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Autumn mothing (1 Viewer)

I've had a few migrants in the trap this autumn here at Titchfield Common, notably Pearly Underwing and an unexpected Oak Rustic, a first for the garden.

Dave W
 
I've been taking notice of insects for the past three/four summers but 2018 is the first time I've allowed this interest to extend into the autumn birding season. I'm glad I did. Long term Scilly moth-ers Dave Grundy and Robin Hemmings reported their best-ever season with several real rares in a British context. I saw the third Wedgling for UK (but it was too flighty for me to press for photos), a Dark Mottled Willow (less than 30 records, not photo'd cos it wasn't pretty enough) and some micro (20th for UK) with Zincsomething in its specific name (and two raised 'palps).

Waiting for me when I arrived on St Agnes in late September was a Marbled Beauty (photo one). Not having photo'd some of the common late autumn regulars before I then had fun with (in order) Feathered Ranunculus (Scilly form) Cypress Carpet and Black Rustic.
 

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Next, I was handed a Death's Head Caterpillar on the point of entering the chrysalis stage, a process it completed over the course of two or three days (photos one and two). Then we have a Clancy's Rustic, a male Gem (never did see a female) and a Red-line Quaker.
 

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And lastly, the best of the lot: a Silver-striped Hawkmoth caught on St Mary's that elicited a punch of the air from me next morning when I heard it was being shipped to St Agnes in exchange for a view of the Wedgling.
 

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Graham

Very nice selection. I must make an effort for a Wedgeling. A coloniser of Atlantic islands (I believe) so I am guessing that potential origin as with a number of our recent Monarchs.

Of course, photo one post 42 you mean Beautiful Marbled or Eublemma purpurina as it was known when Martin Cade identified it for the first time in Britain (August 2004). One of a few that I saw back then when they simply had a scientific name and one of a few that Martin identified only to be robbed of a first because someone identified an earlier one as a result of his identification.

My patch Silver-striped Hawkmoth from May 2011 attached attracted to a trap run overnight at the top of a quarry looking down the Severn Estuary in a southerly set in case of migrants. It was well away from anywhere allowing me to let out a celebratory bellow when I turned over the egg tray!

All the best

Paul
 

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I've had a few migrants in the trap this autumn here at Titchfield Common, notably Pearly Underwing and an unexpected Oak Rustic, a first for the garden.

Dave W

Oak Rustic has occurred a couple of times in Somerset this week including the first for the Bristol region. It is also appearing in East Anglia so generally expanding.

Personally not much of note though I finally got Yellow-line Quaker for the autumn so that attached together with a Red-line comparison and a Shoulder-knot comparison.

All the best

Paul
 

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Yes, Paul. I still get Beautiful Marbled and Marbled Beauty the wrong way round, both of them new for me this year. Thanks for providing some backstory to the first of the former for UK, didn't realise it was quite that recent. There were three on St Agnes this year over the course of three nights.
 
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