Moving into May (4 Viewers)

[Surreybirder]

Can't offer an explanation of why my garden was so poor.

Perhaps your dust cloud brought some bats with it
I'm jealous of the grasshopper warbler--I've never yet seen/heard one in Surrey.
I only trapped till bedtime (by which time the sky had cleared) and got very little but there was a nice scorched carpet and a couple of brimstones. Also a micro which I presume is E immundana again?
Ken

 

[Angus T]

Perhaps your dust cloud brought some bats with it
I'm jealous of the grasshopper warbler--I've never yet seen/heard one in Surrey.
I only trapped till bedtime (by which time the sky had cleared) and got very little but there was a nice scorched carpet and a couple of brimstones. Also a micro which I presume is E immundana again?
Ken

Yes I think it is E immundana. I got 3 last night that I forgot to include in my list above, bringing the total to 30 species.

Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat should be next arrivals to my patch. I'll have a look for latter today.

 

[Pete Haynes]

Last night

Very warm, min 14.2 deg C, a few spots of rain around 21.00 then dry and calm all night. The usual two Robinson MV traps out. 187 moths of 38 species. Highlights were my first ever Hawk moth, a Poplar Hawk, and Pebble Hook-tip and first BNrimstone for the year. Other nice moths included Water Carpet(2), Scalloped Hook-tip, Pebble Prominent, Scarce Pominent, Lobster Moth(2), Streamer, Waved Umber, Blossom Underwing plus several micros, most of which are, as yet, undid'd though I'm sure I ad 7 E. immundanas.

Several red/green shieldbugs (I presume), a small green/yellow beetle, several mite ridden Sexton beetles, an orange Ladybird and my first Common Cockchafer plus a variety of Caddis flies.

First Turtle Dove of the year by the garage this morning - lovely sound!

Most photos still to be processed. Post them later. Gotta go and see relations. :C

All the best Pete H

 

[Surreybirder]

my first ever Hawk moth

Very nice, too!
You were lucky to get turtle dove, not common in Surrey nowadays. I enjoyed listening to nightingales at Blindley Heath (just off A22) this a.m.
(plus several species of warblers).
Ken

 

[400mark]

Nice pics Pete, that Hawk moth looks really fresh, newly emerged I guess.

I had quite a good evening, before the thunder storm arrived.
My first Purple Thorn & 2 Waved Umbers, 1 of each form, a pic of the fuscata form is attached.

Also a few unidentified's, 1 macro, possibly a worn Quaker, it's about 17mm long + 2 micro's, I will probably spend the next 4+ hours trying to find a match for these on the UK moth site so any advice on these is appreciated.

 

[harry eales]

Several red/green shieldbugs (I presume), All the best Pete H

If you post pictures of these supposed Shieldbugs Peter, I'll ID them for you.

Harry

 

[Angus T]

Nice pics Pete, that Hawk moth looks really fresh, newly emerged I guess.

I had quite a good evening, before the thunder storm arrived.
My first Purple Thorn & 2 Waved Umbers, 1 of each form, a pic of the fuscata form is attached.

Also a few unidentified's, 1 macro, possibly a worn Quaker, it's about 17mm long + 2 micro's, I will probably spend the next 4+ hours trying to find a match for these on the UK moth site so any advice on these is appreciated.

I think the Quaker is Powdered,
The first micro I want to call 986 Syndemis musculana, But I have a big but over that and i think it's probably something else. Quite often a side shot (or at least partly from the side) can be more help and certainly an indication of size.

Don't the other micro. They are both Tortricoid moths anyway.

 

[Surreybirder]

Could the other one be Epiphyas postvittana?
Ken

 

[400mark]

Thanks for your help guys.

The 1st micro i'm not sure of, I cannot see a clear match but I caught 2 of these last night so hopefully I'll catch another to try and get a better picture & confirm the size.
I see the similarity to 986 Syndemis musculana, I was looking at Lobesia littoralis as a possibility (I do have thrift in the garden), but the flight time may be wrong.

Epiphyas postvittana, Light brown Apple moth looks favourite for the 2nd.

Early evening weather looks good but more storms foecast early am.
Good luck to everyone mothing tonight.

 

[MikeWall]

Also a few unidentified's, 1 macro, possibly a worn Quaker, it's about 17mm long + 2 micro's, I will probably spend the next 4+ hours trying to find a match for these on the UK moth site so any advice on these is appreciated.

Too much white-out on the noctuid to ID, but the first micro is surely Syndemis musculana (jizz is a bit wrong, but can't see what else it could be - Lobesia littoralis it isn't - too early for one thing) and the second Epiphyas postvittana.

 

[Surreybirder]

Tonight looks more promising--so far at least. I've already had a couple of new ones for the year:
oak hook-tip
knot-grass (could someone confirm ID please?).
Also brimstone, nut-tree tussock and a pug seen.
Ken

 

[Pete Haynes]

Last night's micros for Id/confirmation

All assistance gratefully received.

5802t - no idea - length 15mm

5807t - Agonopterix arenella - had 1 per day for last 3 days

5827t - Eriocrania sparrmanella - blotchy not spotty like subpurpurella

5840t - Epinotia immundana or tetraquetrana ?

Thanks

Pete H

 

[Angus T]

Tonight looks more promising--so far at least. I've already had a couple of new ones for the year:
oak hook-tip
knot-grass (could someone confirm ID please?).
Also brimstone, nut-tree tussock and a pug seen.
Ken

Looks good for Knot-grass, you're on a roll

 

[Pete Haynes]

Something for Harry (or anybody for that matter)

Harry

I've attached a piccie of the red/green shieldbug, no piciies in Collins Field Guide to Insects of Britain and Northern Europe.
I've also attached a piccie of an orange ladybird, a piccie of a small green/yellow beetle and a large black beetle - no piccies in Collins Field Guide.

Grateful for any help in Id.

Thanks

Pete H

 

[Angus T]

5802t - no idea - length 15mm Oak nycteoline (noctuid)

5807t - Agonopterix arenella - Yes

5827t - Eriocrania sparrmanella - I reckon So.

5840t - Epinotia immundana or tetraquetrana ? Don't Know

 

[harry eales]

Harry

I've attached a piccie of the red/green shieldbug, no piciies in Collins Field Guide to Insects of Britain and Northern Europe.
I've also attached a piccie of an orange ladybird, a piccie of a small green/yellow beetle and a large black beetle - no piccies in Collins Field Guide.

Grateful for any help in Id.

Thanks

Pete H

Hello Peter,

Your Shieldbug in the common Birch Shieldbug, which has a nationwide distribution.

Your ladybird is The Orange Ladybird. This latter species in common over most of southern and central England, but becomes scarcer northward into Scotland.

Both are to be found in or near mixed broadleaf woodland and in gardens.

Sorry I can't help you with the Coleptera.

Harry

 

[Pete Haynes]

Moth Ids

Thanks Harry, Angus,

Another one I forgot to add in. I'm sure I've had it before but can't find a photo.

Ta

Pete H

 

[Angus T]

Thanks Harry, Angus,

Another one I forgot to add in. I'm sure I've had it before but can't find a photo.

Ta

Pete H

I'd say a fairly worn Caloptilia stigmatella.

 

[Angus T]

Maybe the question yesterday should have been why the farmyard MV did so well as
last night was a relatively poor night.
A high min temp of 11C, it was fresh and breezy with mist at times. The day was
warm and sunny at times. The fresh and breezy part seems to be the key.
Got 2 new for year

Farmyard MV 8 moths 3 species (22 species previous night)
Garden MV 9 moths 7 species.
Garden 15w Actinic 20 moths 6 species.

* = New for year

0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 1
1126 Ancylis badiana 2
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 1
2003 Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac) 1
*2028 Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda) 1
2186 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) 2
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 1
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 23
2236 Pale Pinion (Lithophane hepatica) 1
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1
*2450 Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 1

 

[Surreybirder]

Last night at last brought in some variety, though some were rather battered after torrential rain from about 5 a.m. plus a couple of rather active cockchafers :C
My provisional list is:
knot-grass 2
waved umber 1
great prominent 1
Hebrew character 2
Common quaker 2
Clouded drab 1
Brimstone 2
Nut tree tussock 1
Lunar marbled brown c5
Silver-Y 1
early grey 1
streamer 1
green carpet 1
white ermine 1
oak hook-tip1
plus various pugs and micros and a very worn moth that could be an iron prominent.
Ken