Acleris laterana among a mixture of moths

Look back at... August

Saturday 1st August

Bellamy's Wood, Rockfield 

Chose a new wood to set a trap up in this evening. Although I had wandered about here in the daytime looking for butterflies a few years ago I really did not know what to expect. I felt I would not get a great deal so did not set my hopes too high. I left in plenty of time to get here but my sense of bearings led me astray and I mistakenly took a wrong road. Retracing my tracks I finally arrived as dusk was in full swing and darkness was taking over. Overhead clouds were also starting to slowly disappear and I feared a chilly night ahead leading to reduced selection of moths. A while later the clouds were virtually gone leaving scattered stars above which were starting to be illuminated by the moon below the horizon. The moon this evening however would be on a lower trajectory across the horizon which helped. More gratefully received help would come in the form of some enormous, elongated wedge-shaped, strato-cumulus clouds passing across the skyline helping block the moon's light.

A real mix of trees and habitat here on site did produce a real mix of moths to the tune of 101 moths of 45 species, albeit one which I had to aggregate. I was pleasantly surprised at the range of species be it in singletons. A nice Slender Brindle appeared and although I had seen one a few weeks back, it was still very nice to see it again at another location.

Slender Brindle (right)

I didn't bargain for Poplar Hawk-moth here or a Canary-shouldered Thorn amongst the 32 species of macro moth that turned up.

The 13 species of micro moth that arrived were interesting in that two* were new to me. 

Evergestis pallidata (Chequered Pearl). This is an example of what arrived that night. 

The photograph taken during day in 2015 was one of several spotted around the Hendre Woods complex suggesting they are doing well here.

Ypsolopha parenthesella (above) and Yspolopha nemorela (below)

The Phyllonorycter hillarella agg.* (Sallow Midget), as I named, couldn't be truly identified given markings without Gen. Det. but it's foodplant was plentiful here. A single Evergestis pallidata (Chequered Pearl) came, settled and went, evading my capture but not my identification. I have seen them here before especially in 2015 on a butterfly survey when they readily were disturbed from the undergrowth. Two species of Ypsolopha arrived. The more common and frequently seen Y. parenthesella and the fabulous looking Y. nemorella in good condition.

Acleris laterana

The second new encounter this evening was a bright marked Acleris laterana (Dark-triangle Button). As the specimen was in very good condition Sam Bosanquet was quite happy to agree with the sighting, and given he had seen several before in Carmarthenshire, plus I had a large old Hawthorn that stood next to my trap light, and timing of the sighting all contributed to a decision. A pleasing result at this wood, one I will be visiting again next year.