Oecophora Bractella and Marasmarcha lunaedactyla a delight

Plenty of interest at Barnet's Wood

23rd June- Great Barnet's Wood

A good nights return for moths in this woodland tonight with 105 moths of 48 species after now being allowed to survey after the Covid-19 lockdown.

I specifically targeted Scarce Hook-tip but knew the season was running a least a few weeks advanced at this stage, after some very warm and dry April and May months.
A slow start soon became much busier but not to the point of overwhelming, a controlled steady flow of various moths.
I had not bargained for Spectacle to arrive, or a Beautiful Golden Y although I had seen it nearby before. A Barred Straw made an entrance, something that was not expected in thick woodland, more like open grassland areas, heath, small open woods.

Barred Straw (above) and Oecophora bractella Gold Base Tubic (below)

With all these distractions I had forgotten about why I was here primarily until a Scarce Hook-tip dropped down from a Lime just before midnight BST, and made its way around the light via the white ground sheet. It only stayed for less than two minutes but proved it was using the trees here as a base. It reminded me of a another situation when at around midnight a single Scarce Hook-tip made its way to the trap but only spent a brief time on the ground at another site a few years ago.
It may add a little more evidence that this species likes to remain in the mid to upper tree canopy mainly. Surveys conducted for larvae in upper stories in 2014 and 2016 by George Tordoff and NRW may add credence that it's reluctant to make its way 'downstairs' too often if in low numbers.
In contrast though,  I have had nights where it has been very interested in the light and come in good numbers but maybe this only occurs in the right conditions.

Marasmarcha lunaedactyla (Crescent Plume)

For micro's the surprise was another sighting of a Oecophora bractella (Gold-base Tubic this year at another new site for me and probably the vice county. This joins up more dots in the local vicinity and suggests it's more established in the southeast than I previously thought.

The best was left to last when an unusual looking 'Plume' arrived. This I captured quite easily but then when I wanted a closer look it took off like a rocket into the darkness. Thankfully I spotted it again at the light and this time it was not going to surprise me with it's escapologist antics.
A headtorch browse through my book indicated a Crescent Plume, Marasmarcha lunaedactyla.
A localised micro which feeds on Restharrow which prefers grassland or coastal areas.
It does not fit here, in the woodland but, not too far away there is a 'nose' of grassland area that pushes NNW into the woodland between Bishop's and Great Barnet's woods and this could be the area that this Restharrow flower is established.