Good variety and new encounters

Look back at... July

14th July

Chepstow Park Wood

A cloudy day overall with some brightness and rare glimpses of sunshine led into a mild evening with cloud cover remaining overhead. A visit to the central part of the wood was on the cards, but before hand I had about 40 minutes to stop the vehicle and conduct a quick sweep with the net. I'm not sure exactly why but decided to stop in a small recess by the side of the track by a dewpond. 

I was about to start looking around when a dog and it's owner appeared in view. I decided to pause for a moment. With dog leading owner, the dog started barking at me, hackles raised in an agressive manner, so I expected the worse. The owner shouted out to the dog which did help and then commented that he was alright. Often dog owners say this after their dog threatens to do something to the member of the public and I'm baffled as to why they let their dogs do this. After the new dog law that has been passed recently it appears to me that many owners do not know the implications of not having your dog under control even if the member of the public thinks that your dog may injure them. Some dog owners are great and always put their dogs on leads before they meet a new person but there is still the ignorant ones still about unfortunately.

Thanfully this time the dog obeyed it owner to a degree and moved off to leave me in peace. Returning back to searching the woodland edge I immediately saw moths flying nearby and soon netted them to have a look.

One moth I immediately knew- a Map-winged Swift. It appears around dusk and flies from side to side so quite easy to spot. Seen it here before but not this part of the wood however. A further glance around and tap of vegetation fetched out another moth. The light was fading quickly now so had to be quick in obtaining a photograph. This was an unknown and a completly new aquintance. The next day I narrowed it down to a Anania crocealis (Ochreous Pearl). There are not too many records of this moth in the county apparently, Sam reported back to me. 

At the trap site during the night some 65 moths turned up of 32 species. Not a large count of anything apart from Scarce Footman (10) but quite pleasing with regards to the species count. I always enjoy seeing a Barred Red and equally a Pinion-streaked Snout. The 'snout' I had seen fairly nearby to this spot before in 2016. 

Another micro moth turned up which was new to me was (Eucosma hohenwartiana), Bright Bell which feeds on Common Knapweed. The final act at the gate on the way home in front of headlights, saw a Large Emerald settle down on the track in full view. A rewarding visit to this Wood.