Friday 26 August 2016

Like the good old days (but with a Grey Chi)!

It was hugely encouraging to find the MV bouncing with moths this morning, after the warm, showery night of 25th August.  Totals of 441 of 44 species of Macro and 81 of 19 species of Micro (522 of 63 species) were like the good nights I remember from 15+ years ago!  These included 134 Large Yellow Underwing, 68 Flame Shoulder, 59 Setaceous Hebrew-character and 48 Brimstone, but many other species appeared as multiples, including 3 Svensson's Copper Underwing, 3 Peach Blossom and 2 Yellow-barred Brindle.

 

Dingestow's first ever Grey Chi was star of the show: the book says it's 'Common' nationally but it is very much restricted to the hilly areas of Monmouthshire and I was thrilled to see one (my first totally new moth in Britain for many years).  3 Vestals indicated a bit of migration and were my first of 2016.  An August Thorn was also new for the year, and I'd forgotten how distinctive they are after a lot of staring at September Thorns (the very flat resting posture of August is a good first pointer).


Nephopterix angustella and 3 Ypsolopha scabrella were pick of the Micros.  Most of the 10 previous VC35 records of Nephopterix came in the excellent migrant year of 2006, and I suspect that several of the other records coincide with periods of migration.  I'm not sure whether that means this species is a migrant, a wanderer from resident populations in England, or a local breeder.  The same pattern is visible in Carmarthenshire.

 

1 comment:

  1. Just 89 moths of 34 species for me at Parc Slip last night so glad someone had a decent catch!

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