March Moths (3 Viewers)

[Pete Haynes]

Last night (29th)

As usual I watched the 24 hour weather forecast on Sky BBC24 hour news, usually very good, and, despite the fact that it forecast heavy rain and wind during the evening I still put out 3 traps, leaving the one site vulnerable to the wind unused. The actinic on the back lawn had its vanes and rain lid blown off some time after 11.00 it was so windy. Anyway, unbelievably, it turned out to be a good night with 143 moths of 15 species - we are surrounded by large Oaks and Beeches plus a great variety of conifers providing a fair amount of shelter:

Yellow Horned (6)
March Moth (2)
Oak Beauty (10)
Dotted Border (1)
Small Quaker (62)
Common Quaker (6)
Clouded Drab (1)
Twin-spotted Quaker (2)
Hebrew Character (15)
Satellite (2)
Chestnut (31)

Ypsolopha ustella (1)
Tortricodes alternella (2)
Acleris cristana (1)
Unid'd Acleris (1) - still to be photographed. Not one I've had this year.

Yesterday I had 2 unid'd Acleris that I'm pretty sure aren't ferrugana, possibly notana. They were fresh and lacked the scale tufts. When I have time I will examine them a bit closer.

Can you remind me whether there is a way of separating female Clouded and Lead-coloured Drabs? Disappoiningly, my recently arrived MBGBI does not have the gen dets.

Alex, I had 19 Diurnea fagella last year in March (16) and April (3) but haven't seen hide nor scale of one this year!

All the best
Pete H

 

[Brian Stone]

After picking 4 moths off the kitchen window yesterday evening I was expecting better than the 5 Common Quakers, Clouded Drab (year first) and Hebrew Character that were in the 125W MV skinner this morning but then it did get wet and windy in the night. The Twin-spotted Quaker and 3 A. heracliana/ciliella at the kitchen window were year firsts.

 

[Brian Stone]

Can you remind me whether there is a way of separating female Clouded and Lead-coloured Drabs? Disappoiningly, my recently arrived MBGBI does not have the gen dets.

Wing shape is probably going to be the best indicator. Tricky but one of the pics on my ID page shows it.
http://brianhstone.fireflyinternet.co.uk/drabs.htm

 

[Pete Haynes]

Wing shape is probably going to be the best indicator. Tricky but one of the pics on my ID page shows it.
http://brianhstone.fireflyinternet.co.uk/drabs.htm

Thanks Brian. I've found my copy of your pages stored on my PC last year. The male is relatively easy, the female not so, although your pictures show a marked difference in wing shape. I'll have a closer look at last night's moth, which is still in the fridge.

Thanks
Pete H

 

[Pete Haynes]

Missing March species this year (cf 2005)

Following on from the last two nights, there are a number of missing
moths this year from the list caught last year plus, of course, the
reduced numbers. List below with first caught date last year, March
unless stated, in brackets:

Brindled Pug (15th)
Early Tooth-striped (17th)
Early Thorn (26th)
Brindled Beauty (26th)
Red Chestnut (25th)
Pine Beauty (22nd)
Pale Pinion (20th)

Eriocrania subpurpurella (29th)
Ypsolopha mucronella (26th)
Diurnia fagella (18th)
Semioscopis alvellanella (24th)
Agonopterix scopariella (17th)
Agonopterix heracliana (4th Feb)
Acleris literana (19th)
Emmelina monodactyla (9th Feb)

Food for thought. Down to the grotty weather.

Pete H

 

[AlexWinser]

No trap again tonight, the weather is just so rubbish at the moment!

 

[Cuckoo-shrike]

Try and be patient Alex. In a couple of months you'll have so many moths you'll be completely overwhelmed.

 

[Surreybirder]

As the weather was 'grot' I put my actinic out - actually it was not that bad, just wet and breezy. I didn't get many moths, mostly small and common quakers, plus one March moth, one clouded drab and an unknown micro (though I probably should know it. The squares are 4mm, if anyone can help.)
Ken

 

[Brian Stone]

Can't see a micro but the first one there is Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata.

 

[Surreybirder]

Can't see a micro but the first one there is Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata.

thanks, Brian. I'd got there myself this a.m. Somehow last night I hadn't focused on the fact that pugs would be emerging now.
Ken

 

[Pete Haynes]

Last night (30th)

Ken - is that moth no 6 of yours a Double-striped Pug? It's the right size and time of year. Crossed wires here - just seen Brian's reply!

Last night wasn't as bad weather wise as the previous two and it was warmer at 8.7C, though the catch was down. 121 moths of 12 species with the Actinic catching more than any of the 3 125 MVs! 44 of 8 species compared with 19 (5), 36 (8) and 19 (4). All the usual suspects with another Acleris notana/ferrugana to be id'd - piccie below.

Brian, I have attached 3 piccies,1 from yesterday and two from last night. I would have them down as Clouded Drab. What do you reckon on the wing shape. I'm still having trouble with these.

Also attached what I have down as an Acleris hastiana from yesterday.

All the best
Pete H

 

[Angus T]

Wicklow VCH20 List 30th March 17 species inc migrants

Hadn't run the traps since the bumper catch of couple weeks back. The day had highest temp of month, some showers and wind.
Temp overnight started at 11C, dropping down to 6C at dawn. It was quite breezy all night which had a big impact on numbers but has bought some migrants.

Garden MV exposed to wind. 30 moths 6 species
Farmyard MV fairly sheltered 82 moths, 11 species
Garden actinic fairly sheltered near a sallow. 87 moths, 11 species including
the 2 migrants.

0663 Diurnea fagella 2
0697 Agonopterix arenella 1
1053 Acleris hastiana 1
1398 Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella) 1
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 2
1926 Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria) 1
1930 Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) 1
2091 Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 6
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 57
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 50
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 4
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 50
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 17
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 1
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 3
2469 Herald (Scoliopteryx libatrix) 1

 

[Brian Stone]

Only the middle one looks possible for Lead-coloured on wing shape but I wouldn't like to say for sure.

 

[Brian Stone]

Wasn't worth the juice last night. Just 3 moths and one of them was a retrap.

 

[MikeWall]

Brian, I have attached 3 piccies,1 from yesterday and two from last night. I would have them down as Clouded Drab. What do you reckon on the wing shape. I'm still having trouble with these.

Also attached what I have down as an Acleris hastiana from yesterday.

All the best
Pete H

I would have them all as Clouded Drab, LCD is a 'squatter', generally smaller moth (not that size can be told from a photo of course) - a case of, if you get one, you know it. Looks like A.hastiana too.

Mike

 

[Pete Haynes]

I would have them all as Clouded Drab, LCD is a 'squatter', generally smaller moth Mike.
Only the middle one looks possible for Lead-coloured on wing shape but I wouldn't like to say for sure.

Thanks Brian/Mike. I couldn't justify a Lead-coloured . I'll look out for that 'something different'.

All the best
Pete H

 

[Surreybirder]

A few quite decent sized larvae about now. I saw both a large yellow underwing and an angle shades when gardening yesterday.
Ken

 

[AlexWinser]

Single Hebrew Character last night, not aided by the wind and rain, again.

Alex

 

[Brian Stone]

This is really turning into a rotten year for spring moths. Only 4 species again last night and that's only because two came to the kitchen window.
Clouded Drab, 2
Common Quaker, 1
Diurnea fagella, 1, very dark melanic form
Agonopterix heracliana/ciliella, 1

Recorded 10 species here this March compared to 25 in 2004 and 30 in 2005.

Forcast for next week is for freezing nights again here.

Brian
(grumpy moth'er)

 

[Angus T]

Wicklow VC H20 traplist 31st Mar 2006 24 species

From 2 traps instead of 3. 14 of the species I didn't get the previous night.
It was cooler with temp starting at 9C and dropping to 5C. Main difference was the much light wind.

Garden 125w MV Skinner 96 moths of 15 species
Garden 15w Actinic Skinner 133 moths of 18 species.
individual trap lists below overall list.

0670 Depressaria daucella 1
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
0701 Agonopterix ocellana 2
1044x Acleris ferrugana/notana 1
1053 Acleris hastiana 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 2
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 5
1746 Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) 3
1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 2
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 1
1881 Early Tooth-striped (Trichopteryx carpinata) 1
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 12
1930 Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) 1
1934 Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 2
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 60
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 39
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 60
2236 Pale Pinion (Lithophane hepatica) 2
2237 Grey Shoulder-knot (Lithophane ornitopus lactipennis) 6
2241 Red Sword-grass (Xylena vetusta) 1
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 24
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 1
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1




15w Actinic list
0670 Depressaria daucella 1
1053 Acleris hastiana 1
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 2
1746 Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) 2
1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 2
1881 Early Tooth-striped (Trichopteryx carpinata) 1
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 2
1930 Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 2
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 48
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 21
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 31
2236 Pale Pinion (Lithophane hepatica) 1
2237 Grey Shoulder-knot (Lithophane ornitopus lactipennis) 4
2241 Red Sword-grass (Xylena vetusta) 1
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 12
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 1
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1



125W MV
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
0701 Agonopterix ocellana 2
1044x Acleris ferrugana/notana 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 2
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 3
1746 Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) 1
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 1
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 10
1934 Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 12
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 18
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 29
2236 Pale Pinion (Lithophane hepatica) 1
2237 Grey Shoulder-knot (Lithophane ornitopus lactipennis) 2
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 12