Micro Moth Madness

It certainly was that here last night.

Even before it got dark, there was lots of activity around the garden, and I netted several new species for the year.

With a warmish but overcast day of around 21 degrees and cloud thickening towards darkness, it was going to be good.

The only problem was the blasted wind, a keen breeze blowing from the South-west (I know this because I have a rather helpful neighbour whom has a windvane on top of their bungalow, at the bottom of the garden). 

Yes, the wind... was quite gusty and this did affect the numbers of moths to the trap last night. 

The mild conditions of around 14 degrees minimum did not though, and there was plenty of interest around the trap up until midnight when I decided to turn in.

Best moth of the dusk netting was a super Cydia inquinatana, a rare moth and which seems to be confined to the eastern counties, a new moth for me.

I know of over 20 records in Norfolk, over 40 in Suffolk, 4 here in Cambs (all at the same site) and a couple in Hertfordshire (Welwyn Garden City, T.Brownsell). 

So yes, rather a mega for the garden, a wanderer maybe, or is it resident here amongst the mature(ish) Maples we have at the front of our house.

Whilst dusk netting, a Hummingbird Hawk-moth buzzed over the garden, fed from next door's honeysuckle momentarily and then zoomed off, another tick for the garden.

New macro moths for the year included Double Square-spot, Swallow-tailed Moth & Uncertain.

The micros however, stole the show once more! with at least 13 new species added to the garden list, some crackers as well such as the striking Epiblema foenella (with it's horse-shoe dorsal marking), Aethes tesserana and Celypha rosaceana/rufana, the latter is causing me a headache to identify, and has been retained for further scrutiny.

Once again, netting before sundown is proving really good, better if it is calmer with less wind but always worth it, so give it a go!

Moth garden list for 2022 stands at 323 species

09/06/22 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths

Double Square-spot 1 [NFG]
Hummingbird Hawk-moth 1 [NFG]
Swallow-tailed Moth 1 [NFG]
Uncertain 1 [NFG]
Buff Ermine 1
Buff-tip 2
Burnished Brass 1
Clouded Silver 1
Common Footman 1
Common Swift 1
Common Wainscot 1
Coronet 1
Elephant Hawk-moth 3
Figure of Eighty 1
Flame 1
Garden Carpet 2
Green Pug 5
Heart & Dart 1
Large Nutmeg 1
Large Yellow Underwing 2
Light Emerald 1
Maiden's Blush 1
Mottled Pug 2
Peppered Moth 2
Royal Mantle 1
Sandy Carpet 2

Scorched Wing 1
Shears 1
Small Dusty Wave 3
Small Elephant Hawk-moth 4
Spectacle 1
Turnip Moth 1
White-point 1
Willow Beauty 10

 

Micro Moths

 

Acrolepiopsis assectella 1 [NFG]
Aethes tesserana 1 [NFG]
Ancylis achatana 1 NFG
Archips podana 2 [NFY]
Celypha rosaceana/rufana 1 [TBC]
Crambus pascuella 1 [NFG]
Crassa unitella 1 [NFG]
Cydia fagiglandana 1 [NFG] 

Cydia inquinatana 1 [NEW!]

Elachista stabilella 1 [NFG]
Epiblema foenella 1 [NFG]

Eucosma hohenwartiana 1 [NFG]
Nephopterix angustella 1 [NFY]
Scythropia crataegella 2 [NFY]
Tinea semifulvella 1 [NFY]
Aphomia sociella 6
Blastobasis lacticolella 2
Blastodacna hellerella 1

Clepsis consimiliana 1
Coleophora sp 1
Crambus lathoniellus 2
Chrysoteuchia culmella 1
Emmelina monodactyla 2
Ephestia sp 5
Epiphyas postvittana 4
Eucosma cana 1
Grapholita lobarzewskii 1
Grapholita tenebrosana 1
Hofmannophila pseudospretella 4
Monopis laevigella 1
Nemapogon granella 1
Platyedra subcinera 1

Stigmella sp 1
Tortrix viridana 2

 

Aethes tesserana

Ancylis achatana

Archips podana

Celypha rosaceana or rufana

Crambus pascuella

Cydia inquinatana

Double Square-spot

Epiblema foenella

Nephopterix angustella

Scythropia crataegella

Swallow-tailed Moth

Uncertain