Tuesday 29 October 2013

Another late one...

A specimen of Ypsolopha sequella was walking up a telegraph pole in Mount Pleasant, Swansea today. Not the first species I'd have expected to see at the end of October in urban Swansea.

This appears to be the latest county record, and also new for SS69.

Thursday 24 October 2013

Cwm Colhuw chrysalis

Apologies for the multiple posts today - we found this chrysalis beneath ivy at Cwm Colhuw on the 20th September. Can anyone tell me what would have emerged from it please??

Parc Slip 2012 v 2013

Just had a quick play with my moth trap records this morning to see how marked the difference was between results from this summer and last summer given the weather. I looked at the data from April to September (inclusive), having trapped weekly throughout both periods (with one week missed in 2012). 2012 also included one moth night in which George and Paul both brought their traps and therefore, if anything, the 2012 results are higher than they otherwise would have been...

Total trap nights: 2012 = 29, 2013 = 30
Total moths caught: 2012 = 1417, 2013 = 3000
Number of species: 2012 = 209, 2013 = 275


Gorseinon

A lovely fresh Psycoides filicivora was in the living room this morning, no doubt came in through the window the previous day as plenty of infested ferns right next to it.

Parc Slip

Nothing unusual in the trap this morning - Epirrita sp. was the most common (5) followed by chestnut (3) and singles of yellow-line quaker, red-line quaker and feathered thorn.

Sunday 20 October 2013

Aberthaw - dock stem miner

Having listened to the fascinating if depressing at times talk on rare moths at the BC AGM on Saturday, I thought I would have a quick look at some of the Dock stems just behind the shingle bank at Gileston.  Sure enough, there were exit holes! 


I'm not suggesting this is a Fiery Clearwing exit hole as that would be a somewhat remote possibility, but I wondered if anyone had any ideas for more likely candidates?  The hole was about half way up the stem and looked like it was at the top of the section where the pith had been mined.  Plenty of crumbly brown frass in there too.

Saturday 19 October 2013

Clyne Gardens

Found these two mines on Caucasian Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia ssp. oxycarpa) in the gardens today: The silver upperside and rolled leaf tip is said to be characteristic of Caloptilia cuculipennella and the yellowy-brown pustule at the start of the linear blotch mine is said to be characteristic of the Agromyzid fly Aulagromyza heringii. Unfortunately neither mine was occupied and given both appear to be scarce (or poorly recorded) I'll leave them undetermined unless someone advises otherwise.

Roath

                         Tortrix sp. caught this am - any ideas? Dark form of Garden Rose?
                                 B&F 2202: L-album Wainscot (2nd garden record)
                                  underside of L-album Wainscot showing black mark

Friday 18 October 2013

Exapate congelatella - new for VC41

I received an email today from Sarah of the Ceredigion Moth Group, who caught this specimen of Exapate congelatella in Radyr, Cardiff last night, while trapping there on a family visit.

Sarah's photo of Exapate congelatella
This appears to be not only new for VC41, but perhaps the whole stretch of South Wales from Pembs to Gwent (if the map in Stirling and Parsons is correct). It's mostly a northern species in the UK - I wonder if this one could have been a wanderer?

Summerhouse Point

Ivy blossom before the rain started: Pearly Underwing [1], Dark Sword-grass [3], Silver Y [1], Dark Chestnut [1], Pale Mottled Willow [2], Snout [1], Angle Shades [16], Red-line Quaker [1], C.M. Carpet [2], Rhomboid Tortrix [1], A. herecliana [1] & November Moth sp. [2]. MCP & DRWG

Gorseinon, with yet another late record

A reasonable night with 17 species of lep recorded: Still good numbers of Light Brown Apple Moth 18 (possibly my best year ever?), Acleris sparsana 1 (4th garden record), Palpita vitrealis 1 (7th g.r.), Meal Moth 1 (another one to join the list of latest ever county records), Pine Carpet 1 (5th g.r.), Dark Chestnut (3rd g.r.) 1 & Silver Y 2 (334th g.r.)...
...also Eudonia angustea and Merveille du Jour found outside the trap as I was tidying up before the rain arrives, so 19 spp. in total.

Thursday 17 October 2013

Another late record

A Carnation Tortrix was flying in the garden this morning, the orange hindwings very obvious in the sunshine.This appears to be the latest county record and only the second October record on the database.

Also my first garden Red Admiral of the year.

George

Wednesday 16 October 2013

Parc Slip

The night turned out rather wetter (and windier) than I had anticipated so I wasn't expecting much when I checked the trap first thing this morning. Commonest moth was November/Pale November/Autumnal (6) followed by flounced chestnut (2), green-brindled crescent, red-line quaker, red-green carpet, grey pine carpet and this rather lovely micro:
Is it Caloptilia elongella or C. betulicola?
Thanks.

Tuesday 15 October 2013

Ogmore by Sea garden moth trap 9th October

I set an actinic moth trap in my garden last Tuesday in the hope of some migrants. Woke up the next day to a grand total of 6 moths in the trap! Not very impressive. But some lovely moths; 1 angle shades, 1 lesser yellow underwing, 1 very faded heart and dart, 1 beaded chestnut and 2 feathered ranunculus. Photo of a feathered ranunculus below

Thursday 10 October 2013

Antigastra revisted

Another shot of the Antigastra catalaunalis caught last week by Chris, who very kindly brought it round to show me.

Wednesday 9 October 2013

Rudry

Cypress carpet from this morning.

Rudry- Carpet

Only a few moths in the trap this morning including Shuttle shaped dart but of particular note a Cypress Carpet. Will post a photo later.

Butterfly Conservation, South Wales Branch AGM/Members Day

Just a quick plug for the Branch AGM & Members day on the 19th October at Kenfig. Speakers include John Tilt (Managing Woodland for Butterflies), Tony Davis (Conserving Endangered Moths), Kelly Thomas (Habitat Conservation and the RSPB), Michael Pocock (Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner) as well as the usual input from the branch itself. Non-members are more than welcome!

Parc Slip

No migrants turned up in the trap last night unfortunately but a merveille du jour is always nice to have. For the first time for a few weeks common marbled carpet wasn't the most frequent species - that title went to red-line quaker (5). Others of vague interest were red-green carpet, grey pine carpet, black rustic, green-brindled crescent and flounced chestnut. Just 13 species in and around the trap plus a couple of common wasps and caddisflies. The first Epirrita of the season too - see pic below - I assume it's best to just note it down as Epirrita sp.?
Also an article on the guardian homepage about the influx of migrants for anyone who hasn't seen it: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/09/exotic-migrant-moths-invade-britain

Gorseinon

68 moths of 15 species this morning, a handsome Merveille du Jour being the highlight of the resident species.  Migrants were represented by 10 Silver Y, 2 Vestal and a late Dioryctria abietella (new for the garden) which I guess is just as likely to be a migrant all thing considered. On the theme of late moths a second generation Riband Wave set the pulse racing for a few seconds when I first saw it. As with Paul CMC was the most abundant species with 20 in the trap.

Tuesday 8 October 2013

Llangynwyd MV and Actinic last night.


                        
                                Brindled green.
                                19 species in all, the pick being 3 Merveille du jour,
                                Satellite and a late Light emerald. Top spot went to
                                Common marbled carpet with 35 individuals. I also
                                have a large but worn Tortrix to be determined.
                                A poor show of migrants with singles of Silver Y
                                and Dark sword grass.

Deep Brown Dart Request

Deep-brown Dart and Northern Deep-brown Darts are not common round our way, but should you happen to come across either, and they happen to be a gravid female then please contact me ASAP. Essentially Colin Plant has requested the parent and any eggs be sent to him to try to establish the status of the two species - if indeed they are separate species! Dave

Monday 7 October 2013

And another migrant

Photo sent for id from Owain Gabb in Mumbles whioch I've just opened - another Antigastra catalaunalis!

Another migrant

A rather smart Scarce Bordered Straw was on Platform 1 at Cardiff Central railway station this morning, the first Cardiff record since the big influx of 2006 (unless there have been any others recently).
 
 And here's a photo of last Thursday's male Gem from the garden, which doesn't quite live up to it's name.

Finally, I managed to get a decent photo of Cosmopterix pulchrimella from the mines I collected at Port Eynon. This one certainly does live up to its name, pulchrimella meaning beautiful. I've now had 6 adults emerge from the 7 mines I collected.

Postcard from Scilly

Mike Powell & family are on holiday on the Isles of Scilly this week, and Mike sent me this pic of a Death's-head Hawk-moth he saw yesterday. Very nice too. Lets hope we get one (or two) in VC41.

Phyllonorycters and migrants

Last night, 6th October, in the garden in Gowerton produced 25 species, including  5 Silver Y, 3 Dark Sword Grass, 4 Vestal, a rather tired male Gem and 3 sorts of Phyllonorycter. P leucographella are doing well, I'm reasonably confident about the P messaniella and the other I thought would be easy with the strong cross bands but can't find a match anywhere. Any thoughts much appreciated.

Phyllonorycter messaniella

Phyllonorycter query

Alder leafminers

Here are some pics of the leafminers I posted about yesterday.  They were on large mature Alders in Cyncoed in Cardiff. I also have one pupated in a Phyllonorycter style leaf fold and a caterpillar.

No ideas on this one!

Possible Incurvaria pectinea/Fenusa dohrnii

Possible Phllonorycter Kleemannella?

Resolven

Some pics from Jenny Colley who's been getting in on the migrant action too, with 3 Vestals on the 6th, plus a nice pic of Autumn Green Carpet, a very scarce species in the county, and one I'm still waiting to see here. A chunk of our 31 records are monopolised by Mark in Cwmbach. Any migrant activity in the north Mark?

A query now - this was amongst a batch of micro photos Jenny sent me mid-August for Id and I can't figure it out - I've considered Eudemis porphyrana and various Celypha, but am struggling, so any help appreciated.

Sunday 6 October 2013

Green Brindled Crescent

This one had me stumped for a bit, but I think it is a slightly battered example of the capucina form of Green Brindled Crescent....

Other news of note includes a Vestal, Sallow and a Vapourer here last night.  There's a pic of the Vestal here.   If anyone wants to add any posts to the new East Glam wildlife blog that George and I have set up please feel free to do so!

Barry, This is the one I have been recording as Eudonia pallida by the way.  It seems the right shape, and I am taking the dearth of wing markings as diagnostic of E pallida in this case...?  It is not a particularly worn or faded specimen as best as I can tell.


Rearing leafminers

I picked up a number of Alder leaves today with 4 different types of (inhabited) leafmines in them.  Can anyone advise on the best way of rearing them on?  Can I keep each leaf in a separate jam jar, and do I need to raise the humidity to help stop the leaf wilting?

After looking at British Leafminers two of them look very much like the mines of  Phyllonorycter kleemannella and Incurvaria pectinea.  Not sure about the others!

Roath & Whitchurch

5/10 & 6/10: Good numbers of migrants recorded: Vestal at both sites, Dark Sword-grass, Silver Y, Rusty-dot Pearl & Rush Veneer. Plus Large Ranunculus & Cypress Carpets. Recorded 5 Steatoda nobilis (False Black Widow sp). at Whitchurch.

Bugs in moth traps

Liorhyssus hyalinus is an RDBK species which was first shown to me in the Nitten Field by Tristan Bantock in 2011, a new species for Glamorgan at that time. A specimen in yesterday's moth trap at Horton is the 2nd Glamorgan record according to the NBN. Tristan's excellent website (HERE) says that it used to be a very rare migrant, but is now more frequent in the south and west, so one to look out for. There were also 4 Pantilius tunicatus in yestreday's trap and one in the garden trap this morning along with a single Vestal and a handful of commer migrants.

Saturday 5 October 2013

Rhoose

3 Rush Veneer, several Silver Y last night plus what I think is probably a Pearly Underwing.  I will check it later! 

Also a late Light Emerald, Red-green Carpet and a Gold Triangle, the latter two garden firsts.  Eudonia pallida too, which has appeared a few times this year for the first time. If I get a chance I will post a pic or two tomorrow.

Not quite Horton!

This Blair's Shoulder -knot was new to me today.Only a few moths in the trap , the majority migrants including my first Vestal  ( 2), Rush veneer and Silver Y.

Horton

An excellent catch this morning from a trap left overnight at Horton (very many thanks to Cathy Dorran). In total 52 species, 11-12 of which were migrants, highlights including: Diamond-back Moth 2, Carcina quercana 1 (second brood), Aleimma loeflingiana 1 (I think our latest record by more than a month!), Acleris sparsana 8, Rusty-dot Pearl 5, Mecyna asinalis 3, Rush Veneer 42, Palpita vitrealis 1, Vestal 9, Gem 1, Red-green Carpet 1, Convolvulus Hawk-moth 1, Turnip Moth 2, Heart and Dart 1 (very late), Dark Sword-grass 8, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1, Pearly Underwing 5, Neglected Rustic 1, L-album Wainscot 11, White-speck 1, Feathered Ranunculus 9, Common Rustic agg. 1 (another very late record), Large Wainscot 1, Scarce Bordered Straw 2 and Silver Y 10. Some photos to follow later...

Migrant activity at last!

There have been lots of exciting migrants along the south coasts of England so it was nice to find these two genuine migrants here in Gowerton this morning, instead of just the usual Silver Y and Dark Sword Grass which are probably home-bred anyway!
Vestal

Antigastra catalaunalis

Friday 4 October 2013

Rudry-Need help!

 Some moths from last  night .Is this a Dark chestnut?
 No idea on this one, forewing length about10mm.Can anyone provide assistance please?.
Finally, is this Oak Nycteoline?FL11mm.The slight 'bell'shape is a product of the curve in the tube!
Also last night 15 species including Beaded chestnut,Merveille du Jour and new to me Acleris emargana.Thanks in advance for help!

Rhoose

Just 5 moths in the trap this morning after a wet and breezy night, but the catch included a single Acleris rhombana which is new for the garden and a Rush Veneer.

Thursday 3 October 2013

Parc Slip

Put the trap out last night and had a decent catch despite a few torrential downpours overnight. Lots of common marbled carpets and black rustics with our first red-line quaker, brick, flounced chestnuts, grey and blair's shoulder-knots of the year. A few micros too with Agonopterix ocellana, A. umbellana, Acleris rhombana and Ypsolopha parenthesella. 29 species in total including this very small micro - is it Phyllonorycter messaniella?
Also this larger but less well-marked individual - it appeared greyer than it looks in the photo. Couldn't get anywhere with this one so if anyone could help I'd be grateful.
Also in the trap; one male dark bush cricket, one pungent Nicrophorus investigator and a couple of attractive bugs: Pantilius tunicatus.

Roath

Caught a Gem last night - first for 12 years in the garden. Also had my first autumn Cypress Carpet too. Other migrants were 2 Silver Y.

Finally in Llanishen!

It seems to have been a long time coming, but finally caught Cypress Carpet last night. Possibly more exciting however was Chorutis pariana - a species that must surely be overlooked in the county! Also a second brood Fan-foot.