Almost got the year-list together with July’s updates but a few things left over from National Moth Night(s) that still need some attention and may add one or two.
A few steps back in July with re-identifications - a Coleophora lutipennella proving to be a Coleophora lusciniaepennella, a Eudonia mercurella proving to be a dark female Eudonia lacustrata and a Valerian Pug proving to be a small plain Grey Pug pegging me back to 579.
But then a few more steps forward with some gendet & other determination results of earlier captures adding Neofaculta ericetella, Dichrorampha plumbana, Pammene argyrana, Pammene albuginana, Pseudoswammerdamia combinella, Coleophora alticolella, Ectodemia albifasciella, Bucculatrix ulmella & Gypsonoma oppressana.
The best haul of the year on Thursday 3rd July on calcareous grassland and adjacent woodland added Coptotriche marginea, Yponomeuta plumbella, Monochroa cytisella, Sophronia semicostella, Archips crataegana, Ptycholomoides aeriferana, Agapeta zoegana, Zeiraphera isertana, Eucosma campoliliana, Gold Triangle, Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Catoptria margaritella, Lilac Beauty, September Thorn, Small Emerald, White Satin, Marbled Green, Slender Brindle, Brown-line Bright Eye, Clay, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Nemapogon clematella, Swammerdamia pyrella, Argyresthia spinosella, Argyresthia bonnetella, Elachista atricomella, Mompha miscella, Acleris ferrugana (presumed), Gypsonoma sociana, Rhodophaea formosa, Acrobasis advenella, Acrobasis suavella, Acrobasis consociella, Agriphila inquinatella, Catoptria pinella, Silky Wainscot and Small Dotted Buff from over 215 species.
Then on Saturday 5th July, Tyntesfield NT added Bird-cherry Ermine, Ypsolopha parenthesella, Agriphila straminella, Assara terebrella, Pyrausta purpuralis and Rivulet amongst about 120 species and some battery-operated actinics the same night in damp grassland and adjacent bird woodland added Helcystogramma rufescens, Pterophorus pentadactyla, Beautiful China-mark, Scallop Shell and Anania crocealis amongst about 60 species.
A pre-work morning trip on 8th July was rewarded with a female Lunar Hornet and Batchedra praeangustana in central Bristol and a Bristol Agonopterix scopariella bred by a friend.
The following weekend was spent at Trent Bridge where the crowd entertained themselves as a result of a dead pitch. But during this period and since, the gardens and a trap in habitat close-by have added a few things with Yponomeuta malinellus (presumed), Limnaecua phragmitella, Broom Moth, Rhyacionia buoliana, Shaded Broad-bar, Dingy Footman, Gothic, Bordered Pug, Slender Pug, Aethes rubigana, Round-winged Muslin, Elachista maculiserella, Northern Spinach, Gatekeeper, Pammene fasciana, Phalonidia affinitana, Lesser Cream Wave, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, True Lover’s Knot, Old Lady & Dusky Thorn.
A spontaneous decision to give Charmouth a crack with 5 MV’s overnight on Saturday 19th July resulted in a whole host of yearticks from over 150 species including White-point, Chalk Carpet, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Cloaked Carpet, Sharp-angled Carpet, Pebble Hook-tip, Acleris forskaleeana, Acleris variegana, Chevron, Brussels Lace, Crescent Dart, Ypsolopha dentella, Ypsolopha scabrella, Dark Spinach, Ear Moth, Saltern Ear, Least Yellow Underwing, Plain Golden Y, Bordered Straw, Roeslerstammia erxlebella, Schreksteinella festiniella, Brachmia blandella, Digitivalva pulicariae, Ypsolopha nemorella, Epermania aequidatellus, Elegia similella, Eudonia mercurella, Rusty-dot Pearl, Anarsia spartiella, Argolamprotes micella, Scoparia subpropinquella, Annulet, Dark Spectacle, Pediasia contaminella & Apotomis semifasciana.
With a Southern Grass Emerald having been caught the day before on Portland, after a breakfast roll and a coffee in Weymouth to wake up a touch, the decision was made to take advantage of Martin Cade’s kind hospitality at the observatory and this proved a remarkably good decision for the yearlist with Southern Grass Emerald, Dark Crimson Underwing, Splendid Brocade, Wormwood, Pammene trauniana, Subangled Wave, Helycostogramma lutatella, Pediasia aridella, Eudomis profundana, Monochroa palustrellus, Wall Brown, Metzneria lappella, Kent Black Arches, Oak Eggar, Dusky Sallow, Rosy Rustic, Anerastis lotella, Acrobasis repandana, Clepsis spectrana, Cydia amplana, Four-spotted & Bactra robustana.
Some friends popping into the observatory from Holt Heath overnight added Birch Mocha, Beautiful Brocade, Small Chocolate-tip, Horse Chestnut, Dingy Mocha, Dotted-border Wave, Marsh Oblique-barred, Four-dotted Footman, Aristocelana ericinella, Ancylis apicella, Epinotia brunnichana, Small Grass Emerald and Anacampsis blattariella. Pottering around whilst heading off Portland then added Chalkhill Blue, Cochylis roseana, Aethes tesserana, Chamomile Shark (caterpillar) and Eucosma pupillana - all in a real 12 hour shot in the arm for the totals!
Finally, a mid-week trip to take advantage of some kind hospitality to see an Oak Yellow Underwing in Bexhill-on-sea, Sussex yesterday led also to popping across to a see a friend at Dungeness and a deluge of additions from recent local activity and the remnants from one of his traps – Bedstraw Hawk-moth, Angle-striped Sallow, Jersey Tiger, Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing, Yarrow Pug, Grass Eggar, Sussex Emerald, Depressaria badiella, Agonopterix nervosa, Borkjausenia fuscescens, Cynaeda dentalis, Pediasia fascelinella, Bryotropha senectella, Neofriseria singula, Batia lambdella, Coleophora galbulipennella & Epinotia caprana.
So as at now, the leps year-list stands at 757 – 24 butterflies, 402 macros & 331 micros and the patch leps year-list stands at 519 – 19 butterflies, 296 macros & 204 micros. Four macro ticks in the year so far with Banded Pine Carpet, Aedia funesta, Southern Grass Emerald & Oak Yellow Underwing.
All the best
