Platytes alpinella and Bryotropha senectella new for Gwent

The night of 4th July was warm and muggy with a southerly airflow and I couldn't resist trapping for the 4th time this week.  It was worth the early start, with 74 species of Macro and 43 species of Micro to the Dingestow Court MV, including two new Micros for the county.  Star of the show was the Crambid Platytes alpinella (Hook-winged Grass-veneer), which is widely distributed along the south and east coasts of England and occasionally wanders inland.  The one that appeared at Dingestow is the second Welsh record (there's a 2005 record from Nevern in Pembrokeshire on the Mothscount map, although it isn't on NBN), and amazingly Twitter revealed that one turned up in Oxford on the same night.

Slightly less exciting was a Bryotropha that was obviously much too small to be B. terella and which had different markings to B. affinis and B. domestica.  The microscope revealed yellow sides to the head, which is characteristic of B. senectella.  This is a widespread species in England and is scattered (but mostly coastal) in Wales, so its appearance in Monmouthshire is hardly surprising.

Supporting cast included Dingestow's 2nd Marbled Green, 3rd Round-winged Muslin and 3rd Athrips mouffetella.

 

The ongoing heatwave is producing such excellent moths - I hope that all Gwent moth'ers are trapping as much as possible!