Moths of April 2010 (1 Viewer)

[THE WANDERER]

Could someone tell me if this is Powdered Quaker please? I'm still unsure what the defining character is from Common Quaker.

 

[Bennyboymothman]

Yep that is Powdered Quaker, plainer appearance, more rounded wing shape and larger size.

 

[THE WANDERER]

Thanks Bennyboy!

 

[Surreybirder]

My female emperor failed to 'assemble' any males - and she has now laid some eggs, which would explain why.
I released her at Thursley Common this p.m. Perhaps the larvae will stand a fighting chance there.
Ken

 

[honeym]

Belated moth list from Saturday night (11 April) at the London Wetland Centre (not the best weather for trapping with a cold NE wind):

Hebrew Character 11
Brindled Beauty 1
Common Quaker 8
Early Grey 1
Clouded Drab 10
Small Quaker 1
Powdered Quaker 2
Satellite 1
Caloptilia populetorum 1

plus a new (and decent) site record in the form of a Tawny Pinion

Also one Eriocrania subpurpurella on the car when I arrived (probably disturbed from overhanging vegetation).

Martin

 

[Oleander]

I had an amazing night, or at least an amazing morning when I went through the catch. I left the trap on all night this time from 20.00 until 07.00 and got 165 moths! Have only got more moths than that once and that was in July! 2 new species that probably fly later at night, after I usually turn the traps off.

52 Hebrew Character
25 Clouded drab
20 Common Quaker
*19 Oak Beauty [nfy]
19 Chestnut
15 Yellow Horned
7 Small Quaker
4 Lead-coloured Drab
1 March Moth
1 Satellite
1 Twin-spotted Quaker
*1 Pale Pinion [nfy]

Probably some Powdered Quaker but I ID'd all as Common.

 

[Bennyboymothman]

The evening was clear and windy and the temperature went down to 4c this morning.
On inspecting the trap and egg trays, there was more than I expected.

Nice to see Dotted Chestnut again and an unusual Early Grey.

1x Dotted Chestnut [NFY]
1x Early Thorn
2x Clouded Drab
3x Small Quaker
22x Common Quaker
6x Hebrew Character
11x Early Grey

 

[dantheman]

Temperature was down to 5C last night (actuallly I presume it was a lot colder as when I took the gauge out of the battery box at 6.30am it dropped down to 3.5C!)

85 Moths of 11 species, including;

3 Early Moth
2 March Moth (nfy)
1 Clouded Drab - a more impressive beastie than I was expecting.

And 1 large burying beetle, Nicrophorous humator.

 

[Bennyboymothman]

Dan
It's abit late for Early Moth, you sure they weren't Sloe Carpet? perhaps?

 

[dantheman]

Dan
It's abit late for Early Moth, you sure they weren't Sloe Carpet? perhaps?

It's either an ongoing misid, or there's some kind of time shift going on down here ... or something. Sloe Carpet isn't meant to occur in Cornwall either.

 

[luke]

they are certainly Early Moths

 

[Bennyboymothman]

Agreed! thats a good late record though

 

[antshrike69]

The highlight for me last night was a pristine male Purple Thorn - very nice.

 

[The Hairy Highlander]

Got a new species last night in the form of an Early Grey....

 

[Oleander]

Surreybirder, I know you have reared an Oak Eggar larva and I found 3 of those a couple of days ago. Should I keep the container in sunlight or in shadow?

 

[Surreybirder]

Hi, Kalle
As far as I can remember, I kept the container in shade. I put some compost in the bottom of the container and a small drainage hole at the bottom. The larva pupated under the soil. I think that Harry is the expert on raising larvae, so if he's following this thread, he'll give good advice.
Ken

 

[Matelot birder]

Hi all

I picked up this Micro (I think) in My Dad's North London garden on about the
2nd April along with a single Common Quacker

Any ideas please

Mark C

 

[aeshna5]

Hi all

I picked up this Micro (I think) in My Dad's North London garden on about the
2nd April along with a single Common Quacker

Any ideas please

Mark C

It is a micro- Diurnea fagella.

 

[Oleander]

Hi, Kalle
As far as I can remember, I kept the container in shade. I put some compost in the bottom of the container and a small drainage hole at the bottom. The larva pupated under the soil. I think that Harry is the expert on raising larvae, so if he's following this thread, he'll give good advice.
Ken

I just needed to know if it survived in shadow. I have pretty small containers so they will blow over if they aren't sheltered from wind. I kept my two Eggars last year in shadow and they died. Probably not the death cause if yours survived.

Would be great to see 3 Oak Eggar next year

 

[Surreybirder]

I just needed to know if it survived in shadow. I have pretty small containers so they will blow over if they aren't sheltered from wind. I kept my two Eggars last year in shadow and they died. Probably not the death cause if yours survived.

Would be great to see 3 Oak Eggar next year

Yes, mine survived in shadow. I remember now... I had it in an ice-cream container with the top covered in mesh. I then left it in the garden under a roof-tile. As I said, I had a layer of compost in the bottom of the container. I kept feeding it until it went underground to pupate. Harry told me not to bring it indoors - they are used to the damp and the cold as that is what they experience in the wild. (Pic shows the end product!)
Good luck with your three.
Ken