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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

March 2009 moths (1 Viewer)

New Species

Dear Moth-ers

I am not even going to say how jealous I am of what anybody's catching, because, apart from anything, the weather in Budapest has been awful for the past few weeks - cold, wet, windy, snowy....!!...so even if I'd been able to catch, I wouldn't have got anything!!

I was in Seville for work for the past few days, and while I was visiting the Real Alcazar in down-time, I happened upon a sleeping moth (near a bright light), and managed to get the photo below. It would appear to be Blair's Mocha (Cyclophora puppillaria) though pretty unlike the pictures in Waring. However, I found a dead ringer on www.galerie-insecte.org after searching many of the Continental sites. So I'm pleased with that.

I'll see what I can do here outside on the access balcony once weather conditions improve.

I was out on the Coto Donana for a day's birding, where, in a list of c 90 species I finally ticked Collared Pratincole. (My best ever views of several Booted Eagles, plus a number of other nice raptors; the expected water birds, including the Purple Swamp-Hen/Gallinule; new migrants, including Woodchat Shrike, Common Redstart, Pallid Swift....were all lovely). In the butterfly world I also ticked Spanish Festoon, and saw Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Large White and a Clouded Yellow of some kind (too flighty to photograph, sadly).

Best

David
 

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Good to see that you've emerged from hibernation, David. ;)
No doubt you'll soon be seeing some moths in Hungary.
According to my car it was c17 deg C here this p.m. - so I'm expecting one or two moths tonight.
Ken
 
Hi all, after a posting on our local moth forum about Orange Underwings the other day I thought i would go looking for them in the good weather this afternoon. Bingo, I managed at least 6 insects & even managed a couple of dodgy record shots. There had been no records from this site since 1999, although the moths have no doubt been there all the time but probably not looked for.
 

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Good one getting a record after 10 years. Such an under-recorded insect. I've yet to locate a Light Orange Underwing though - only one decent site with Aspens around here and I've not been lucky so far.
 
Had a reasonable little haul last night.

2 Common Quaker
1 Satalite (NFG)
1 Early Grey
1 Mottled Grey

Best so far this year!
 
hardly anything about last night as temps were down abit, but was nice seeing another Twin-spotted Quaker, a species that seems to be doing better here this year.

3x Common Quaker
8x Hebrew Character
1x Early Grey
1x Twin-spotted Quaker
 
I had another failed attempt at Light Orange Underwing today but saw a couple of Orange Underwings as well as Comma and Peacock butterflies.
 
I bought "British moths and butterflies" by Chris Manley on the recommendation of my CR. I must say, I'm quite impressed. The quality of the photos is excellent. There are 500 micro species so it's not really an ID guide but it should help steer one in the right direction.
 
I bought this book a couple of days ago and agree that itsa a great book. Handy just to cross reference an unsure ID.

this morning i had just a single Early Grey but it was a very fresh one, had a lovely purply pink quality to it. Wasn't expecting anything else as the temp went down to 0 C by midnight
 
It's good and worthy of purchase but WT&L is still the no1 for descriptions etc.

Last night saw a reasnable catch despite -2.8c this morning and a hard frost.

8x Hebrew Character
1x Common Quaker
1x Twin-spotted Quaker
1x Oak Beauty
 
Came across something odd whilst out on a local moorland patch. i disturbed a largish moth from some rush, it flew off a bit quick to get any detail on it but i'd say it was approaching the size of a Small Tortoiseshell and looks fairly dark. given the time of year and habitat there cant be many options, can there?
 
Emperor was my thinking. Cant really be anything else in my opinion.

This mornings catch was
3 Common Quaker
2 Early Grey
1 Hebrew Charactor (NFY)
 
Plenty of Orthosias about now:
Last night
common quaker 18
small quaker 126+
Hebrew character 2
clouded drab 2
March moth 1
Oak beauty 1

Ken
 
How do you catch so many Small Quaker? I've not caught a single on this year and only caught a couple last year.
 
Surreybirder said:
I bought "British moths and butterflies" by Chris Manley on the recommendation of my CR. I must say, I'm quite impressed. The quality of the photos is excellent. There are 500 micro species so it's not really an ID guide but it should help steer one in the right direction.
Click to expand...

Dear Ken

I'm interested to hear what it's like. I bought the earlier "trial" version (Moths of Trigon - which i believe you mentioned when it first came out) which has been relatively useful and enjoyable, so I look forward to getting that when I'm min the UK next week. Where did you buy it? In a bookshop like Waterstone's, or did you have to order it?

Of course, on this forum one always has Mike Wall's comments ringing in one's ears with these photo guides: that the detailed description is essential too (as bennybothyman agrees lower down)............... and you certainly do, but I also have Chinnery's 'Complete British Insects' (ha ha - "complete"??!!) photoguide, which has proved extremely helpful with moths and other insects - sometimes they're "just like that" in the wild, aren't they?

Best

David
 
black52bird said:
Dear Ken

I'm interested to hear what it's like. I bought the earlier "trial" version (Moths of Trigon - which i believe you mentioned when it first came out) which has been relatively useful and enjoyable, so I look forward to getting that when I'm min the UK next week. Where did you buy it? In a bookshop like Waterstone's, or did you have to order it?

Of course, on this forum one always has Mike Wall's comments ringing in one's ears with these photo guides: that the detailed description is essential too (as bennybothyman agrees lower down)............... and you certainly do, but I also have Chinnery's 'Complete British Insects' (ha ha - "complete"??!!) photoguide, which has proved extremely helpful with moths and other insects - sometimes they're "just like that" in the wild, aren't they?

Best

David
Click to expand...


Hi, David,
I bought the book from an online source (the Book repository via Amazon).
I agree with Mike's comments, and it put me off buying the book. But when Graham Collins told me that he had written a very positive review for Atropos I decided to get it. It's a delightful book to look at. I think that it could be a help for IDing macros and larvae and with the micros it will at least help with some of the more distinctive species. What's frightening is how few of the macros I get right when I look at the photos and then try and name them - I realise that I'm still a beginner. Of course it's easier IDing ones in your own garden because after a few years you have a good idea of what to expect and you know what the moths in your area tend to look like. The red chestnut is an example. If one of the drab Scottish ones turned up in my garden I'm sure that it would throw me.
Ken
 
Moth Id

I had my trap out for a while last night and had 1 Early Grey and this one. Can anyone tell me what is is please
 

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