Euchromius ocellea at Dingestow

I have dreamt of catching Euchromius ocellea for nearly 20 years, in part because there was a previous VC35 record of this rare southern Pyralid (caught by Dr Neil Horton in 1978).  This wish was enhanced by widespread captures of Euchromius in Britain during various winter immigrations, which I missed out on because of a lack of attention to the weather.  Thanks to Twitter alerts and emails from Ian Morgan in Carmarthenshire, I was well aware of the wonderful southerly airflow over Christmas 2015.  My first attempt at trapping (26th December) produced just 1 Emmelina monodactyla and 2 Winter Moth, accompanied in the MV trap by a large water beetle (Colymbetes fuscus), which was the first Dingestow record of this common species despite me recording water beetles in the ponds and lake over several previous years.
 

The following night (27th December) seemed perfect, with a warm southerly wind, but we had 20 of my relatives here for supper so I couldn't check the trap as regularly as I hoped.  Nevertheless, at 21:00 I wandered outside with my Christmas cracker hat on, and checked the MV.  Nestling in an eggbox was a perfect Euchromius!  The rest of the night was a bit of a let-down, with a Silver Y being the only other migrant in the trap, but I was well satisfied with my dream moth.

Southerly winds

I'm not sure if anyone reads this Blog in December, but just in case you do - please trap on any mild nights with southerly winds as there are plenty of interesting migrants that might just come our way (Synchopacma polychromella and Euchromius ocellea to name two).  Similar winds, albeit in October, gave Nick Felstead his Etiella zinckenella so these rare migrants can reach us here in Gwent!

Having said that, my MV trap was totally empty last night.  Things were saved slightly by the porch light producing 1 Northern Winter Moth (only my 2nd here in 15+ years) alongside 2 Winter Moth.

7th December
Chepstow

An unexpectedly productive morning for lepidoptera here at Chepstow given the time of year and the unsettled weather lately.
Encountered 3 more Scarlet Tiger caterpillars and even 4 moths.
The caterpillars were about the town along with single sightings of Light Brown Apple Moth, Winter Moth and an Angle Shades.

The best of the lot was at home when I captured Mompha divisella (Neat Cosmet) indoors.
Classified a Nationally 'Scarce A' moth, I seem to have seen it regularly over the last 3 years, however this year I have recorded it on 6 separate occasions in the months of March, April, May and now for the 1st time in December.
Not entirely sure why this moth has become more common here unless its breeding well, I'm making more of an effort to record micros, or maybe the food plant is more abundant.

Chepstow- 30th November
Beware the Tiger 

With all of this unsettled weather around you would not think too much was about, well your right there isn't really, but thought I would just post this just to keep the interest ticking over.

Went out into garden to check things over after the recent winds and low and behold clinging upon a fence in a protected part of the back garden were some caterpillars- in fact 4 of them.
The distinctive black and yellow Caterpillar is of the Scarlet Tiger Moth.
A Nationally localised moth by all accounts although here they are seen every year as an adult flying around as dusk approaches in June and July or as a caterpillar later in the year.
There appear quite common locally I've found with another site located in the town of Chepstow and also another found just a few miles away near Sedbury in Gloucestershire Vice County.
There are very striking in flight and a delight to see on a summers day with the rich scarlet underwings on show.

Scarlet Tiger caterpillar- Callimorpha dominula

Sprawler at Dingestow

On 5th November I commented that the Abergavenny Sprawler was an excellent record, as I had only seen one in 20 years of trapping at Dingestow.  The next morning I walked out of the front door and found a Sprawler awaiting me under the porch light!

I ran the MV on the next two nights, but despite mild conditions and a southerly airflow had pretty limited returns.  A Grey Shoulder-knot on 6th and a December Moth on 7th were probably the highlights, among a rag-tag of somewhat worn autumn species such as Brick, Yellow- and Red-line Quakers and Beaded Chestnut.

Chepstow
5th November- New update

Had a little walk around the garden this morning and disturbed a micro from one of the garden plants.
I followed it as it flew off and luckily it stayed within the garden boundary eventually settling upon the edge of the summerhouse roof. Typically I was unprepared, but conveniently it stayed there long enough to allow me to capture it to have a closer look.
It was rather fidgety and difficult to picture especially in the poor light hence the picture is slightly out of focus.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure its a Leek Moth- Acrolepiopsis assectella.

New update
Sam Bosanquet informs me that the micro pictured below is
Acrolepia autumnitella (Bittersweet Smudge), and not Acrolepiopsis assectella (Leek Moth) as previous thought by myself.
He went on to say that having both Glyphipterigidae species recorded on site is a little unusual given they depend on completely different food plants.
It could well be that both food plants reside nearby possibly in neighbouring gardens and both were attracted in on site.
The Leek Moth that was recorded here at Chepstow in August feeds on Leek, Onion and Garlic, whilst the Bittersweet Smudge feeds on Bittersweet, Deadly Nightshade or Tomato. Both are Nationally 'localised' moths and both hibernate as adults.

Abergavenny 31st October 2015

Ran the MV for macros on 31st October and trapped only 4 moths, of which 2 were new to us. Very pleased to see the lovely Merveille du Jour and also a nice specimen of Sprawler which is apparently not very common in Gwent.

Blair's Shoulder-knot x 1; Merveille du Jour x 1; November Moth agg. x 1; Sprawler x 1

Mike & Val

Merveille du Jour

Sprawler