Friday 20 January 2017

December Sightings...final report

Landevenny and Chepstow

14 December 2016- Landevenny
Upon finishing work and getting into my car that evening I glanced across to my passenger side and there was a small outline of a micro moth upon the outside of the car window. Being a recorder of lepidoptera as you know, you just have to find out what it is but I had a dilemma given where it was positioned and as to what to capture it in.
A quick search around the vehicle came up with nothing, so I had to use my initiative and resort to emptying my lunch box. It glad to say it worked fine after my gentle, stalking, approach work so not to disturb it.
(I have not dared tell the wife about my last resort with the lunch box as I may have not written up this post!)
The next morning in good light pictures revealed this micro moth pictured below.
It was a new moth to me and one perhaps I should have encountered before given its widespread distribution and frequent habitat.
Acleris hastiana or Sallow Button by its common name, is classified common in the U.K. but a highly variable species with numerous named forms.
In fact literature states that it is "probably the most Polymorphic Tortrid".


16 December 2016-Chepstow
A wander through the town today produced this Blair's Shoulder-knot.
It was found in the lower part of the town upon a wall. It was nice to see as I have not seen one in a while and an unexpected surprise given the time of year.



1 comment:

  1. Thank you for setting down your late autumn exploits in the Blog, Nick. Keeps us going during the quiet winter months (actually bryophytes keep me going, but that's another story, see the South Wales Bryos Blog). It is worth trapping on mild nights for Pale Brindled Beauty or even Small Brindled Beauty, and daytime searches for Luffia are worthwhile (I noticed a case on our porch yesterday).

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