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

N.E.London Orange Swift variation on a theme? (1 Viewer)

KenM

Well-known member
Just need confirmation on the ''Swift?'' please also last night a lifer for me, in the form of a Pine Hawk Moth, is this still a local species, or has it become more widespread since my bought (13 years ago) Lewingtons states.

Cheers
 

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Surely not a "swift"? Looks like Lunar-spotted Pinion to me.

I know a mothing survey last Wednesday in Walpole Park, Ealing on the west side of London caught a Pine Hawkmoth. There are several Pinus nigra in the park.
 
Surely not a "swift"? Looks like Lunar-spotted Pinion to me.

I know a mothing survey last Wednesday in Walpole Park, Ealing on the west side of London caught a Pine Hawkmoth. There are several Pinus nigra in the park.

That's what it is, I've had it in Notts a couple of times, much to the excitement of our recorder.
 
Just need confirmation on the ''Swift?'' please also last night a lifer for me, in the form of a Pine Hawk Moth, is this still a local species, or has it become more widespread since my bought (13 years ago) Lewingtons states.

Cheers

I even get Pine Hawk in Notts Ken, aong with Privet which used to have a much more Southerly bias.

A lot of statuses have changed.
 
I even get Pine Hawk in Notts Ken, aong with Privet which used to have a much more Southerly bias.

A lot of statuses have changed.

I’m having an extra sugar in my coffee later andy!, because the Pine Hawk Moth represented my 9th Hawkmoth species in 11 years, can’t see me breaking into double digits...cos the rest are pretty rare, always fancied “Oleander”...one can but dream.....:t:
 
I’m having an extra sugar in my coffee later andy!, because the Pine Hawk Moth represented my 9th Hawkmoth species in 11 years, can’t see me breaking into double digits...cos the rest are pretty rare, always fancied “Oleander”...one can but dream.....:t:

Well done, Ken...and thanks for making me count the Hawkmoths I've seen in the UK for the first time. I managed to count them on the fingers of both hands. But I did need all my fingers ;) I've got Death's Head, Striped and Silver-striped. Missing Lime, Pine and Bedstraw, for example.
 
Well done, Ken...and thanks for making me count the Hawkmoths I've seen in the UK for the first time. I managed to count them on the fingers of both hands. But I did need all my fingers ;) I've got Death's Head, Striped and Silver-striped. Missing Lime, Pine and Bedstraw, for example.

Cheers Graham, what made it particularly exciting was that ”pon lifting the trap cover (put on at 4am) I knew it was a lifer...but didn’t initially recognise it, and was puzzled as to why I couldn’t ID it, however a quick visit to Lewingtons resolved all.

PS the Poplar Hawk Moth from last Saturday was of the scarcer buff form?

Might be a potential split there, if it’s found to come from a different region :-O
or might that be construed as...clutching “bedstraws” ;)
 
Ken

Many colour forms are just part of the population and some at least are caused by temperature variations/shocks I believe.

On the basis that your nine in the garden are Convolvulus, Pine, Privet, Lime, Eyed, Poplar, Hummingbird, Elephant & Small Elephant, I would have thought your best bets are Striped or Bedstraw for number ten.

The two Bee Hawkmoths require you to go to them.

I need Willowherb for the set of 18 species currently on the list but Spurge & Oleander I've only twitched in (big) pots.

All the best
 
Well done, Ken...and thanks for making me count the Hawkmoths I've seen in the UK for the first time. I managed to count them on the fingers of both hands. But I did need all my fingers ;) I've got Death's Head, Striped and Silver-striped. Missing Lime, Pine and Bedstraw, for example.

That's a very odd Hawkmoth list you have there, DH, Striped andd SS but no Lime and no Pine!

I saw Death's Head at the airport at St Just. We were fogged in, waiting to twitch something or other and some birders, bought one to the Airport that they'd caught, to show around.

Bedstraw, only had that in Russia, came to the Petunia's on our balcony.
 
That's a very odd Hawkmoth list you have there, DH, Striped andd SS but no Lime and no Pine!

I saw Death's Head at the airport at St Just. We were fogged in, waiting to twitch something or other and some birders, bought one to the Airport that they'd caught, to show around.

Bedstraw, only had that in Russia, came to the Petunia's on our balcony.

Its all that time on Scilly, which is where I got Striped, during James Andrewes's stag weekend. I still need Narrow-bordered Bee, Willowherb, Spurge, Bedstraw and Silver-striped. Oleander at Dunge last year was one of the best wildlife things I've ever seen.

John
 
Its all that time on Scilly, which is where I got Striped, during James Andrewes's stag weekend. I still need Narrow-bordered Bee, Willowherb, Spurge, Bedstraw and Silver-striped. Oleander at Dunge last year was one of the best wildlife things I've ever seen.

John

I've seen a damaged (torn-winged) and worn Oleander! A mint one would be :eek!::eek!::eek!:

Not to compare to Graham's IOS Hawkmoths, mine were all from the same pot in the same position in the back garden (bar the HBHM which was on the Valerian in the front garden).

Cheers
 
Probably the best, European Hawkmoth?

I’d almost certainly agree with that andy but!.... suddenly seeing a big “pink” Elephant Hawk morphing out of the “black” at 11.30pm last night with the play of the patio halogen almost luminescing it, whilst evading an oncoming Pipestrelle as it threaded through the Ash tree was pretty amazing! :eek!:
 
I’d almost certainly agree with that andy but!.... suddenly seeing a big “pink” Elephant Hawk morphing out of the “black” at 11.30pm last night with the play of the patio halogen almost luminescing it, whilst evading an oncoming Pipestrelle as it threaded through the Ash tree was pretty amazing! :eek!:

I was skim reading as usual and thought you'd used playback!!!!
 
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