Surreybirder's lep blog (1 Viewer)

[Surreybirder]

I don't think anyone will be too jealous of last night's catch: 1 pale brindled beauty.
But I did see a small tortoiseshell in our garden this morning.

 

[Pete Haynes]

I don't think anyone will be too jealous of last night's catch: 1 pale brindled beauty.
But I did see a small tortoiseshell in our garden this morning.

Hi Ken,

Not a sniff here of any moths despite the usual conservatory lights. Didn't put the traps out as the forecast was -2C (2C at 18.00). It turned out to be +2.8C but with quite a ground frost (8.4C at 18.00).

Spent the day yesterday dissecting July Coleophoras with two new species for me identified - C. flavipennella and C. saxicolella. Also had C. albitarsella and C. serretella.

Just about to start on some June samples.

All the best

Pete H

 

[Surreybirder]

Nice red admiral in the garden today.

 

[Surreybirder]

18 Feb

March moth was a first for the year.
Only others trapped were:
pale brindled beauty 2
spring usher 4
chestnut
Plus a small micro indoors, too small to photo.
Ken

 

[charly streets]

Plus a small micro indoors, too small to photo.
Ken

Hi Ken,

Just a wild stab in the dark, but could it have been Mompha subbistrigella, a small micro, but where I am it's the commonest moth I find in and around the house in late winter/early spring.

Charly.

 

[Surreybirder]

Hi, Charly, that looks very close - a new one for me if confirmed. Thanks. Ken

 

[Surreybirder]

21 Feb

I put my actinic out last night and managed a grand total of three moths - but two were new for year, a dotted border and a micro (which looks a bit like Phycita roborella but I don't know what it is).
BTW did anyone see 'Nature Diary' yesterday on BBC1? I just happened to see a few minutes when they were opening a moth trap at Portland Bill. They spent ages discussing the silver-Y and failed to mention some very interesting looking species that included Jersey tiger and at least one that I didn't recognise.
Ken

 

[MikeWall]

... and a micro (which looks a bit like Phycita roborella but I don't know what it is).
BTW did anyone see 'Nature Diary' yesterday on BBC1? I just happened to see a few minutes when they were opening a moth trap at Portland Bill. They spent ages discussing the silver-Y and failed to mention some very interesting looking species that included Jersey tiger and at least one that I didn't recognise.
Ken

...let me guess, not Diurnea fagella by any chance?

Re the beeb prog, didn't see it but doesn't surprise me.

Mike

 

[Surreybirder]

...let me guess, not Diurnea fagella by any chance?

Mike

I'd forgotten about the poss. of fagella this early in the year. It doesn't look like the ones on your site but I know it's variable. I'll show it to my CR.
Ken

PS The supposed Mompha 'escaped' after spending at least one night in the freezer. Some of these micros must be tough!

 

[Surreybirder]

I know what you're going to say, but that's the best I can do.

 

[Brian Stone]

What's the scale Ken?

 

[Surreybirder]

Sorry, I should have said: the squares are 4mm, so the beast is about 11mm long.
Ken

 

[Oenanthe]

How about Tortricodes alternella ?

Damian

 

[MikeWall]

How about Tortricodes alternella ?

Damian

That IS Tortricodes alternella!

Mike

 

[Surreybirder]

Thanks, guys. In that case, I'll release it back into the wild.
Ken

 

[Surreybirder]

Mike wasn't far out in his timing as I had my first Diurnea fagella of the year last night (pale form). It was very mild and I had 16 moths of 8 species:
T alternella
fagella
small quaker (c3) - new for year
common quaker (c6)
pale brindled beauty (2)
chestnut
satellite
spring usher

Ken

 

[Surreybirder]

The Acleris sp (in Jan) turned out to be ferrugana - a new one for my garden.
I went to a meeting of Surrey moth recorders last night and was impressed by the turn-out of 30+. Jim Porter was trying to get everyone into gear for the fieldwork needed for the forthcoming micro atlas for Surrey. I was impressed by how much work has already been done. It should be a very good book when it's finished.
I was pleased to meet one or two notable (b)s including Pete Haynes! There were a couple of notable (a)s there, too, but I won't do any name-dropping.
I was the 'baby' of the group, I think, in terms of experience - especially with micros.
Ken

 

[Pete Haynes]

The Acleris sp (in Jan) turned out to be ferrugana - a new one for my garden.
I went to a meeting of Surrey moth recorders last night and was impressed by the turn-out of 30+. Jim Porter was trying to get everyone into gear for the fieldwork needed for the forthcoming micro atlas for Surrey. I was impressed by how much work has already been done. It should be a very good book when it's finished.
I was pleased to meet one or two notable (b)s including Pete Haynes! There were a couple of notable (a)s there, too, but I won't do any name-dropping.
I was the 'baby' of the group, I think, in terms of experience - especially with micros.
Ken

Hi Ken,

Good to meet you the other night. It was a good meeting especially from the point of view of putting faces to names.

Most of the Acleris ferrugag/notana turn out to be ferrugana here. Out of 70 last year only three were notana and the first of these was caught on 29th June. The others were on 4th July and 17th October. This year I've had 4 ferrugana, all in February. Looking at the similarity of the photos it really is not possible to identify them without gen dets. The good side is that they are one of the easiest and quickest to separate by gen det, both males and females.

All the best

Pete H

 

[Surreybirder]

Hi Ken,

Good to meet you the other night. It was a good meeting especially from the point of view of putting faces to names.

Most of the Acleris ferrugag/notana turn out to be ferrugana here. Out of 70 last year only three were notana and the first of these was caught on 29th June. The others were on 4th July and 17th October. This year I've had 4 ferrugana, all in February. Looking at the similarity of the photos it really is not possible to identify them without gen dets. The good side is that they are one of the easiest and quickest to separate by gen det, both males and females.

All the best

Pete H

Hi, Pete,
I still don't really understand why I get so few micros, even allowing for the fact that my site is not as productive as yours. I can only assume that my trap doesn't retain them all. But if I get any more Acleris I'll retain any that look as if they could be notana.
I gather that Graham is going to send out Minutes of the meeting which will be helpful. Some of the documentation had run out by the time I got to the front
I've been looking through the Surrey Micro list (dated 2005) and seem to have had a couple that are not in there... as no doubt have you.
I have suggested that one of the field trips might be to Hedgecourt, which is near me (bittern there at the moment!) though I don't think I have the know-how to 'lead' it other than to give directions.
Cheers
Ken

 

[Surreybirder]

6 Feb

I had two nights last week when the rain started within minutes of the trap being switched on. I had a lot of water but no moths!
Tonight was different. There were about 30 moths in and around the trap. I didn't do an accurate count but approx nos were:
small quaker (20)
common quaker (10)
satellite (1)
Oak beauty (2) new for year.