• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

May/June Moths (1 Viewer)

Cold, windy and rain just before I started tonight, did 3 hours which produced 20 moths of 10 species. Only new for year was Scalloped Oak.
Had around 20 micro gen dets from last week back that gave me many garden ticks; of note amongst them was a potential 2nd and 4th for Herts. Just shows if you throw them away you never know what might be in there (though I appreciate getting them done costs).
Spent today in Sussex with a mate and we enjoyed a couple of hours with a Field Cricket that was pleasingly showy; a great experience. The moth Synaphe punctalis was in the same location, a southern speciality.
 
Windy and at least one shower overnight though everything except the trap's clear plastic covers was dry this morning. 28 moths of 15 species was a low total compared to recent nights but not without interest. For the first time recently Heart and Club took the lead with 6, Heart and Dart only matching Uncertain with 4 each. Also for the first time, more than one (all right, two) Large Yellow Underwings: that will get worse not better....

Light Arches was a full tick and very welcome, Shears gave me an ID headache and a nice Angle Shades (one of my favourites) was matched by a pristine Buff Arches that I only found when dismantling the trap because the sky was getting pretty black.

John
 
Windy and at least one shower overnight though everything except the trap's clear plastic covers was dry this morning. 28 moths of 15 species was a low total compared to recent nights but not without interest. For the first time recently Heart and Club took the lead with 6, Heart and Dart only matching Uncertain with 4 each. Also for the first time, more than one (all right, two) Large Yellow Underwings: that will get worse not better....

Light Arches was a full tick and very welcome, Shears gave me an ID headache and a nice Angle Shades (one of my favourites) was matched by a pristine Buff Arches that I only found when dismantling the trap because the sky was getting pretty black.

John

Will you submit your records?

I'm curious if your recorder accepts Uncertain or, like ours, will it have to be listed as an aggregate with Rustic?

Two Daggers, two Copper Underwings, Rustic / Uncertain, two Pine Carpets and the Marbled Minors, are all aggregates on my list as I've never felt the need to have them dissected for a definitive ID.
 
Last edited:
Will you submit your records?

I'm curious if your recorder accepts Uncertain or, like ours, will it have to be listed as an aggregate with Rustic?

Two Daggers, two Copper Underwings, Rustic / Uncertain, two Pine Carpets and the Marbled Minors, are all aggregates on my list as I've never felt the need to have them dissected for a definitive ID.

I've no idea, I'm a hobbyist. I don't submit bird records, let alone moth ones. If I can get it only to agg by the field guide criteria, its an agg. If the field guide gives further guidance but I can't make it fit, it's an agg. If the field guide says "if its this obvious or has this feature, then basically you've got x or y or z" and I can see that then I tick x, y or z.

If I've no idea I come on here and ask advice! 3:)

John
 
A predictably quieter night than Friday, (35 of just 16 species) but still managed a couple of new for garden, Fan-foot & V-Pug, which tipped the garden list over the 100 mark. Eventually we'll have a night with nothing new, and given the rather cool breezy weather last night I did wonder if it might have arrived, but no, it's put off to another time. Other than a Beautiful Hook-tip, a Spectacle and a very tatty Light Emerald everything else was pretty quotidian fare.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8814.JPG
    IMG_8814.JPG
    296.2 KB · Views: 22
  • IMG_8821.JPG
    IMG_8821.JPG
    307.1 KB · Views: 20
And then the boys decided to go out on their bikes and Sam found a new for garden Plain Golden Y on his front tyre!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8834.JPG
    IMG_8834.JPG
    168.8 KB · Views: 31
And then the boys decided to go out on their bikes and Sam found a new for garden Plain Golden Y on his front tyre!

Would have been new for me full stop... your boys are tick magnets! :t:

Rather more ordinary in my trap, including Heart and Dart reasserting its mastery with a field-crushing 11 individuals. A Garden Carpet and Turnip were interesting but joint honours went to three Common Footmen and a single Scarce Footman, both species being NFY. Total of 26 moths of 13 species.

John
 
I haven't put any pictures up for a couple of weeks so here are some of the more interesting ones from my garden just to round the months off.

John

Maple Prominent
Leopard Moth
Clouded Silver
Elephant Hawk-moth
Sallow Kitten
 

Attachments

  • 20200617 (1)_Maple_Prominent.JPG
    20200617 (1)_Maple_Prominent.JPG
    226 KB · Views: 21
  • 20200623 (2)_Leopard_Moth.JPG
    20200623 (2)_Leopard_Moth.JPG
    160.2 KB · Views: 17
  • 20200624 (3)_Clouded_Silver.JPG
    20200624 (3)_Clouded_Silver.JPG
    320.1 KB · Views: 13
  • 20200624 (7)_Elephant_Hawk-moth.JPG
    20200624 (7)_Elephant_Hawk-moth.JPG
    180.9 KB · Views: 14
  • 20200625 (1)_Sallow_Kitten.JPG
    20200625 (1)_Sallow_Kitten.JPG
    211.4 KB · Views: 17
And a few more.

John

Elephant Hawk-moth (I can't get enough of these, but I could do with a Small Elephant for the year)
Miller
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
Vapourer
September Thorn (happy to entertain opinions on this though it works for me)
 

Attachments

  • 20200625 (4)_Elephant_Hawk-moth.JPG
    20200625 (4)_Elephant_Hawk-moth.JPG
    173.9 KB · Views: 13
  • 20200626 (2)_Miller.JPG
    20200626 (2)_Miller.JPG
    120.8 KB · Views: 16
  • 20200626 (4)_Broad-bordered_Yellow_Underwing.JPG
    20200626 (4)_Broad-bordered_Yellow_Underwing.JPG
    185.5 KB · Views: 16
  • 20200626 (6)_Vapourer.JPG
    20200626 (6)_Vapourer.JPG
    150.9 KB · Views: 18
  • 20200626 (7)_September_Thorn.JPG
    20200626 (7)_September_Thorn.JPG
    146.1 KB · Views: 17
A catch up for the second half of June:-

14/6 Didn't trap but a Small Bloodvein on the kitchen window was NFY.
15/6 109 moths, 48 species. NFY Barred Straw, Fan-foot, Light Arches, Scoparia pyralella and Plutwlla xylostella.
17/6 A daytime White Plume was NFY.
21/6 118 moths,52 species. NFY Swallow-tailed Moth, Dwarf Cream Wave, Common White Wave, Willow Beauty, Common Footman, Silver Y, Clepsis consimilana and Archips crataegana.
23/6 138 moths 58 species. NFY Scarce Silver-lines, Single-dotted Wave, Scalloped Oak, Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Small Fan-footed Wave, Dwarf Cream Wave, Rustic, Archips xylosteana, Hedya nubiferana, Hedya salicella and Donacaula forficella.
25/6 My largest catch of the year so far, 254 moths, 86 species. NFG were Brown Scallop, Small Yellow Wave and Lilac Beauty. NFY, Yellow Tail, Green Pug, Coronet, Barred Yellow, Small Dusty Wave, Common Emerald, Dun-bar, Rost Footman, Dingy Footman, V-pug, Eucosma cana, Zeiraphera ratzeburgiana, Anania coronata, Anarsia innoxiella, Yponomeuta evonymella and Acentria ephemerella. Six Privet Hawks was a garden high.
28/6 99 moths 44 species. Nothing new, it had to stop sometime.

Now on 226 for the year plus a few aggs.
looking foreward to a good July.

All the best
Lew
 
Just updating for the best species for last few days around rain; forgive the bad pictures in low light

Dun Bar
Box Moth
Least Carpet
 

Attachments

  • Dun Bar.jpg
    Dun Bar.jpg
    51.3 KB · Views: 12
  • Box moth 2.jpg
    Box moth 2.jpg
    380 KB · Views: 9
  • Least carpet.jpg
    Least carpet.jpg
    560.2 KB · Views: 10
A sweep up of the remaining days of June unposted to date:-

20th June - 59 moths of 20 species with Olive new for year
21st June - 42 moths of 12 species - nothing new for year
22nd June - 66 moths of 28 species with Clouded Border, Rustic & Large Tabby new for year
23rd June - 87 moths of 30 species with Satin Beauty, Leopard, Anania coronata, Endotrichia flammealis, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Cinnabar & Eucosma cana new for year
24th June - 166 moths of 53 species with Hawthorn Moth, Haworth's Pug, Chilo phragmitella, Yponomeuta sp. (probably Apple Ermine), Brown-tail, Pammene fasciana, Coleophora trifolii, Grey Pug & Blastobasis adustella new for year
25th June - 196 moths of 60 species with Dark Umber, Marbled Green, Small Fan-foot, Ypsolopha sequella, Bordered Beauty, Double Square-spot, Short-cloaked Moth, Clepsis consimilana & Crassa unitella new for year
26th June - 116 moths of 30 species with Udea prunalis & Maple Pug new for year
27th June - 29 moths of 14 species with Scalloped Oak new for year
28th June - 30 moths of 12 species - nothing new for year but 3 Silver Y's & a Dark Sword-grass
29th June - 88 moths of 19 species - nothing new for year
30th June - 84 moths of 30 species with Buff Arches new for year

Courtesy of a friend's garden some nice micros with Acrobasis repandana, Grapholita lobarzewskii, Teleiodes vulgella, Batia lunaris, a possible Gypsonoma oppressana and a possible Endothenia oblongana.

A few pics - Acrobasis repandana, Grapholita lobarzewskii, Leopard Moth, Bordered Beauty & Buff Arches.

All the best

Paul
 

Attachments

  • 001 Acrobasis repandana.JPG
    001 Acrobasis repandana.JPG
    487.7 KB · Views: 11
  • 002 Grapholita lobarzewskii.jpg
    002 Grapholita lobarzewskii.jpg
    420.6 KB · Views: 12
  • 003 Leopard Moth.JPG
    003 Leopard Moth.JPG
    428.9 KB · Views: 11
  • 004 Bordered Beauty.jpg
    004 Bordered Beauty.jpg
    666 KB · Views: 12
  • 005 Buff Arches.jpg
    005 Buff Arches.jpg
    765 KB · Views: 12
A few more pics - Scalloped Oak, Cinnabar, Brown-tail, Small Fan-foot & Marbled Green.
 

Attachments

  • 006 Scalloped Oak.JPG
    006 Scalloped Oak.JPG
    625.3 KB · Views: 9
  • 007 Cinnabar.JPG
    007 Cinnabar.JPG
    463.8 KB · Views: 9
  • 008 Brown-tail.jpg
    008 Brown-tail.jpg
    390 KB · Views: 13
  • 009 Small Fan-foot.JPG
    009 Small Fan-foot.JPG
    534.5 KB · Views: 9
  • 010 Marbled Green.JPG
    010 Marbled Green.JPG
    781.8 KB · Views: 11
A few more pics - Satin Beauty, Maple Pug, Dark Umber, Double Square-spot & Anania coronata.
 

Attachments

  • 011 Satin Beauty.jpg
    011 Satin Beauty.jpg
    495.1 KB · Views: 12
  • 012 Maple Pug.JPG
    012 Maple Pug.JPG
    694.1 KB · Views: 13
  • 013 Dark Umber.JPG
    013 Dark Umber.JPG
    792.2 KB · Views: 12
  • 014 Double Square-spot.JPG
    014 Double Square-spot.JPG
    761.1 KB · Views: 11
  • 015 Anania coronata.JPG
    015 Anania coronata.JPG
    719.1 KB · Views: 13
A few more pics - Ypsolopha sequella, Teleiodes vulgella, Batia lunaris, Coleophora trifolii & Crassa unitella.
 

Attachments

  • 016 Ypsolopha sequella.JPG
    016 Ypsolopha sequella.JPG
    396.7 KB · Views: 12
  • 017 Teleiodes vulgella.JPG
    017 Teleiodes vulgella.JPG
    711.6 KB · Views: 10
  • 018 Batia lunaris.JPG
    018 Batia lunaris.JPG
    430.4 KB · Views: 13
  • 019 Coleophora trifolii.JPG
    019 Coleophora trifolii.JPG
    378.2 KB · Views: 12
  • 020 Crassa unitella.JPG
    020 Crassa unitella.JPG
    468.7 KB · Views: 11
Penultimate set of pics - Pammene fasciana, Gypsonoma oppressana (probably), Gypsonoma dealbana, Endothenia oblongana (possibly) & Cochylis atricapitana.
 

Attachments

  • 021 Pammene fasciana.JPG
    021 Pammene fasciana.JPG
    470 KB · Views: 13
  • 022 Gypsonoma oppressana.JPG
    022 Gypsonoma oppressana.JPG
    442.4 KB · Views: 12
  • 023 Gypsonoma dealbana.JPG
    023 Gypsonoma dealbana.JPG
    467.6 KB · Views: 11
  • 024 Endothenia sp possibly oblongana.JPG
    024 Endothenia sp possibly oblongana.JPG
    462.6 KB · Views: 11
  • 025 Cochylis atricapitana.JPG
    025 Cochylis atricapitana.JPG
    419.4 KB · Views: 12
Final set of pics for June - Apple Ermine (probably), Hawthorn Moth, Hedya pruniana, Spilonota ocellana (dark form) & Ancylis achatana.
 

Attachments

  • 026 Apple Ermine (probably).JPG
    026 Apple Ermine (probably).JPG
    446.6 KB · Views: 11
  • 027 Hawthorn Moth.JPG
    027 Hawthorn Moth.JPG
    393.8 KB · Views: 11
  • 028 Hedya pruniana.JPG
    028 Hedya pruniana.JPG
    439.4 KB · Views: 11
  • 029 Spilonota ocellana.JPG
    029 Spilonota ocellana.JPG
    436.8 KB · Views: 11
  • 030 Ancylis achatana.JPG
    030 Ancylis achatana.JPG
    455 KB · Views: 11
I'm curious if your recorder accepts Uncertain or, like ours, will it have to be listed as an aggregate with Rustic?

Fresh ones can be quite distinct. The first is Rustic being brown & uniform and the second is Uncertain being yellower with a dark band, stronger markings & darker kidney marks.

Both pics from this June.

All the best

Paul
 

Attachments

  • Rustic 003.JPG
    Rustic 003.JPG
    725.9 KB · Views: 14
  • Uncertain A 001.JPG
    Uncertain A 001.JPG
    849 KB · Views: 12
Warning! This thread is more than 4 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top