Saturday 26 May 2012

Cwmbach GMS and Field Trapping in Merthyr Tydfil

A minimum of 15.30 C overnight was warm enough to overcome some of the negative effects of the stiff Easterly breeze, so I had fifteen species in the trap, including Diamond-back Moth, Nut-tree Tussock, Scalloped Hazel and Buff Tip, plus the burying beetle Nicrophorus humator and a single Cockchaffer. Also in there were a fresh Common Quaker and a Clouded Drab.

Yesterday evening, Mike Hogan and I ran our traps, from 22:00 to almost 01:00, in a sheltered spot, on the hillside to the S.East of Merthyr Tydfil. It was nice to be able to get out in the field after such a slow and unsettled season. The list for the two traps has yet to be worked out, but I expect the species total to be around thirty. The highlights for me included Incurvaria masculella and Alder Moth.

                                                            Incurvaria masculella

                                                                      Alder Moth
I've had a few problems identifying three moths I photographed at the trap, in Merthyr, last night, so if anyone can come up with some I.D suggestions, I'd be most grateful.

                                      Can anyone confirm that this is Carpatolechia proximella?

Apologies for the poor photo, but I was trying to hold the egg box at the right angle with my left hand and use my SLR single handedly with my right. Any ideas.

This Tort looks easy, at first glance, but I just cannot come to any firm conclusion about it. Could it be Epiblema costipunctata?

2 comments:

  1. Teliopsis diffinis would be my guess for the brown one. I'll have to check the books for the other Gelechiid. I can't tell these Epiblemas appart even after I've dissected them so I'm not going to offer a name on that one!

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    1. Thanks Dave. I think it's probably best to leave that Epiblema out of the list then. The annoying thing about that Teliopsis is that there was another one on the same egg carton, in a much better position for photography, but it took fright at the sight of my ring flash looming up over it and made off.

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