Gower cliffs

It was such a beautiful day that another trip to the cliffs at Port Eynon was essential! I've been trying to catch up with Agdistis meridionalis for years, including there but without success, until yesterday!
Quite a lot of searching finally produced this single individual, tucked amongst the vegetation around its foodplant Rock Sea Lavendar. I took lots of photos but it wasn't til I got home that I spotted the pupal case so presumably it must have just hatched. The case was actually attached to a succulent but I can't seem to identify it.

Agdistis meridionalis with pupal case

The same moth, head on

Habitat shot with the moth and pupal case just visible

I also spotted at least 3 of these very worn torts flying around a large clump of Thrift but the photos do not correspond with any thrift feeders. Any thoughts anyone?

Dunraven last night.

                                 Orange sallow, at least 6 seen. Only six post 1980
                                 records in TMOG, all singletons.

                               Barred sallow. at least 6 of these too.

                              Northern rustic, 2.

                            L-album wainscot, 2.

                          Willow beauty, 2 very small late brood specimens seen.
                          They were so small I initially mistook them for Brussels lace.
                          18 sp in all, inc Large ranunculus, 2 second brood Small fan
                          footed waves, Mecyna asinalis and Dark swordgrass.
                         

Llandaff - Garden - 17th September

A very warm and humid evening, although very blustery.

I think someone has to have purchased some Box hedging plants locally as another two of the normal form of Cydalima perspectalis, were in the trap. Among the usual underwings were four Large Ranunculus, two Sallow and a couple of Dark Sword Grass.

Sallow

Cydalima perspectalis

 

Bridgend Large Ranunculus

52 moths of 14 species last night, our first Large Ranunculus of the autumn, of interest another Dusky Thorn in among the Large Yellow Underwings and Square-spot Rustics. Also locally my daughter found hundreds of Horse Chestnut Leaf-miners in the trees at Sunnyside in Bridgend.

Llandaff - Garden - 14th September

A mild night but very humid with a fair bit of drizzle for most of the night.

I've started to get some nice Autumnal moths over the last week. Friday night produced two Sallows, a couple of Large Ranunculus and another Red Underwing.

The start of some migrant activity with a Dark Sword Grass, Rush Veneer and the highlight being a very nice Cydalima perspectalis (Dark form). Most likely an immigrant on potted Box.

Red Underwing

Cydalima perspectalis

Micro moths.

                 Scrobipalpa instabilella. Gen det by Stephen Palmer. From
                 Dunraven on 21st august. 2nd county record I think.

                 Prays ruficeps. 2 in the garden trap at Nantyffyllon last night.
                 This is moth species No 700 for my home KM square - SS8592.

Phaulernis fulvigutella.

                  Great find by Martyn Hnatiuk. He had 5 there on 4th sep and I saw
                  3 there yesterday. Top end of Craig yr aber, Llangynwyd.

L-album Wainscot in Bridgend

We're glad we took the effort to drag out and set the trap last night after a long day. This L-album Wainscot was the highlight of an otherwise uninspiring catch of 40 moths of 10 species.

Llandaff - Garden - 31st August

A very warm and humid evening here in Llandaff, although yet another clear sky.

The trap was filled with Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing and Square-spot Rustic. A few other regulars Light Emerald, Angle Shades, Copper Underwing, Yellow-barred Brindle and also a rather monochromatic looking Small Ranunculus? I think. At first I thought it was a Broad-barred White, as of no yellow/orange colouring. Flight time is a bit late also. Any thoughts welcome.
The best of the evening were three nice Tortrix moths. Some help needed but I think I may have them correct.

Cochylis molliculana?

Cochylis atricapitana?

Clavigesta purdeyi?

Small Ranunculus?

Nantyffyllon.

                Phyllonorycter strigulatella in the garden trap on sat morning.

Stigmella myrtillella

Last year, Sam and Nick posted on the Gwent blog about finding this leafminer on Bilberry in VC35, and since then I've been keeping an eye out for it in Glamorgan. Chris Jones and I had a quick search at Seven Sisters on Friday and found two vacated mines.

 

This seems to be the first VC41 record, though it is doubtless under-recorded as it needs to be specifically looked for and this usually means a hands-and-knees search. The mines we found are probably first generation mines, so there should be a new crop of mines from the second generation over the next few weeks. These should be visible until the Bilberry leaves drop in October/November.

The Vile (above Fall Bay)

49 species were recorded last night at the Vile, Rhossili, highlights being Agonopterix purpurea, A. subpropinquella, A. rotundella, Pyrausta ostrinalis, Grass Eggar (3), Mullein Wave (13), Annulet, Shark (late), Hedge Rustic & Common Wainscot.

Elephant Eggar Moth

the diminutive A. rotundella

not checked this, but presumably just an odd Flounced Rustic

plenty Mullein Waves

the petite A. purprea