24-25th May

Two sightings of Micropterix aureatella within 12 hours.

A quick diversion to Wentwood at the last minute brought about an unexpected find in an shaded, carved out pathway off the main track ride not too far away from Forester's Oaks.
I had originally stopped to photograph a large Drinker Moth caterpillar upon a bramble leaf here but as I moved off I disturbed a small micro nearby. I had brought a small net along with me and was able to gather it on the second attempt. I managed to get 4 pictures but unfortunately they are not the best due to a combination of its lively nature and a interfering dog, however the moth is quite unmistakable thankfully after viewing my reference book, as it has no real alternative's.

Yellow-barred Gold- Micropterix areatella at Wentwood

(With the annoying dog situation which ensued whilst trying to photograph this moth I felt I just had to make a comment. As with many people I do expect to see dog owners walking around in the nice surroundings of woodlands but there are a few owners out there that forget their duties as dog owners, their responsibilities in public spaces, and think that everybody likes dogs, especially their dog. The large majority are great, well behaved, like dog, like owner. The small minority are not educated and do not educate their dog and think it's just fine for their dog to jump all over you- well it's not! Would you expect your children to jump over a stranger, no. Read up on the amended Dangerous Dogs Act before you make a comment- Rant over!)
Back to the sightings, sorry.

Looking back over my pictures after the incident, I knew it was quite an interesting find, however a few hours earlier, I had already taken another set of photographs of this micro moth species before I had rushed out into the sunshine.
This one had arrived at the trap light around 12 hours earlier at another heathland/woodland area, again around the 600-700 feet above sea-level mark, at Chepstow Park Wood.
The species reportedly thrives in heathland/woodland areas on herbaceous plants and sedges, so the habitat and plant's, fit nicely into the jigsaw.

A further sighting at Chepstow Park Wood

It's a new species to me but would be interested to know it's distribution in the Vice County 35 and maybe Wales, Sam and George?, or even anybody that has seen one.