Skew Bridge surprises

The Skew Bridge - where the 'old A40' crosses under the A40 between Dingestow and Coed-y-fedw - has a nice flower-rich verge sporting Wild Basil, Teasel, St John's-worts, Wild Carrot, Cowslips etc. I have caught a couple of species there which have not yet appeared on my Dingestow 'home patch' on the other side of the dual carriageway.  This list grew again today, as a quick stop produced the county's third record of Bucculatrix nigricomella (previous records by Ian at Penallt and Nick at Chepstow).  Also disturbed from the undergrowth was a Batrachedra pinicolella (4th county record, following 2 at Dingestow and 1 in Slade Woods), along with 20 commoner moth species.  A Purple Hairstreak landed low down on some bushes.

Bucculatrix nigricomella has a characteristic spiky black 'punk hairstyle'

 

Batrachedra pinicolella is thin as a pin, and its swept-back antennae distinguish it from Coleophora species