Field Trip - 23/04/19 - Hertfordshire

I made my second trip out with Trevor and Bill and we managed to set up the same amount of lights plus one extra MV Skinner Trap.
We positioned traps at the top end and centre of the wood, trying to target early Pine flying species once again.
Once all of the traps were set up and switched on, it was instant action and a sign of a prolific night ahead with calm and cloudy conditions. 
But.. as it sometimes goes, the temperature cooled off by around 11pm and we were left with clear skies and absolutely nothing seemed to be flying past midnight.
Therefore we decided to slowly pack up and go through the traps.


Some lovely species were observed, in quite small numbers but nevertheless the site list is growing considerably already and we are still in April!


Highlights of the larger moths for me were Lobster Moth, Clay Triple-lines and Ochreous Pug.


Micro moths were few and far between, except one species.
Gravitarmata margarotana was recorded in exceptional numbers, after only adding it to the Herts County list last week with 3 examples, two of my traps managed 16 in total! With 12 to the 250w Clear Mercury Lamp that was positioned high up on the cross-roads.

I will have to check the number of British records, but I think that 19 now for Hertfordshire is more than all of the other British records combined! 

Some were a little worn and indicated that they have been on the wing for awhile now. 

Another moth that grabbed my attention was an uncommon Birch feeding species, Epinotia tetraquetrana, a new moth for me. 
There aren't many records for Hertfordshire.

Below is the full list, there are several small Micro moth species pending identifications.

31 Macro and 17 Micro species recorded.

Total : 48 species

Catch Report - 23/04/19 - Hertfordshire - 1x 250w Clear MV Robinson Trap, 2x 125w MV Robinson Trap, 1x twin 20w Wemite Actinic & 40w Actinic Trap, 1x twin 15w Actinic (30w) & 1x 15w Synergetic Skinner Trap & 1x 160w Mercury Blended Robinson Trap - 6 traps in total + 4 extra traps provided by Trevor and Bill

Macro Moths

Brindled Pug 50
Chinese Character 1
Clay Triple-lines 1
Clouded Drab 10
Common Quaker 25
Coxcomb Prominent 1
Dwarf Pug 2
Early Grey 1
Early Thorn 1
Frosted Green 15
Hebrew Character 8
Least Black Arches 3
Lesser Swallow Prominent 3
Lobster Moth 1
Lunar Marbled Brown 54
Nut-tree Tussock 30
Oak-tree Pug 5
Orange Footman 1
Pebble Hook-tip 2
Pine Beauty 3
Powdered Quaker 1
Purple Thorn 10
Red-green Carpet 1
Satellite 1
Scalloped Hook-tip 2
Seraphim 2
Shuttle-shaped Dart 3
Small Quaker 2
Spruce Carpet 5
Twin-spotted Quaker 3
Waved Umber 2

Micro Moths

Acleris notana/ferrugana 1
Adela reamurella 1
Caloptilia alchimiella/robustella 1
Cameraria ohridella 1
Dyseriocrania subpurpurella 5
Emmelina monodactyla 1
Epinotia immundana 5
Epinotia tetraquetrana 1
Esperia sulphurella 1
Gravitarmata margarotana 16 
Nematopogon swammerdamella 10
Parornix sp 2
Phyllonorycter harrisella 1
Phyllonorycter quercifoliella 1
Phyllonorycter tenerella 2
Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella 1
Syndemis musculana 4

Coxcomb Prominent

Lobster Moth

Oak-tree Pug

Ochreous Pug

Seraphim

Phyllonorycter quercifoliella

Phyllonorycter harrisella

Pebble Hook-tip

Parornix sp

Gravitarmata margarotana

Gravitarmata margarotana

Gravitarmata margarotana

Epinotia tetraquetrana

Epinotia immundana very dark form

Clay Triple-lines

The first 6 Gravitarmata margarotana

Habitat