Oak Eggar and other woodland species

 

Southerly winds seem to have brought a bunch of uncommon woodland moths to the Dingestow Court garden from the wooded ridge 1km to the south. Pick of the bunch was a huge female Oak Eggar (2nd record): a species I saw once in flight here in 2015 but otherwise didn't know occurred in the area. A Map-winged Swift was the 2nd Dingestow record, following one in Penyclawdd Wood in 2001, whilst my only previous Endotrichia flamealis was in Penyclawdd Wood in 2007. Satin Beauty was my 6th Dingestow record, but all five previous records were from the wooded ridge. Supporting cast included my 4th Grass Emerald, 5th Marbled Green, 6th Dingy Shears, an Eyed Hawk-moth and a Pammene fasciana. Finally and frustratingly an unfamiliar 'diagonal-banded cochylid' turned out to be a dark morph of Small Marbled - part of a big national influx - but escaped while I was trying to photograph it. All in all an excellent night!