Tuesday 27 May 2014

Lower Ochrwyth - 26 May

I set the MV for a couple of hours last night - 32 species, comprising 60 moths:

Brimstone x2, Silver Ground Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet x10, Flame Carpet x2, Water Carpet, Red Twin-spot Carpet, White Pinion Spotted, Clouded Silver x3, Rivulet, Straw Dot, Brown Silver Lines x4, Small Phoenix x2, Flame Shoulder x2, Iron Prominent x2, Coxcomb Prominent, Small Angle Shades x2, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Flame x2, Pale Tussock x2, Treble Lines, White Ermine, Heart & Dart x3, Pebble Hook-tip, Marbled Minor, Common Pug, Brindled Pug, Clouded bordered Brindle x6, Small Magpie, Incurvaria oehlmanniella, Depressaria daucella, Dioryctria abietella, Apple Fruit Moth

Earlier in the day the Green-veined Butterfly below was feeding on Rhododendron - I suppose the plant has some benefit locally, but ...... Also, found the caterpillar below - Grey Arches perhaps?  It clearly has some parasites on it, possibly two different species - has anyone any thoughts on what these might be?





Monday 26 May 2014

Lighthouse Park

Burnished Brass, Buff Tip, Chocolate Tip & Pale Tussock the pick of moths in the garden actinic trap last couple of weeks.



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A few moths under works flood lights last week. Alder Moth, Beautiful Golden Y & Puss Moth


Sunday 25 May 2014

Uskmouth Butterfly Transect 21st May
Sheila did the transect on Wednesday, before all the rain kicked in! The transect week changes each year, dependant on what day the 1st April is, so this year each week runs from Tuesday to Monday. Its tricky choosing the best day each week to do the transect with our weather! Wednesday was probably the only day this week suitable.
She recorded 88 butterflies of 6 species with exactly half of them being green-veined white: 44 green-veined white, 21 speckled wood, 9 peacock, 9 common blue, 4 large white and 1 small copper.

Monday 19 May 2014

18th May 
New Tredegar
Weather: Sunny with very few clouds to speak of, around 20c.

The King of the 'New Tredegar' mountain is out and about- if you can spot him!

The Wall Brown butterfly or 'Wall' as if is often called, enjoys basking upon bare surfaces and this one was found doing just that.
The butterfly is reportedly becoming more of a coastal species probably due to habitat loss, but can still be found in inland areas where suitable habitats contain exposed bare ground, rocky outcrops and even everyday worn footpaths.
This particular one became a little aggressive by flying up towards my face because I was basically on his patch. I sat down nearby on a warm rock 'lowering' my presence. It was only then he settled down and started accepting me being there.

 

Saturday 17 May 2014

Tirpentwys - 17 May

Visited Tirpentwys nature reserve today to have a look for butterflies:  Common Blue, Peacock, Orange Tip x5, Small White ++, Large White, Green-veined White x2 and both target species - Dingy Skipper x14, Green Hairstreak x3.  There were also a couple of moth species: Pyrausta purpuralis x2 and Gorse Pod Moth x10+.

Lower Ochrwyth - 16 May

MV last night brought in 67 moths of 33 species:

Grey Birch, Common Marbled Carpet, Flame Carpet, Broken-barred Carpet, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Silver-ground Carpet, Water Carpet, Brimstone, Flame Shoulder, Chinese Character, Nut-tree Tussock, PaleTussock, Alder Kitten, Least Black Arches, Small Phoenix, V Pug, Brindled Pug, Common Pug, Orange Footman, Clouded Silver, Brown Silver-line, Coxcomb Prominent, Scalloped Hazel, Pebble Hook-tip, Knot Grass, Cream Wave, Nematopogon schwarziellus, Eulia ministrana, Light brown Apple Moth, Depressaria daucella, Gracillaria syringella, Parornix sp.




Friday 16 May 2014

Lighthouse Park

Three hours last night with the actinic
Light Brown Apple Moth 4
Pale Prominent 2
Sallow Kitten 3
Flame Shoulder 4
Barred Hook-tip 1
Pebble Prominent 2
Shuttle-shaped Dart 1
Brimstone Moth 2
Bee Moth 1
Common Pug 2
Spectacle Moth 1
Barred Hook-tip
Spectacle Moth

Wednesday 14 May 2014

Uskmouth Butterfly Transect, 14th May

Sheila carried out the butterfly transect today and recorded 70 butterflies and 4 moths.
Green-veined white 47
Orange-tip (female) 1
Red admiral 1
Small tortoiseshell 2
Speckled wood 8
Peacock 11
Latticed heath moth 1
Clouded border 2
Scarlet tiger larva 1
Lackey moth 3 larval webs


I also saw my first common blue butterfly of the year at Uskmouth today.

Saturday 10 May 2014

Crambus pratella

I am a bit surprised by this, but Sam has advised me that the Crambus pratella that I recorded at Ochrwyth last June was in fact a County first.  Couple of points then - the maps in the Micro Moths field guide for Monmouthshire don't necessarily correspond to the county list and also, not all records in the Lep. of Monmouthshire continue to hold true.

The photograph below is of one of two individuals recorded at Ochrwyth quarry on 29 June 2013 - sorry about the poor quality.  I also recorded the species in my garden at Ochrwyth on 26 June.



Friday 9 May 2014

3rd May
Chepstow
Weather overnight: Dry, mostly clear with patchy cloud.
Temperature low: 6.3c
Moth count: 21 moths of 14 species

As expected a gradual increase in the number of moths and species as it becomes warmer.
Two new species tuned up on site in the form of Red Twin-spot Carpet and Puss Moth.

Nationally scarce 'A' micro moth Mompha Divisella (Neat Cosmet) pictured left, turned up once again.
It was caught last year, which was at the time, only the fourth record ever for VC35.

This year it has been caught twice, on April 23rd and today the 3rd May which suggests there could possibly be a few more numbers out there.






The moth had also spent a day or two in the house after entering through the front door when left ajar one evening. 
I had to return it back outside but being so small it is incredibly difficult to locate, hence a few hours were spent looking for it.

Attracted to the actinic light trap were-

Brimstone Moth -3
Small Phoenix -1 (BAP)
Light Brown Apple Moth -2
Hebrew Character -2
Muslin Moth -3
Knot Grass -1
Common Quaker -1
Shuttle-shaped Dart -2

Pictured left:
Red Twin-spot Carpet -1
(New to site)

Cypress Carpet -1 (Uncommon)
Common Slender -1
Common Pug -1
Neat Cosmet -1
(Nationally scarce A)

Pictured left:
Puss Moth -1 (New to site)

Thursday 8 May 2014

3rd May
Slade Woodlands, near Caldicot
Daytime weather: Sunny intervals at first, improving to full sunshine later.
Temperature Max. 14.6c.

A few butterflies around but moths took centre stage.
Adela reaumurella (Green Long-horn) picture below, are a widespread species in both England and Wales and often encountered from April to June.
They are characterised by their very long antenna and can be found in small swarms.
It was the case today where over 50 were swarming around just a few wood spurge plants.




















Also found were Eucosma aspidiscana (Golden rod-Bell).
This micro moth is classified as a 'very localised' species.
They were found in the woodlands last year and are seemingly thriving.
Pictured below is one of 11 observed flying in the sunshine that day.

Tuesday 6 May 2014

Glamorgan Moth Recording Group - book launch

Please see message concerning the Moths of Glamorgan book. Further info. about the book can be found on the GMRG's blog - http://gmrg-vc41moths.blogspot.co.uk/?m=0


"The 3 authors of the recently published Moths of Glamorgan will be signing copies of the book at an informal get together of the GMRG (been a while!) at Penarth Suite, St David's Hotel, Havannah Street, Cardiff Bay this coming Wednesday evening, May 7th, from 7.30 to 9.00.
Please feel free to join us for this gathering to obtain your copy if you have not got one yet, get your copy signed if you do have one or simply come along for a chat & a chance to meet other local 'mothers'.
The event is open to everyone so please feel free to let others know.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.

Mike Powell"

Monday 5 May 2014

Moth trapping event at Pontypool Park - Tuesday 6th May

Meet at Pontypool Leisure Centre entrance at 8.15pm sharp, If you arrive later, phone Kevin on 07818 097 621 to check where we are trapping, All welcome,

Sunday 4 May 2014

Lower Ochrwyth


Not done a lot recently, but a few moths, mostly at outside light:

Small Phoenix & Water Carpet - 23 April
Flame Shoulder, L Swallow Prom, Brimstone, Hebrew Char, Water Carpet x2 - 30 April
20 Plume & May Bug - 2 May
Hebrew Char, Flame Shoulder, Nut Tree Tussock x2, Small Quaker, Knot Grass - 3 May