Some moths I record in my garden

Half-cocked

After 2 evenings in the garden shed calling upon long dormant woodworking skills, I have completed my first attempt at a moth trap! It disassembles in seconds for ease of transport, but will it work? Should I replace the clear panels with non-transparent materials? If the rain holds off, the first test run will take place tonight.

littlebug

Excellent work Half-cocked. If it works I'll put in an order! Be sure to share the results with us.

edited to add a question...is it water/ rain proof or will you have some sort of cover?

Half-cocked

littlebug wrote: »

is it water/ rain proof or will you have some sort of cover?

The electrics are rainproof, but water would run into the trap and soak the eggs boxes and moths (if it catches any!). It'll either be for dry nights, or set up under a big parasol.

Mothman

That looks really well H-c
Under a parasol is a good idea and probably won't reduce catch may even enhance it! Damp nights are good for moths. Back to the trap. Is the bulb a UVA bulb. Does it shine blueish?
The one consideration about the trap are vertical flaps along both sides of opening. This helps hold in moths when they fly down the clear sheets to opening. It looks from photo they are not built in. The clear sheets are preferable to solid sheets.

LB, wine ropes do work. They can be great in the absence of natural nectar particularly into the Autumn. If you're garden is full of herbs, buddleia etc then the response is not so good. Earwigs and other things like them as well and if you've half a bottle left over.....:)

Half-cocked

Hi Mothman, yes the light is UVA. I haven't built in vertical flaps - do you mean along each side of the slot? If so, how deep would you recommend? The slot is 2" wide and 19" long.

littlebug

Never sure whether to post these in this thread, the photo thread or otherwise?
Anyway... oak eggar possibly (I'm only guessing that as it's similar to one I described here last year which Mothman suggested might be oak eggar).



Eta... i may have brightened the pic a bit too much. It looked a lot darker in the flesh.

Fuzzy Clam

littlebug wrote: »

Never sure whether to post these in this thread, the photo thread or otherwise?
Anyway... oak eggar possibly (I'm only guessing that as it's similar to one I described here last year which Mothman suggested might be oak eggar).



Eta... i may have brightened the pic a bit too much. It looked a lot darker in the flesh.

Very similar to the White Ermine that i saw here a few days ago.

mymo

Mothman, I was at a friends the other night and the kids came screaming down the stairs that there was a bat in their room.
Off I went and found the biggest moth I ever saw, it looked a bit like the poplar hawk moth you posted on page 2, but its wings were open like a butterfly(2 up, 3 down) and the bottom pair of wings had what I can only describe as tails?
It was brown and grey, various shades in between in blotches, and had a smooth curved body(greenish brown), large at the head and narrow to the tail, which curved upwards.
Sorry no pic as their dog tried to grab it and it escaped out the window before we could get a pic.
Any idea what it was?

artieanna

This is probably a very common moth I came across today.
This thread is really super!!

Half-cocked

artieanna wrote: »

This is probably a very common moth I came across today.
This thread is really super!!

'tis a butterfly - a small tortoiseshell. Here's 2 moths below I need help with, can't find them in my field guide:

Mothman

littlebug wrote: »

Never sure whether to post these in this thread, the photo thread or otherwise?
Anyway... oak eggar possibly (I'm only guessing that as it's similar to one I described here last year which Mothman suggested might be oak eggar).

Yes this is Oak Eggar.

White and Buff Ermine both have hairy caterpillars and are often seen late summer early Autumn

Mothman

mymo wrote: »

Mothman, I was at a friends the other night and the kids came screaming down the stairs that there was a bat in their room.
Off I went and found the biggest moth I ever saw, it looked a bit like the poplar hawk moth you posted on page 2, but its wings were open like a butterfly(2 up, 3 down) and the bottom pair of wings had what I can only describe as tails?
It was brown and grey, various shades in between in blotches, and had a smooth curved body(greenish brown), large at the head and narrow to the tail, which curved upwards.
Sorry no pic as their dog tried to grab it and it escaped out the window before we could get a pic.
Any idea what it was?

I'll admit, I'm struggling, but I do think it is most likely Poplar Hawk-moth in flight rather than resting posture as in photo you referred to.
What part of the country?

Mothman

Half-cocked wrote: »

Here's 2 moths below I need help with, can't find them in my field guide:

White-line Dart and Rosy Minor.

Mothman

Half-cocked wrote: »

Hi Mothman, yes the light is UVA. I haven't built in vertical flaps - do you mean along each side of the slot? If so, how deep would you recommend? The slot is 2" wide and 19" long.

Yes along side each slot and the big flaps meet them at bottom.
About 1 1/2 or 2" wide is good.

mymo

Mothman wrote: »

I'll admit, I'm struggling, but I do think it is most likely Poplar Hawk-moth in flight rather than resting posture as in photo you referred to.
What part of the country?

Rural county Kilkenny, near a wood, open farm land and rivers and bog land.
I thought the pic was quite like it alright, but the one I saw looked slightly different, colours weren't as muted and as I said the lower pair of wings had tails if you get me.
Was bloody big too.

Mothman

I'm keen to understand what you mean by tails.
Something like this Swallow-tailed Moth

Location makes an immigrant less likely.

mymo

Mothman wrote: »

I'm keen to understand what you mean by tails.
Something like this Swallow-tailed Moth

Location makes an immigrant less likely.

Yes, but bigger tails than that one. Really wish I'd got a pic before dog chased it away.
OK now to really confuse things....
This pic is closest thing I could find online to show the shape I mean. [IMG][/img]

Colours are all wrong in the pic though. Wings all had ragged edge like the hawk moth, not sure how big but would estimate 10cm across.

F.R.

Haven't been able to Id this one I found in the house last night. Was about 5 cm wingtip to wingtip.
Picture quality isn't great .
If Mothman or anyone else could shed some light would be much appreciated.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pS8g1BezO7l-WM65vPpAVw?feat=directlink

Mothman

F.R. wrote: »

Haven't been able to Id this one I found in the house last night. Was about 5 cm wingtip to wingtip.
Picture quality isn't great .
If Mothman or anyone else could shed some light would be much appreciated.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pS8g1BezO7l-WM65vPpAVw?feat=directlink

This is a Willow Beauty

artieanna

Just saw these threads on Biology great looking caterpillars


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=67197888#post67197888



http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055986778

Half-cocked

Can't I.D. this one:

Half-cocked

Some pics below of some of the moths I caught last night. Not sure if I have I.D.'d them correctly.


Above: Either a Common or a Smoky Wainscot?



Above: A male Dot Moth?




Above 2: A female Dot Moth????

Mothman

Half-cocked wrote: »

Can't I.D. this one:

A long english name Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, I prefer the scientific name Noctua janthe thouhg in my notes I write LBBYU

Mothman

Half-cocked wrote: »

Some pics below of some of the moths I caught last night. Not sure if I have I.D.'d them correctly.

Either a Common or a Smoky Wainscot?

Smoky Wainscot

A male Dot Moth?
.....A female Dot Moth????

Both Common Rustic agg.

agg. meaning aggregate

Aggregate meaning a group of species that cannot be determined from external features, in this case either Common Rustic or Lesser Common Rustic

littlebug

Half-cocked wrote: »

Some pics below of some of the moths I caught last night. Not sure if I have I.D.'d them correctly.

Your home made trap is obviously working well?

Half-cocked

littlebug wrote: »

Your home made trap is obviously working well?

Reasonably well. We're not catching huge quantities, but plenty of variety.

littlebug

I finally got round to trying this and it worked (if you call 1 moth a success ). My first wine rope (sock) moth!




Dark arches maybe?

Mothman

littlebug wrote: »

I finally got round to trying this and it worked (if you call 1 moth a success ). My first wine rope (sock) moth!

Dark arches maybe?

It is Dark Arches and well done

It may be worth having a look at Buddleia. Have butterflies by day and moths by night.
Also there are plenty Silver Y about in my patch during the day and at dusk. They seem particularly fond of perennial Sweet Pea.

littlebug

Thanks Mothman.

There were a few others around but they got spooked before I got close.
I have/ had a buddleia but my over-zealous planting has meant it has become smothered this year and hasn't done well at all. I need to re-think that particular corner but with a few young blackbirds hanging out there just now I'll leave it be a while.

Tip for anyone thinking of trying the wine rope. Don't leave them out overnight or at the latest take it in first thing in the morning. Seeing hundreds of wasps hanging on to one sock just outside the kitchen window is a bit unnerving :rolleyes::o

Mothman

littlebug wrote: »

Thanks Mothman.

There were a few others around but they got spooked before I got close.

A bright light/torch will spook them, so if you are using one trying a less bright one.

Also note how the eyes are reflective - only when they are active