Welcome

Hello and welcome to my moth Blog. I now reside in a small village in East Cambridgeshire called Fordham. My Blog's aim is to promote and encourage others to participate in the wonderful hobby that is Moth-trapping.
Moth records are vital for building a picture of our ecosystem around us, as they really are the bottom of the food chain. They are an excellent early indicator of how healthy a habitat is. I openly encourage people to share their findings via social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
So why do we do it? well for some people it is to get an insight into the world of Moths, for others it is to build a list of species much like 'Twitching' in the Bird world. The reason I do it....you just never know what you might find when you open up that trap! I hope to show what different species inhabit Cambridgeshire and neighbouring counties.
On this Blog you will find up-to-date records and pictures.
I run a trap regularly in my garden and also enjoy doing field trips to various localities over several different counties.
Please also check out the links in the sidebar to the right for other people's Blogs and informative Websites.
Thanks for looking and happy Mothing!

KEY

NFY = New Species For The Year
NFG = New Species For The Garden
NEW! = New Species For My Records

Any Species highlighted in RED signifies a totally new species for my records.

If you have any questions or enquiries then please feel free to email me
Contact Email : bensale@rocketmail.com

My Latest Notables and Rarities

Wednesday 30 May 2012

Catch Report - 26/05/12 - Balls Wood, Hertford


About 12 or so people turned up for this first official trip of the year. The weather had been hot and sunny for the previous week and at last the nights were warm - not freezing cold! There was a stiff easterly breeze, but in the wood we scarcely noticed it. A total of 7 mv lamps were operated from generators from 21.30 hours until 04.30 the following morning, though only three of us camped out until dawn, with most people heading for home by about 01.00 hours.   


Interestingly, of the 64 macro species caught, 13 species were caught only in that later period between 01.00 and 04.30. One was recorded as a larva crawling across the sheet - presumably having fallen from the overhanging Hornbeam branches.


The macro moth highlight was probably POPLAR LUTESTRING of which we had several. The micros bring the total up to 91 species (with 3 species still outstanding - awaiting genitalia dissection). Best by far is EPINOTIA NANANA (book page 230) which has not been seen in Hertfordshire since 1966 and which I labelled as probably extinct here. The caterpillar feeds on Spruce.

In the following list those marked with an asterisk (*) were named by genitalia dissection. Numbers are approximate. If anyone can remember anything that I have not listed do please let me know.

Catch Report - 26/05/12 - Balls Wood, Hertford - 7x 125w Robinson Traps

26th May 2012: Balls Wood, Hertfordshire: TL 3410 
  
FULL LIST


 
Eriocrania subpurpurella 1
 
Common Swift few

Emmetia marginea 2


Incurvaria oehlmanniella 5

Nemapogon cloacella *  2

Monopis weaverella  4


Tinea trinotella 2

 
Caloptilia robustella 2

Swammerdamia caesiella * 1

Elachista argentella 1


Esperia sulphurella  3

Agonopterix arenella * 1

Teleiodes vulgella 1

Carpatolechia proximella 2

Teleiodes luculella few

Phtheochroa inopiana * few

Cochylis nana * 2

Syndemis musculana 1

Capua vulgana * few

Eulia ministrana sev

Cnephasia communana * 1

Celypha lacunana 1

Ancylis mitterbacheriana 2

Ancylis laetana  5

Epinotia subocellana * 2

Epinotia tenerana * 1

Nut Bud Moth 1


Epinotia nanana  * 1

Epiblema cynosbatella 3

---- Scoparia – probably ambigualis (awaiting dissection) many

Peach Blossom 1

Poplar Lutestring sev

Maiden's Blush 2

Cream Wave sev

Red Twin-spot Carpet 2

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet 1

Silver-ground Carpet sev

Common Carpet 1

Small Phoenix 2

Red-green Carpet 3

Spruce Carpet 2

Broken-barred Carpet 2

Green Carpet sev

Mottled Pug sev

Common Pug few

Brindled Pug 1

Dwarf Pug few

Treble-bar 1

Small White Wave 3

Seraphim sev

Clouded Border 1

Peacock Moth 1

Tawny-barred Angle 2


Scorched Wing 1

Brimstone Moth 1

Scalloped Hazel 3


Peppered Moth 1

Waved Umber 2

Pale Oak Beauty few

Brindled White-spot 1

Common White Wave 2

 
White-pinion Spotted 1

Clouded Silver 1

Light Emerald 3

Lime Hawk-moth 1

Poplar Hawk-moth 6

Puss Moth 1

Poplar Kitten 1

Iron Prominent 2


Pebble Prominent 2


Lesser Swallow Prominent 1

Coxcomb Prominent 1

Pale Prominent 3

Chocolate-tip 5

Lymantriidae

Pale Tussock 4

Orange Footman sev

White Ermine 1

Buff Ermine 1

Muslin Moth 2

Cinnabar 1

Least Black Arches 3

Flame Shoulder 1

Twin-spotted Quaker larva on sheet

Pale Pinion 3

Poplar Grey 1

Brown Rustic 1

Rustic Shoulder-knot 1

Treble Lines 2

Marbled White Spot few

Green Silver-lines 1

Nut-tree Tussock few


Buttoned Snout 1




      




Pale Pinion












Poplar Kitten












Treble-bar











Cream Wave










Dwarf Pug










Epinotia subocellana










Ancylis laetana










Ancylis mitterbacheriana









 
Capua vulgana











Carpatolechia proximella












Cochylis nana











Lime Hawk-moth

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