We had a lovely family holiday to the Herault Department of France which resides in the Occitanie region of Southern France.
We took a short flight to Carcassonne and headed North-east to our base in rural Felines Minervois, a stunning property sat on the edge of a valley that was bordered by lovely montane hills, on the furthest western edge of what would eventually turn into the Alps.
I had several setups with me, including two 40w Actinic vane sets, a mobile trap and a couple of led lamps that could be run off of powerbanks for several hours.
On the first night it was very warm and with slight humidity, the patio area where I was running two lamps was quite busy.
Below were some of the best species I saw on the first night on the 22nd of August.
There were several nights where I recorded some species that we are more familiar here in the UK, they were added onto the final list at the end.
Some identifications might be subjective and open for challenging. No specimens were retained as I was unable to bring anything home with me.
Where I am not sure of the species, I have used the Latin word confer, which means to compare or compare with.
It is placed between a genus and a species name (for example, Homoeosoma cf calcella)
to signal that an insect specimen closely resembles a known species,
but its exact identity has not yet been fully confirmed or verified.
About 90% of the moth species recorded were new to my records.
Several stunning Tortrix moths were seen including the pink-flushed Propiromorpha rhodophana & one beautiful moth from the Cnephasia group, Xerocnephasia rigana.
Best moth of the night was the 2nd record for the Herault Department of France of the rather smart micro moth, Eteobalea dohrnii. A nationally scarce species, being only the 15th record for the whole of France!
22/08/26 - Felines Minervois - Herault Department - 40w Actinic & 30w UV LED lamp
Macro Moths
Bryophila raptriculaCaradrina aspersa
Devonshire Wainscot - Leucania putrescens
Dusky Carpet - Tephronia sepiaria
Ecleora solieraria
Four-spotted - Tyta luctuosa
Idaea filicata
Idaea infirmaria
Lorimer's Rustic - Caradrina flavirena
Marbled Green - Bryopsis muralis
Odice jucunda
Portland Ribbon Wave - Idaea degeneraria
Purple Marbled Eublemma ostrina
Small Dusty Wave - Idaea seriata ssp canteneraria
Sorcerer - Aedia leucomelas
Spiny Hook-tip - Watsonalla uncinula
Synaphe punctalis (Another common moth, 10+)
The Passenger - Dysgonia algira
Micro Moths
Aethes bilbaensisAncylolomia tentaculella
Aporodes floralis
Aproaerema cf patruella
Bostra obsoletalis
Cadra figulilella (Very common numbering 30+)
Denticera divisella
Eteobalea dohrnii (2nd record for Herault Department)
Euchromius cambridgei
Homoeosoma cf calcella
Homoeosoma nimbella
Nemapogon nevadella
Neocochylis millierana
Phalonidia contractana
Propiromorpha rhodophana
Pyrausta sanguinalis
Scythris cf terrenella
Udea numeralis
Xerocnephasia rigana
 |
| Ancylolomia tentaculella |
.JPG) |
| Cadra figulilella |
 |
| Caradrina aspersa |
 |
| Denticera divisella |
 |
| Devonshire Wainscot - Leucania putrescens |
 |
| Ecleora solieraria |
 |
| Eteobalea dohrnii |
 |
| Nemapogon nevadella |
 |
| Propiromorpha rhodophana |
 |
| Spiny Hook-tip - Watsonalla uncinula |
 |
| Xerocnephasia rigana |
.jpg) |
| 40w Actinic Travel Trap |
 |
| Patio setup - 40w Actinic & 30w led |