of the year; 42 Common Blue; Small and Essex Skipper; Small/Large & GV White; Peacock; Small Tort.; Comma; Small Copper;  Meadow Brown; Gatekeeper and, the biggest surprise, at least x12 Clouded Yellow.  In the case of the latter, I wondered if the numbers and freshness of the individuals might indicate local breeding.

On moths, a very worn 6-spot Burnet, Cinnabar Moth caterpillars, Pyrausta purpuralis and Evergestis pallidata.

Lighthouse Park

Just 38 moths of 23 species in a couple of hours with tubes & sheet last night NFY micro's Rusty-dot Pearl, Agriphila tristella & Agriphila straminella. The only macro NFY was this Oak Eggar.