Sunday 22 June 2014

Gwyl Taf Nature Reserve

Mike Hogan and I ran our traps on the 20th, for the Gwyl Taf nature reserve's bioblitz. The skies were clear and the temperatures quickly dropped. By 23:00 they were in single figures and by the time I was knocking my trap down, at 02:30, it had dropped to 8.00C. As a consequence of the cool conditions, the catches were limited to forty-odd species per trap, the highlights being: Sallow Kitten, Buff Tip, Double Line, Small Seraphim and Scorched Wing. Micros were few, but included two individuals of this Pammene, though that is as far as I can go with the identification. P. albuginana seems closest, but that would be a first for VC41 and possibly for Wales: suggestions please!


7 comments:

  1. Looks good Mark. I don't suppose you kept either of them?

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  2. Well I brought that one home, but it made off while I was photographing it, I'm afraid. I'm pleading diminished responsibility, due to sleep deprivation!

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  3. It's OK Mark, I think I can accept it on the basis of the photo.

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  4. Excellent record both Mark & Mike. The Blotched Piercer in VC41!

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  5. That will be a great addition to the site list, for the bioblitz.

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  6. There's one VC35 record, from Yew Tree Wood, Dingestow in May 2002, and the Field Guide shows a record from VC48, but this is a very good Welsh record as well as new for VC41.

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  7. Thanks for the additional information Sam. My initial thoughts that it might be new to Wales was based on the NBN map. Consulting Sterling, Parsons and Lewington soon after posting, I realised it had been found in Wales and now you have filled in the details.

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