Garden Moths 2012

Half-cocked

Trap seems to be full of Epiphyas Postvittana tonight, but did spot a nice Early Thorn nearby:



and also this rather menacing looking lady:

littlebug

White Shouldered House Moth in the house gave me the chance to see how the new lens coped with the micros. The angle was awkard (had to stand on tippy toes ) and there was a shadow but not too bad. Have to work on getting the focus right but I'm looking forward to seeing more detail on the small things over the next few months
Have the actinic out tonight.
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littlebug

What is it about Angle Shades and my front door I spotted one right on the door frame as I was leaving this afternoon but then forgot about it and my daughter must have brushed into it as we were coming in again as we then spotted on her coat inside. So this one actually made it in
That's 2 of the moths and 2 of the caterpillars that have been at the front door (and never anything else) or maybe the same one all along

In the trap (at the back of the house) last night 4 Hebrew Characters and 2 clouded Drab.

Half-cocked

littlebug wrote: »

What is it about Angle Shades and my front door I spotted one right on the door frame as I was leaving this afternoon but then forgot about it and my daughter must have brushed into it as we were coming in again as we then spotted on her coat inside. So this one actually made it in
That's 2 of the moths and 2 of the caterpillars that have been at the front door (and never anything else) or maybe the same one all along

In the trap (at the back of the house) last night 4 Hebrew Characters and 2 clouded Drab.

Maybe they like the colour of your door?:D

thebishop

Id this micro please.Thinking it might be.Dipleurina lacustrata? But it seems to be the wrong time of year.

Mothman

thebishop wrote: »

Id this micro please.Thinking it might be.Dipleurina lacustrata? But it seems to be the wrong time of year.

A related species. the narrow wing shape distinguishes this. It is Eudonia angustea.

Be careful of stated flight seasons for 2 reasons. Due to the recent weather, we are seeing species that are usually out in May!
Also not all guides are correct.
For example, Ukmoths for E. angustea states

late flight period, from July well into the late autumn

Actaully E. angustea seems to be double brooded withthe first brood usually May/June. This has been brought forward this year with the weather, but even in past years it has been seen in March

thebishop

Thanks again Mothman (well chosen username)
4c here last night 9 moths.
Eudonia angustea x 1
March moth x 1
Ingrailed x 1
Brndled Pug x 1
Hebrew Character x 2
Chestnut x 2
Light brown apple moth x 1.

Half-cocked

I had 3 species - Early Grey, Common Quaker and Hebrew Character. 4.1C.

Half-cocked

Is this a White-shouldered House Moth? Looks like the one in Littlebugs pic above.

thebishop

A friend say a Hummingbird hawk moth yesterday. Wondering would it have survived here for the winter?Or would it have migrated this early?

littlebug

nice drizzly night for moth trapping

I had nothing last week.. not one moth. I had way more this time last year on even on colder nights . I have various theories on why this might be but I'll see what happens tonight.

thebishop

Friday nights big catch.
Light Brown apple Moth x 1
Hebrew Character x 1
Small Quaker x 1

Half-cocked

I've never recorded a Small Quaker in my garden but everyone else seems to be catching them. I'm wondering if I need to look a bit more closely at all the Common Quakers I'm recording...

littlebug

low numbers again for me on friday
1x hebrew character
1x clouded drab
1x powdered quaker

littlebug

Just one Hebrew Character on Friday night. Really need the nights to warm up a bit. Funny I've had more moths on the few nights Ive had the actinic light out than with the MV. Don't know if it's just coincidence and the nights were just more favourable. Might put the actinic out tonight again.

thebishop

Friday nights catch.Temp +2C.
Hebrew Character X 3
Clouded Drab X 1
Chestnut X 1.

littlebug

How'd everyone do last night? I have the trap out tonight instead... overcast and drizzly at the minute.

thebishop

Very heavy rain here early in the night,Showers later. Temp 5c.
The only Moths that seemed to like that kind of weather were Hebrew Characters.Had 4 of them and nothing else.

Mothman

The weather this month has been very poor for recording moths. I'm getting low numbers as well.

And about Small Quaker, outside of mature woods they are not especially common. I think you'll know when you see it.

My catch this morning

1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 1
2186 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) 8
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 1
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 6
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 15
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1

Quite frosty here now.

Edit, oops removed the Garden Tiger larva from list. Nothing to do with trap

Half-cocked

GMS night:

3 Early Greys
3 Common Quakers
3 Hebrew Characters

littlebug

nothing again

Half-cocked

3 Hebrew Characters last night. 5 deg C. Wonder when things will really take off?

thebishop

2Hebrew Characters here. Temp -1.5c. January weather.

Half-cocked

Can anyone ID this little micro moth please? It is about 10mm long and a bit faded. I've boosted the contrst and saturation a bit to bring up the detail. Also got my first Angle Shades of the year last night:D

Mothman

It's not a micro!!

In other words, it's in your macro-moth book.

I'll leave it at that for now

Half-cocked

Mothman wrote: »

It's not a micro!!

In other words, it's in your macro-moth book.

I'll leave it at that for now

Right. And there I was squinting through my micro book. Explains why I didn't find it.

Half-cocked

Mothman wrote: »

It's not a micro!!

In other words, it's in your macro-moth book.

I'll leave it at that for now

Least Black Arches???

Mothman

Half-cocked wrote: »

Least Black Arches???

That's the one

littlebug

Half-cocked wrote: »

Least Black Arches???

Well done. I wouldn' t have got it. Still can't find my book. I'm stumped Just as well I've had no moths to identify

Half-cocked

littlebug wrote: »

Just as well I've had no moths to identify

That should all change soon, nights are getting milder.