My first Moth Trapping of the year (10:20pm - 3:45am) and a good haul of 51 moths of 15 species.
Some new ones as well, with not one but two Privet Hawk-moths, the largest resident hawk-moth in the UK. Other new ones for me on Portland were: Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, a Narrow-winged Grey, a Dusky Peacock which apparently is a rare moth for these parts, a Light Arches and either a Short-barred Yellow Conch (Aethes francillana) or Hemlock Yellow Conch (Aethes beatricella)
For the Aethes sp. it is most likely Hemlock Yellow Conch (Aethes beatricella) as I have been been informed by Martin Cade (the warden at Portland Bird Observatory) that even though both are pretty common on Portland, the one I trapped is most likely to be Aethes beatricella, as the cross bands are much thinner and more oblique on francillana. Plus Martin goes on to say, that so far this summer he has only seen beatricella as this emerges earlier in the season on Portland than francillana.
For the Aethes sp. it is most likely Hemlock Yellow Conch (Aethes beatricella) as I have been been informed by Martin Cade (the warden at Portland Bird Observatory) that even though both are pretty common on Portland, the one I trapped is most likely to be Aethes beatricella, as the cross bands are much thinner and more oblique on francillana. Plus Martin goes on to say, that so far this summer he has only seen beatricella as this emerges earlier in the season on Portland than francillana.
Moths Trapped
Moth 1 :- 2 Privet Hawk-moth, Sphinx ligustri
Moth 2 :- 15 Large Yellow Underwing, Noctua pronuba
Moth 3 :- 6 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Noctua janthe
Moth 4 :- 1 Dusky Peacock, Macaria signaria
Moth 5 :- 2 Riband Wave, Idaea aversata
Moth 6 :- 14 Heart & Darts, Agrotis exclamationis
Moth 7 :- 1 Narrow-winged Grey, Eudonia angustea
Moth 8 :- 3 Garden Grass-veneer, Chrysoteuchia culmella
Moth 9 :- 1 Rosy-striped Knot-horn, Oncocera semirubella
Moth 10 :- 1 Hemlock Yellow Conch (Aethes beatricella)
Moth 11 :- 1 Light Arches, Apamea lithoxylaea
Moth 12 :- 1 Common Wainscot, Mythimna pallens
Moth 13 :- 1 The V-Pug, Chloroclystis v-ata
Moth 14 :- 1 Light Brown Apple Moth, Epiphyas postvittana
Moth 15 :- 1 Pale-backed Clothes Moth (Monopis crocicapitella) or Yellow-backed Clothes Moth (Monopis obviella)
Total 51 moths of 15 Species.
Here are a few images of the moths trapped.
Moth 1 :- Privet Hawk-moth, Sphinx ligustri
Moth 1 :- Privet Hawk-moths wings open and shut.
Moth 1 :- Privet Hawk-moths, both wings open. It looks as if the bottom moth is slightly worn.
Moth 3 :- Large Yellow Underwing
Moth 3 :- Large Yellow Underwing
Moth 4 :- This is the rare migrant Dusky Peacock, Macaria signaria
Moth 5 :- Riband Wave, Idaea aversata
Moth 5 :- Riband Wave, Idaea aversata
Moth 6 :- Heart & Darts, Agrotis exclamationis
Moth 7 :- Narrow-winged Grey, Eudonia angustea
Moth 8 :- Garden Grass-veneer, Chrysoteuchia culmella
Moth 8:- Garden Grass-veneer, Chrysoteuchia culmella
Moth 9 :- A very worn Rosy-striped Knot-horn, Oncocera semirubella
Moth 10 :- Hemlock Yellow Conch (Aethes beatricella)
Moth 11 :- Light Arches, Apamea lithoxylaea
Moth 12 :- Common Wainscot, Mythimna pallens
Moth 13 :- The V-Pug, Chloroclystis v-ata
Moth 14 :- Light Brown Apple Moth, Epiphyas postvittana
Moth 15 :- .........and after I took these two photos it flew off so we will never know!!
A Hoverfly which was trapped by a spider in the moth trap. It looks like a Scaeva selenitica with no common name.
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On this day..........
2018Today's Sightings Here.
2017
Today's Sightings Here.