The night of 11th August was relatively warm, and over 150 individuals of 44 species came to MV at Dingestow Court. Most were ordinary, with my first Six-striped Rustic of the year the most interesting of the Macros. However, two good Pyralids made an appearance: an Agriphila selasella and the dark but distinctive Matilella (Pyla) fusca. The latter was new for Dingestow, taking the site total to 514 spp of Micro. There are 9 Gwent records of this heather feeder: 7 come from lowland heath (Cleddon Bog, Wentwood) and upland edge (Cwmtillery, Sugarloaf & Blackwood), presumably indicating breeding colonies, whilst there are two records of wanderers to Dr Neil Horton's gardens in Usk and Llansoy. There was a long gap in records between Dr Horton's last one in 1987 and those by Nick Felstead (2015) and Kevin Hewitt (2016), and I have waited a long time to see this species in Gwent.
Well done Sam, pleased you have encountered one after your long wait.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a well marked individual because I remember my capture being really quite dark, almost black with very little features forthcoming until I tweaked the exposure on the photographic program.