Some moths I record in my garden

littlebug

I can't figure this one out. The closest I see is the lunar yellow underwing (which I can't see on the moths Ireland website) or lesser yellow underwing or large yellow underwing (most likely) but doesn't quite seem to fully match any of them.

the wasps hung around all weekend and I paid the price for my stupidity in the form of a nice sting :rolleyes:

Edited to add: a bit further research tells me its highly unlikely to be a lunar yellow underwing. I'm sure Mothman will know at a glance!

Mothman

It is Large Yellow Underwing. Very common and very variable in colour ranging from very light to almost black.

Half-cocked

Is this a Copper Underwing?


Also had a few Silver Y's tonight, first time this year.

Mothman

Yes, it's Copper Underwing.
Plenty Silver Y in garden by day, mostly favouring a Perennial Sweet Pea

littlebug

At about 8am alongside Lough Corrib there was a huge swarm of small black (I think) moths. There were thousands of them! I didn't stop long enough to look properly (plus they were fast movers so getting a good look was difficult). They were fairly confined to a small enough area and when I think of it now I don't remember running through them (closing mouth!) when I was back at that spot an hour later so they must have moved on/ over.


At a brief glance at one that was on the ground they did look like this one http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=150 (Adelea Reaumurella) which I later found by googling Moths + Swarm! The time of year seems wrong though.
Any idea what they night have been? Why the swarming? Is it species specific/ time of year?

Mothman

I'd be fairly confident that they wern't moths but a species of Bibionid Fly. They seem to be quite abundant this year.

littlebug

Mothman wrote: »

I'd be fairly confident that they wern't moths but a species of Bibionid Fly. They seem to be quite abundant this year.

Really? They seemed very moth-like rather than fly-like (and bigger) but then again as I said I only glanced and got through them as fast as I could.

Mothman

littlebug wrote: »

Really? They seemed very moth-like rather than fly-like (and bigger) but then again as I said I only glanced and got through them as fast as I could.

Off hand I can't think of any moth species that would have a mass emergence at this time of year and would be swarming, so my suggestion was based on my recent observations here in Wicklow, which is neither beside lake or in west. I can't help unravel the mystery any further.

wgsten

They could be Sedges (Caddisflies) as they were near a lake.
wgsten
http://www.irishflyfisher.ie/

littlebug

Apologies Mothman I shouldn't expect you to id something based on a vague description of something I barely glanced at

Thanks Wgsten they could have been anything! I went back down there at the same time this morning armed with camera but there was no sign of them. From now on I think I'll keep an old camera in the car permanently.

wgsten

Hi littlebug here is a photo of the bibionidae fly that is abundant at the moment is this the fly you seen?


wgsten
http://www.irishflyfisher.ie/

littlebug

wgsten wrote: »

Hi littlebug here is a photo of the bibionidae fly that is abundant at the moment is this the fly you seen?

hmm... I'm doubting my own memory now:rolleyes: I know when I looked at the moth picture I mentioned above it was instant recognition in terms of the wing shape (which I don't get with your picture) but I hadn't noticed any antennae (but wasn't looking closely). I managed to massacre a load of flies earlier in the week in the car which were probably the bibionidae but these critters seemed a bit bigger and the visible wing flapping was the main reason I thought moth rather than fly. It makes more sense that they were the bibionidae... the sheer amount of them probably made them look bigger than they were. That's two big swarms of them I've run into this week though this lot fared better than the first

Mothman

littlebug wrote: »

Apologies Mothman I shouldn't expect you to id something based on a vague description of something I barely glanced at

Thanks Wgsten they could have been anything! I went back down there at the same time this morning armed with camera but there was no sign of them. From now on I think I'll keep an old camera in the car permanently.

No worries
I think Caddisflies being a possibility is good suggestion

trebor28

mothman,
found 3 of these caterpillars on an apple tree today, didnt see anything on this thread and couldnt find anything on the net.
sorry bout the bad quality, twas camera phone.


really interesting fella, very bright distinctive colours.

Mothman

trebor28 wrote: »

mothman,
found 3 of these caterpillars on an apple tree today, didnt see anything on this thread and couldnt find anything on the net.

sorry bout the bad quality, twas camera phone.
really interesting fella, very bright distinctive colours.

It is quite hard getting good photos of caterpillars with a good camera.
This is a Grey Dagger

I found about a dozen of these on a little Rowan Tree and they had stripped the tree bare. I actually transferred then to another tree

The one in photo looks fully grown and will soon wander off to pupate, usually in the soil. The adult will emerge next Summer.

trebor28

thats the one mothman,
its mad to think that a really bright colourful caterpillar can turn into a black and white moth.
not that its a boring moth or anything just that its a complete colour change.

trebor28

wgsten wrote: »

Hi littlebug here is a photo of the bibionidae fly that is abundant at the moment is this the fly you seen?


wgsten
http://www.irishflyfisher.ie/

these effers are everywhere.
every wall, tree, vehicle etc is covered in them. the spiders dont know what to do with all the flies stuck in their webs!

Half-cocked

Caught this strange creature last night - some sort of Plume moth. Can it be ID'd from this pic? I'm afraid it flew off before I could get a better one.

trebor28

another one for ya mothman....
bad photo that is....



hes a light lime green with white hairs sticking out.
hes got two yellowy horns in his back with a black segment in between.
and then has a redy orangey tail.
had a quick search myself but couldnt find anything.

Black Heart

I think it's the caterpillar of the pale tussock moth (Dasychira pudibunda)

trebor28

Black Heart wrote: »

I think it's the caterpillar of the pale tussock moth (Dasychira pudibunda)

wouldnt mind seeing him in the flesh. looks like an interesting fella from mothmans early photos

Black Heart

Half-cocked wrote: »

Caught this strange creature last night - some sort of Plume moth. Can it be ID'd from this pic? I'm afraid it flew off before I could get a better one.

That could be Emmelina monodactyla (Morning glory plume moth), but I stand to be corrected.

trebor28 wrote: »

wouldnt mind seeing him in the flesh. looks like an interesting fella from mothmans early photos

Yes, it's strange how such beautiful things are rarely seen by most people.

Durnish

Have to admit defeat in Id ing this, but...
sand dunes, Sheskinmore reserve,






Nearest thing in moth book is Golden Pulsia, a rare migrant.

Mothman

Durnish wrote: »

Have to admit defeat in Id ing this, but...
sand dunes, Sheskinmore reserve,

One of the Ear species Amphipoea species needs dissection to determine species.

I agree with all the identifications given above by Black Heart

Durnish

Thanks, Mothman.
Must find out all about them, now.

Cul a cnoic

Hi Mothman,
Any idea what type caterpillar this is? It is eating its way through a fuchsia while I'm typing. Its about 8cm long.. Excuse the photo quality, photo was taken about 9pm with the macro and flashlights.....

splish

Cul a cnoic wrote: »

Hi Mothman,
Any idea what type caterpillar this is? It is eating its way through a fuchsia while I'm typing. Its about 8cm long.. Excuse the photo quality, photo was taken about 9pm with the macro and flashlights.....

Looks like an Elephant Hawk-moth

Cul a cnoic

Thanks splish, think your 100% there.

Mothman

It is. Once I read fuschia and the length of it, this is what my money was on.

Cul a cnoic

Thanks Mothman