May 2008 moths (1 Viewer)

[Brian Stone]

Well it's a phycitinid (Pyralidae: Phycitinae). I quite like the look of Pempeliella dilutella. What do others think?

 

[hkmoths]

Hong Kong; Lam Tsuen Valley - 17th May

Good to see that the numbers of moths (and postings) are finally picking up in Europe.

In Hong Kong we are now just past the first peak of species richness (late April) - saw 270 species in a little over three hours at the end of April (not at home though!). Had the trap out on the roof on the 17th, with a more manageable 110 species recorded overnight (though there are a few "extras" still to process, so the actual total will be closer to 115 species. A collage of the nicest photos (also viewable as separate large images on my Flickr site) and the species list are added as attachments f.y.i.

cheers, Roger.

photo:
top row (left to right)

Spiralisigna subpumilata (Geometridae, Larentiinae, Eupitheciini)
Chadisra bipartita (Notodontidae)
Enpinanga assamensis (Sphingidae, Macroglossinae)​

bottom row (left to right)

Herpetogramma licarsisalis (Crambidae, Spilomelinae)
Omiodes indicata (Crambidae, Spilomelinae)
Hemithea tritonaria (Geometridae, Geometrinae, Hemitheini)​

 

[Brian Stone]

I'm still not running a trap in current conditions - been either too cold or too windy, or both, for good results in the garden. Ground frost last night.

Might give tonight a go as the forecast is a bit better - milder but windy again.

 

[black52bird]

Well it's a phycitinid (Pyralidae: Phycitinae). I quite like the look of Pempeliella dilutella. What do others think?

Thanks for that, Brain

I've checked the pictures on ukmoths, Mick's site, jeffhiggot, mothsplus, observatoire-environment and nrm.museum, all of which it is illustrated on, and read Goater's description and looked at his picture, and I think you're spot on.

So thanks for my first new species of the year...!!

Best

David

 

[Brian Stone]

I'm still not running a trap in current conditions - been either too cold or too windy, or both, for good results in the garden. Ground frost last night.

Might give tonight a go as the forecast is a bit better - milder but windy again.

Well that was a waste of resources. Just 3 moths this morning: Muslin Moth, The Lychnis and Cabbage Moth.

 

[martinf]

3 more than me Brian

 

[hkmoths]

looks like you're getting ready for the forthcoming National Moth Night - just 17 days (nights) away. It seems that it doesn't matter what time of year this annual event is held, the weather does its best to turn it into a cold and damp non-event.
Hoping that you get two weeks of warm southerlies to boost the circulation and get those moths into action by 7th June!

cheers, Roger.

 

[Nerine]

Hoping that you get two weeks of warm southerlies to boost the circulation and get those moths into action by 7th June!

Oh let's hope so! Cold ENE wind here at the moment and, like Martin, I had zero moths in the trap last night!

I spent last week in North Brittany where the weather was thundery. No moth trap but several moths flew to the outside light including a gorgeous Scarce Hook-tip, new for me.
Chocolate-tip and Brown Silver Line were also new ones.
During the day I saw two day-flying moths:
Speckled Yellow and Burnet Companion.
I couldn’t get close enough to get decent photos though.

Others that came to the light included
Green Carpet
Pale Tussock (after torrential night rain!)
Cinnabar
2 carpets which I’m putting in the id section
Least Black Arches (I think) It was on the side of our car which I spotted just as we were leaving!

There were lots of butterflies around but I’m not good at photographing them. However I did get this Checkered Skipper which I was rather pleased about having never seen one before so I'll include it with the moths.

Nerine

 

[Surreybirder]

Nice photos, Nerine. The scarce hook-tip is a stunner and nothing like the pic in W & T.
I would buy least BA though I can see why you hesitated!
Ken

PS It's been cold (min 3 deg C) and full moon with clear skies here for the last three nights so I haven't even tried. But I might put the trap on tonight while I'm watching the footy

 

[Nerine]

Thanks Ken. Actually the scarce hook-tip did look a bit darker in real life; my photo came out rather light but it shows up the markings so well. It really was lovely - almost tropical looking!
I'm tempted to put out the trap again tonight as the wind has died down now. But no footy for me.

Nerine

 

[luke]

started to catch a few again now after the colder weather, last night got me 2 new for the garden, small pheonix and a broad barred White. also i had 1 powdered Quaker and 3 shuttle shaped dart. Also got a pug thingy. might post a pic if i get desperate.

 

[Nerine]

Cloud cover and a rise in temp of just a few degrees makes quite a difference! With no moths at all yesterday, today I had 15 species, 6 new for the year.

New for me were:
Chinese Character (rather worse for wear)
Sharp-angled Peacock (I think)

New for the year were:
Common White Wave
Lime-speck pug
Burnished Brass
Yellow-barred Brindle

Amongst others was a Pale Tussock with quite different markings to those I’ve seen before.

Nerine

 

[Nerine]

Here's the Pale Tussock and I suppose I had better put in the other new one for me which looks awfully miserable.:eek!: And for the fun of it, a close up of Burnished Brass!
Nerine
ps. Later I found another that had escaped - nfy, mullein wave.
Storms and heavy rain forecast for next few days.:-C

 

[luke]

a few of my good nights so far have been when its rained. why is this? is it just because if it is going to rain, it will be cloudy which increases the temp?

 

[Brian Stone]

Moths seem to prefer it warm and muggy and aren't discouraged from flying by light rain so you're about right.

 

[Surreybirder]

I checked the trap after the penalty shoot-out but I think that most of the moths had stayed indoors to watch Man U.
I had six moths:
common marbled carpet 2 (nfy)
green carpet
brimstone
common white wave (nfy)
silver-ground carpet (nfy)

I haven't had a Noctuid for ages!
Ken

 

[Brian Stone]

8 species last night. Better than recently but still hardly worth getting up for. I paid more attention to the German Wasp than the moths. Last time I saw a big German Queen was in Hamburg 3

1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1961 Light Emerald (Campaea margaritata) 1
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) 2
2063 Muslin Moth (Diaphora mendica) 1
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2450 The Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 1
Black Sexton Beetle (Nicrophorus humator) 1
Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) 4
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) 1
German Wasp (Vespula germanica) 1

 

[MikeWall]

Conversely, I had my best night of the year, with 31 species, included the second Tawny Pinion of the year (and ever), and this to an actinic Robinson - having given the MV, and the neighbours, a night off. I suspect the total would have been over 40 with the MV.

Mike

 

[luke]

last night produced a Garden Carpet, 2 shuttle shaped dart, and these two which took me a while but i think they are Clouded bordered Brindle and a common marbled carpet?

sorry about the pics, i quickly took them this evening in the rain and my computer made the one look a bit richer than it actually was.

 

[black52bird]

Budapest, too

Friends

You're all exclaiming about good catches, last night and even here
I managed:
My fourth Portland Ribbon Wave of the year
My first ever (hooray) Scorched Carpet
Two Willow Beauties... (an old friend.....!!!)
One micro with a name like Monospilis capitespillus....... But anyway that tiny one with the yelow tuft on its head, which I never remember the Latin for an which has no English name. You know what I mean, don't you!!

Anyway 4 spp in a night is a 2008 record...HOOORAY!!!!!!!!! We're getting there!!!!!!!!!

Best

David
(PS I have photographic evidence if anyone wants to see)