Monday 16 May 2011

Plusia sp.#2






Although still very restless, I managed to get a few shots before it started fluttering around. Above are the two Ni Moths that were caught in my garden in Aug. 1996 for comparison. I have seen 7 Ni Moths in VC41, and everytime I knew exactly what I was looking at. However this individual has me stratching my head. If it is a Ni, then it not like any of the others I've seen. I don't know how variable they are, having only seen them in late summer/autumn. Maybe they are brighter and bigger in early spring. This would be only the 2nd May record for VC41 if confirmed.

7 comments:

  1. I think I'll have to see it in the flesh when I get back, but my instinct is still saying Ni. I'd be interested in other opinions though - migrants don't make it to Llanishen very often!

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  2. I must admit that I don't think it is an aberrant Silver Y now, however the crosslines and apex colouration and shape conform more to A. gamma than Ni. Dave: I will keep the specimen for you and you can have a look first hand.
    If it is Ni Moth, then it's the 5th record for my Roath garden and the first spring record.
    As you say Dave your site, about 4km north-west of here gets far fewer migrants (??). To give readers an example of what we mean, apart from the common immigrant moths most get, I've had:
    Vestal (2 recs)
    Gem (5 recs)
    Humming-bird hawk (3 recs)
    Striped Hawk (1 rec)
    Delicate (1 rec)
    White-speck (1 rec)
    Scarce Bordered Straw (7 recs, 8 moths)
    Bordered Straw (3 recs)
    Ni Moth (4 recs + 1 pending)
    and the highlight (although I didn't know it at the time) was a Bordered Gothic, a moth which is now considered to be extinct in Britain as a breeding species. Not bad for a postage stamp sized Cardiff garden!

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  3. ...and not so far away in Llandaff North I get very few migrants - I've not had any of the species listed above. However, I've only been trapping here since 2007 so I'm still waiting for a good migrant year - perhaps this'll be it!

    I was in Pontcanna in the last good migrant year, 2006, and had Gem and Small Mottled Willow.

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  4. George - I forgot SMW, 3 records all 2003. I should have said that I have been trapping here since 1993, so migrant species will occur esp. in good years: 1996, 2000 & 2003 come to mind. As you say perhaps this year, we're due a good one. I must say that Adam at Rhoose Point or Veronica at Cwm Ivy could pick up a real mega in a good year - remember Veronica's Stephens' Gem (2002)!

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  5. There's an interesting photo at this address...

    http://www.somersetmothgroup.org.uk/portal/p/Picture/s/Silver+Y

    Taken on 29/05/2007. Initial ID was Ni Moth but subsequently changed to Silver Y.

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  6. I'm pretty sure this is not a Ni, I'd probably go for an aberrant Silver Y. Interesting to see what Dave makes of it first hand.

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  7. This subsequently proved to be a Silver Y

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