Thursday 30 August 2018

18th August

Ninewells Wood, Cleddon


Eventually got to trap in Ninewells Wood once again after been thwarted by the rain last time out.
I never get huge numbers of anything here at this site but there is always something of interest that turns up.
I also have not really trapped a great deal in August overall so there could be great potential to add something extra.

A better quieter evening here saw over thirty species arrive with a few 'localised' species.
Black Arches was again present here (seen in 2017) and I believe if my maths are correct that I have seen 126 of this species this year in what seems a very long extended season for this moth.

The best macro for me by far was Sharp-angled Carpet. I not seen one since my early embryonic stages of looking for butterflies and moths in the county way back in 2011 when I disturbed one alongside a track just under Grey Hill in Wentwood. I managed to get a small opportunity to get a photograph whilst it settled on bracken -enough for Martin Anthoney to confirm. It's a long time to not see something and gives you an air of excitement when you see one again, not unlike a new discovery, a new species to add to your list.


For the micro side of things, I quite enjoyed seeing Ypsolopha dentella (Honeysuckle Moth) for the second time this year, now at two different sites. It should be more common given the foodplant but I'm not sure if it's selective at light traps or just watches at a distance where possibly I have just not picked it up. I'm certainly in the right habitat if nothing else.


The other interesting micro was Caloptilia falsella (Chequered Grass-veneer).
Quite eye-catching for a Crambinae moth within the group. It was supposedly localised/uncommon on the moth list. It must have spread quite rapidly, colonising throughout the southern half of Britain (apart from Cornwall) through the Midlands and even further towards the north quite recently because its status has changed to 'common'. Some vice counties are still reporting it uncommon so I wonder it really is that widespread.


 

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