Surreybirder's lep blog (1 Viewer)

[PaulK]

I'd say Epiphyas postvittana

 

[Surreybirder]

Thanks, Paul. Variable little moths aren't they!
Ken

 

[Surreybirder]

A much cooler night here last night and very few moths.
Blood-vein
willow beauty
grey pine carpet (2 I think, see below)
rhomboid tortrix (different from the last one)
lunar underwing
brindled green (2)
snout

was about it. (I only had the trap on till about 10.30 pm.)
Ken

 

[Surreybirder]

3 from last night

First barred sallow of the year.
Also, to my surprise, two footmen. I think one is hoary but what is the other? I was hoping for four-spotted until I read that it was twice the size of other footmen. It looks rather like buff but it's very late if it is!
Conditions were ideal last night (once the early rain stopped) but I only had the trap on for a couple of hours.
Ken

 

[Surreybirder]

Well, I posted the footman on UK-moths and also sent the photo to my CR. I've had three replies so far - buff, dingy and four-spotted. Looks like a case for dissection.
Ken

 

[PaulK]

Looks like a very late Buff to me. the blue on the wings stops short of the thorax in Four-spotted which I dont think is the case here. They are also noticably bigger. As you say though it may be a case for dissection.

 

[Surreybirder]

Thanks, Paul, I'm pretty convinced it's buff - and apparently another was taken recently just W of Crawley which is within about 10 miles of me.
I think that's my 8th hoary so far this year, which when you consider that it wasn't known from Surrey until a couple of years ago, is also quite remarkable. Many moths are declining in nos. but not all!
Ken

 

[Surreybirder]

29 Sept

A fairly unremarkable catch last night. Clear sky probably didn't help.
I did catch one very fresh Carcina quercana.

 

[Surreybirder]

Moth nos. have really dropped here.
I had:
large yellow underwing
lesser yellow underwing
black rustic
lunar underwing
blood-vein (getting quite late?)
snout
willow beauty
large ranunculus (new for year)
Endotricha flammealis
rush veneer
Ken

 

[Surreybirder]

I tried the actinic last night:
large yellow underwing
lunar underwing (2)
deep brown dart
silver-Y
common marbled carpet

Also, a micro flying around the house, which I'll try and photo when it calms down.
Now attached - possibly an Acleris sp.?
Ken

 

[Brian Stone]

Definitey an Agonopterix and I would plump for arenella.

 

[MikeWall]

Definitey an Agonopterix and I would plump for arenella.

Agree with arenella. Had exactly the same form of Acleris rhombana a week ago, which was the first time I'd seen that particularly striking variation - got me going for a couple of minutes (although it is illustrated in Razowski)!

 

[Surreybirder]

Thanks, Mike and Brian, I should have got that as I had one only a few weeks ago. How can you tell it's an Agonopterix. It cannot be that straight forward if Mike thought it was an Acleris for a few seconds!
Ken

 

[MikeWall]

Thanks, Mike and Brian, I should have got that as I had one only a few weeks ago. How can you tell it's an Agonopterix. It cannot be that straight forward if Mike thought it was an Acleris for a few seconds!
Ken

Eh? I was talking about the rhombana. The Agonopterix I knew! How can you tell? From its jizz it's "obviously" a depressariid (trust me ), so either Depressaria or Agonopterix sp. Experience really.

 

[Surreybirder]

Thanks for the explanation, Mike, not that it helps me much
Do you mean that you found an Acleris rhombana that was marked in the same way as the above A arenella?
Ken

 

[Brian Stone]

See post #183

 

[MikeWall]

See post #183

or even #179! OK, let's try again. What I meant was, the Acleris rhombana in #179 was like one I caught myself a couple of weeks ago, and I couldn't immediately place it. It is however a known form, and is illustrated is Razowski's Torticidae of Central Europe. The Agonopterix arenella is a common moth, and I am familiar with it (as, I'm sure, is Brian!).

:gn:

 

[Surreybirder]

Thanks, Mike, now I understand!
As the shop sign said, "You don't have to be mad to work here, we soon train you."

 

[Surreybirder]

7th October

It was slow last night with a full moon, clear sky, falling temp.
I did manage one new for the year: a figure of eight.
Also a pristine red-green carpet
common marbled carpet (I presume)
snout
brindled green
a worn (lesser?) yellow underwing

Ken

 

[Surreybirder]

I had a short session last night and caught my first satellite since April. I also saw my first Udea ferrugalis of the year when mowing the lawn, but didn't manage to photo it. Only other species were Blair's shoulder-knot and Acleris rhombana.
I should have left the trap on as the skies clouded over later and it's raining this a.m.
Ken