Kenfig pool.

                                        One Grapholita jungiella near the north hide today.

Ogmore

One Cydia ulicetana along the seafront on Friday afternoon.

Coed y Wenallt

 Between the showers this afternoon...

Adela reaumurella male

and female

Micropterix calthella

Also Common Quaker and Brindled Pug.

Indian Hawks

Link to the hawk-moths we encountered in Sikkim / West Bengal...here

Acherontia styx styx

Ooc: Sikkim / West Bengal

During a two week trip to the Himalayas (mostly between 1500m-3000m), we photographed over 400 spp of moth, mostly macros. I've starting sorting and identifying some of the more distinctive specimens, which give a flavour of the amazing diversity in this region.

125w lamp over laundry basket trap at Kewsing, Sikkim

Familiar species noted included Buff Arches, Flame, Dark Sword-grass, Bordered Straw, Scarce Bordered Straw, but most species were unfamiliar as shown by these tigers...

Erebidae Arctiinae Argina argus

Erebidae Arctiinae Spilarctia comma

Erebidae Arctiinae Vamuna cf alboluteola

Erebidae Arctiinae Aglaomorpha plagiata

Erebidae Arctiinae Barsine defecta

Nolidae Chloephorinae Sinna dohertyi 

Cwmbach

I found this Angle Shades on the grass verge, in front of my house, as I was unloading my tools from the car, this afternoon. I posed it on a Skimmia flower for this photo and was wondering if it would nectar from it. I has shown no sign of wanting to nectar, so given the frequency and heaviness of the showers, I will move it to a more sheltered spot.

Donacaula mucronellus

I was in the Museum yesterday for the dissection workshop, and in the course of searching for specimens for the trainees to dissect came across one of the Donacaula mucronellus specimens from Crymlyn Bog in 1996. I was not aware that a specimen taken at the time, and I confess I did not notice it in the list of specimens that Tony White circulated to me when the collection was being donated to the Museum. Anyway, I have now dissected that specimen and sadly it is in fact Donacaula forficella. This does unfortunately cast doubt on the other Donacaula mucronellus records from that time.

Llandaff North - GMS

Things finally starting to pick up a bit after a lean spell, with this smart little oecophorid, Agonopterix alstromeriana, new for the garden last night:


And earliest garden records for Muslin moth and Small Pheonix. Also this worn tortricid - any ideas anyone? Looks a bit like Clepsis consimilana but surely too early - perhaps just postvittana?

Cwmbach GMS

Just five species in the trap, though with an overnight minimum of 4.60C and rain, that wasn't really surprising. The best of the bunch was a lovely Brindled Beauty, the rest being Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, Hebrew Character and Early Grey.

Rhoose Point

This pristine Silver Y caugt my eye this morning...

Also an Angle Shades amongst the usuals.

Kenfig NNR

One Pyrausta despicata this morning.

Rhoose Point

14 species and a few firsts for the year last night including Brimstone Moth, Shuttle-shaped Dart, March Moth, Muslin Moth and Caloptilia stigmatella. The latter 2 are also new for the garden record.

I'd value a second opinion on the Pug below, think it may be Brindled or Oak-tree Pug? It does have orange streaks along the edges of the forewing but they don't come out too well in the photo. Wingspan is about 20mm.

Mompha divisella/bradleyi

Found in the garden yesterday.

Senghenydd

A poor catch last night - just singletons of Small Quaker and Clouded Drab in the trap and this Shoulder Stripe at house window.

Llangynwyd

                                      My first Eriocrania subpurpurella of the year today.

Cwmbach GMS

Despite the mild-ish night, there were only 12 moths of 6 species (yes, two of each) in the trap, but among the Quakers. Etc, it was nice to see a couple of Shoulder Stripes.

Moth Dissection Course

Butterfly Conservation are running a course on dissecting moths on the 16th April, and there are still places available. If you are interested in learning the dark art of dissection, please contact Judy Burroughs at BC office in Swansea (jburroughs dot bcw AT btconnect dot com).

Cwmbach

Among the usual suspects in my trap, last night was The Streamer.

Southerndown

A Clouded yellow butterfly flew in off the sea just East of the beach car park at 16:00 hrs yesterday.