Parc slip today.

                              Mottled umber and 2 December moths on the café wall.

Creigiau last night

Weather looked reasonable so tried the trap last night. Lots of flies in there this morning ... and four December Moths.

Mompha bradleyi

I've recently dissected a specimen of this species which I found in a friend's garden in Cathays (ST1777) in May 2014. This appears to be the third county record, and interestingly they are all from adjacent squares in this very urban part of Cardiff. I've dissected a few Mompha divisella/bradleyi from my current garden and all have been divisella - and looked like it too, with a broad white basal streak. The Cathays specimen was darker with an interrupted basal streak (shame I don't have a photo), which made it look a bit different from typical divisella. So, if you catch an odd looking 'divisella' it'll be worth hanging onto it.

Moths!!!

Having had a Winter Moth come to the kitchen window, yesterday evening, I decided that despite the rain and prospect of increasing winds, I would take advantage of the unusually mild night and run the garden trap.
Come the increasingly breezy morning, there was nothing but flies inside the trap, but sitting on one of the vanes was a December Moth; the second I've had this winter.
Studying the forecast for Friday evening and night, it looks likely that I'll record my fifth consecutive nil catch for the winter GMS, but you never know...

Plusia sp.

I think this might be Streaked Plusia. There is one British record back in 1995. Before you all get hot under the collar, Mike Powell brought it back from a recent trip to Africa. Dave if you want it for a specimen to set, give me a text. The NMW may want it for their collection since it is on the British list.

Creigiau 06 December

First Winter Moth of the year last night. Three in the box, along with a couple of Rusty-dot Pearl and a Light Brown Apple Moth.

Psychoides

Now is a good time of year to find the larvae (and indeed adults) of the two Psychoides species. Here is a photo of the portable cases made by the two species, in these cases both feeding on Hart's toungue Fern:
The first is from nr Dingestow in our neighbouring county, and shows the neat elliptical case made by Psychoides verhurella.


And this one if from my garden, showing the much messier, circular case made by Psychoided filicivora.
Feeding damage of one or other species can be found on most ferns that are fruiting and both are under-recorded, so worth looking out for.

Parc slip.

                                     Scarce umber on the café wall today.