14th July 2012: Rye Meads RSPB Nature Reserve, Herts

14^th July 2012: Rye Meads RSPB Nature Reserve, Herts

This was our input to the “Bioblitz” organised by the RSPB on their nature reserve.  The night session was combined with a trap opening the following morning when we were accompanied by a hordes of kids who had camped out in the visitor centre overnight. So, we drove in the Landrover to the farthest point of the reserve and set out the first light - a Robinson trap that we planned to ignore until the morning. Just as we pulled the cord on the generator the rain started. We drove back towards the visitor centre, dropping off lights as we went, but by the time number three was running the rain was so heavy that we thought the sky had collapsed. Nine of us spent 20 minutes huddled in the Landrover until we remembered that there was a coffee machine in the visitor centre .... so off we went to use it. An hour later, after having also taken on board a free baked potato with beans and cheese, kindly provided by the RSPB volunteers, we decided that the rain had passed and set off out again to put up another three light traps. The rain did hold off, apart from a few spots, but in the morning it was clear that the first three traps had caught rather more than the last three. Could this be habitat? Or could it be that the moths flew just before the rain? RSPB staff ran another trap near the visitor centre catching just one species (Agonopterix alstromeriana) that we did not see in our own traps.

Joan Childs, the RSPB Reserve Manager and also a Herts Moth Group member, has asked me to convey her thanks to those who turned up and helped out with the event (and her apologies to Roger, who got locked out of the car park!).  A total of 103 species was recorded, plus 1 pug and 2 tortrix, currently with other people, still to be named. The number sounds good, but in a “normal” year we might easily record 100 macros rather than needing the micros to get the numbers up. There was, unsurprisingly, a good complement of wetland species. Those marked * in the list were named by genitalia dissection. Two species were recorded as pupae (noted in the list). As seems to be the norm this year, most species were represented by single figure numbers, though Southern wainscot seemed more plentiful than others.  I gather that the youngsters who "helped" to open that traps in the morning were suitably impressed by the catch - especially the hawk moths!  Perhaps my future replacement as County Recorder might be amongst them? The full list is below.

Depressariidae

0695   Agonopterix alstromeriana (Clerck, 1759)                                   

Gelechiidae

0819   Scrobipalpa costella (Humphreys & Westwood, 1845)            

0866   Brachmia blandella (Fabricius, 1798)                                           

0868   Helcystogramma rufescens (Haworth, 1828)                              

Blastobasidae

0874   Blastobasis lacticolella Rebel, 1940                                             

Tortricidae

0926   Phalonidia manniana (Fischer von Röslerstamm, 1839) *        

0937   Agapeta hamana (Linnaeus, 1758)                                               

0972   Pandemis heparana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)                 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix

0993   Clepsis spectrana (Treitschke, 1830)                                            Cyclamen Tortrix

0998   Epiphyas postvittana (Walker, 1863)                                           Light Brown Apple Moth

1010   Ditula angustiorana (Haworth, 1811)                                            Red-barred Tortrix

1032   Aleimma loeflingiana (Linnaeus, 1758)                                        

1063   Celypha striana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)                       

1076   Celypha lacunana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)                   

1082   Hedya pruniana (Hübner, 1799)                                                    Plum Tortrix

1086   Hedya salicella (Linnaeus, 1758)                                                  

1115   Ancylis achatana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)                   

1159   Rhopobota naevana (Hübner, 1817)                                             Holly Tortrix

1175   Epiblema uddmanniana (Linnaeus, 1758)                                     Bramble Shoot Moth

1178   Epiblema roborana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)                 

1201   Eucosma cana (Haworth, 1811)                                                    

1205   Spilonota ocellana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)                   Bud Moth
           Lobesia abscisana

Crambidae

1290   Chilo phragmitella (Hübner, 1805)                                                

1292   Calamotropha paludella (Hübner, 1824)                                      

1293   Chrysoteuchia culmella (Linnaeus, 1758)                                    Garden Grass-veneer

1328   Schoenobius gigantella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)         

1329   Donacaula forficella (Thunberg, 1794)                                        

1344   Eudonia mercurella (Linnaeus, 1758)                                           

1354   Cataclysta lemnata (Linnaeus, 1758)                                            Small China-mark

1376   Eurrhypara hortulata (Linnaeus, 1758)                                         Small Magpie

Pyralidae

1424   Endotricha flammealis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)            

1439   Trachycera advenella (Zincken, 1818)                                         

1470   Euzophera pinguis (Haworth, 1811)                                             

Pterophoridae

1504   Platyptilia pallidactyla (Haworth, 1811)                                       

Lasiocampidae

1640   Euthrix potatoria (Linnaeus, 1758)                                                Drinker

Thyatiridae

1652   Thyatira batis (Linnaeus, 1758)                                                     Peach Blossom

1653   Habrosyne pyritoides (Hufnagel, 1766)                                       Buff Arches

Geometridae

1669   Hemithea aestivaria (Hübner, 1799)                                              Common Emerald

1682   Timandra comae (Schmidt, 1931)                                                   Blood-vein

1690   Scopula imitaria (Hübner, 1799)                                                     Small Blood-vein

1699   Idaea rusticata Lempke, 1967                                                         Least Carpet

1702   Idaea biselata (Hufnagel, 1767)                                                     Small Fan-footed Wave

1705   Idaea fuscovenosa (Goeze, 1781)                                                  Dwarf Cream Wave

1713   Idaea aversata (Linnaeus, 1758)                                                    Riband Wave

1738   Epirrhoe alternata (Müller, 1764)                                                   Common Carpet

1758   Eulithis pyraliata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)                      Barred Straw

1777   Hydriomena furcata (Thunberg, 1784)                                         July Highflyer

1802   Perizoma affinitata (Stephens, 1831)                                             Rivulet

1862   Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Haworth, 1809)                                   Double-striped Pug

1887   Lomaspilis marginata (Linnaeus, 1758)                                        Clouded Border

1906   Opisthograptis luteolata (Linnaeus, 1758)                                   Brimstone Moth

1907   Epione repandaria (Hufnagel, 1767)                                              Bordered Beauty

1917   Selenia dentaria (Fabricius, 1775)                                                  Early Thorn

1921   Crocallis elinguaria (Linnaeus, 1758)                                            Scalloped Oak

1922   Ourapteryx sambucaria (Linnaeus, 1758)                                     Swallow-tailed Moth

1931   Biston betularia (Linnaeus, 1758)                                                  Peppered Moth

1937   Peribatodes rhomboidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)      Willow Beauty

1955   Cabera pusaria (Linnaeus, 1758)                                                   Common White Wave

1956   Cabera exanthemata (Scopoli, 1763)                                             Common Wave

Sphingidae

1981   Laothoe populi (Linnaeus, 1758)                                                   Poplar Hawk-moth

1991   Deilephila elpenor (Linnaeus, 1758)                                              Elephant Hawk-moth

Lymantriidae

2030   Euproctis similis (Fuessly, 1775)                                                   Yellow-tail

2031   Leucoma salicis (Linnaeus, 1758)                                                  White Satin

Arctiidae

2035   Thumatha senex (Hübner, 1808)                                                    Round-winged Muslin

2044   Eilema griseola (Hübner, 1803)                                                      Dingy Footman

2047   Eilema complana (Linnaeus, 1758)                                                Scarce Footman

2049   Eilema depressa (Esper, 1787)                                                        Buff Footman

2050   Eilema lurideola (Zincken, 1817)                                                    Common Footman

2061   Spilosoma luteum (Hufnagel, 1766)                                              Buff Ermine

2064   Phragmatobia fuliginosa (Linnaeus, 1758)                                   Ruby Tiger

2069   Tyria jacobaeae (Linnaeus, 1758)                                                  Cinnabar

Noctuidae

2089   Agrotis exclamationis (Linnaeus, 1758)                                       Heart and Dart

2098   Axylia putris (Linnaeus, 1761)                                                       Flame

2102   Ochropleura plecta (Linnaeus, 1761)                                            Flame Shoulder

2107   Noctua pronuba Linnaeus, 1758                                                   Large Yellow Underwing

2109   Noctua comes Hübner, 1813                                                          Lesser Yellow Underwing

2126   Xestia c-nigrum (Linnaeus, 1758)                                                  Setaceous Hebrew Character

2128   Xestia triangulum (Hufnagel, 1766)                                              Double Square-spot

2160   Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)                                            Bright-line Brown-eye

2192   Mythimna conigera ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)                 Brown-line Bright Eye

2197   Mythimna straminea (Treitschke, 1825)                                       Southern Wainscot

2198   Mythimna impura (Hübner, 1808)                                                 Smoky Wainscot

2199   Mythimna pallens (Linnaeus, 1758)                                              Common Wainscot

2318   Cosmia trapezina (Linnaeus, 1758)                                                Dun-bar

2321   Apamea monoglypha (Hufnagel, 1766)                                        Dark Arches

2322   Apamea lithoxylaea ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)                 Light Arches

2336   Apamea ophiogramma (Esper, 1793)                                            Double Lobed

2361   Hydraecia micacea (Esper, 1789)                                                   Rosy Rustic

2368   Celaena leucostigma (Hübner, 1808)                                            Crescent

2369   Nonagria typhae (Thunberg, 1784)                                               Bulrush Wainscot (as pupae in reed stems)

2371   Archanara dissoluta (Treitschke, 1825)                                       Brown-veined Wainscot

2373   Archanara sparganii (Esper, 1790)                                                Webb's Wainscot (as pupae in reed stems)

2381   Hoplodrina alsines (Brahm, 1791)                                                 Uncertain

2382   Hoplodrina blanda ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)                  Rustic

2387   Caradrina morpheus (Hufnagel, 1766)                                          Mottled Rustic

2391   Chilodes maritimus (Tauscher, 1806)                                            Silky Wainscot

2434   Diachrysia chrysitis (Linnaeus, 1758)                                          Burnished Brass

2441   Autographa gamma (Linnaeus, 1758)                                           Silver Y

2450   Abrostola tripartita (Hufnagel, 1766)                                            Spectacle

2469   Scoliopteryx libatrix (Linnaeus, 1758)                                           Herald

2477   Hypena proboscidalis (Linnaeus, 1758)                                       Snout

2489   Zanclognatha tarsipennalis (Treitschke, 1835)                           Fan-foot

2492   Herminia grisealis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)                    Small Fan-foot

Bordered Beauty

Chilo phragmitella

Schoenobius gigantella (male)

 

Donacaula forficella

Helcystogramma rufescens

Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana