Rudry

Red-line Quaker

Moths today included Black Rustic,Red line and Yellow line Quaker,Flounced Chestnut and Green -brindled Crescent.
Apologies for double post earlier!The Snout was from 23rd September.

Rudry Nr. Caerphilly

Have been running a 15W actinic Skinner trap since early May in my Rudry garden .Caught the' bug' at George Tordoff's Moth and Butterfly training day at Parc Slip back in the spring ..quite a learning curve since then ! Up to around 190 macro species so far and enjoying getting new species every time i set the trap. .Nearly missed this one ,which i think is Pinion Streaked Snout .

Rhoose Point

19 species here last night.  The highlights were 6 Feathered Ranunculus, 15 Black Rustics, 5 L-album Wainscots, 2 Pink-barred Sallow, 2 Beaded Chestnut, 5 Silver Y, 1 Rush Veneer (there may still be a few migrants about), and late singles of Brimstone and Shuttle-shaped Dart.

Pengam Green

Tesco: Angle Shades 16 on the windows, a Cardiff highest count record [GMRG data], also a Sallow, Yellow-lined Quaker & Canary-shouldered Thorn all new ST27 - every little helps!
Usual suspects at Roath: Blair's S/k, Large R. & Silver 2 best.

Bridgend Garden overnight 29/09/13

11 species overnight:- Light Brown Apple moth, Common Marbled Carpet, Spruce Carpet (first since 2007),Dusky Thorn, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Blair's Shoulder-knot, Green-brindled Crescent (first since 2008), Large Ranunculus, Angle Shades and Silver Y. Later on on 30th September we located a Dark Marbled Carpet on the wall of the house - a first for the site 345th (251st Macro species). The moral of the story, perhaps look at all your Common Marbleds a bit more closely! :)

Cwm nash today.

                              My first impression was Satellite but books say April-
                              June for larva. Any ideas?

This weekend in Llanishen

Still no sign of Cypress Carpet in my garden, but I guess it's only a matter of time. Meanwhile, a few Silver Y & a single Noophila noctuella indicated to me that other people were probably geting decent migrants! Otherwise just the usual autumnal suspects with Black Rustic, Lunar Underwing (still no Sallows this year yet either). Also Scrobipalpa costella.

Mewslade

3 Vestals but very little else of note on what was a very blustery night.

Feathered Ranunculus and Large Ranunculus

Roath

A Vestal this am (3rd site rec. & first since 2003 in garden), along with 2 Silver Y.

Bridgend garden 26th September 2013

Overnight we trapped 10 species: Light Brown Apple moth 4, Common Marbled Carpet 1, Light Emerald 1, Large Yellow Underwing 1, Lesser Yellow Underwing 2, Black Rustic 2, Large Ranunculus 2, Angle Shades 3, Silver Y 2 and the best of the bunch was a lovely Red Underwing - a first for the garden (344th) and our 250th macro species.

Cosmopterix pulchrimella

Cosmopterix pulchrimella was first recorded in the UK in 2001, and since then has spread along the length of the south coast of England. In 2011, Dave Slade found mines on Pellitory-of-the-Wall in Tenby, this being the first Welsh record. Since then I've been looking out for it in East Glamorgan, but have found little of the plant never mind the moth. I was on Gower a couple of weeks ago and found quite a few mines on Pellitory along a shady lane in Port Eynon, the first record for VC41. Since then Barry has found mines at Oxwich, as mentioned in one of his recent posts on this blog.

I brought around 7 occupied mines home from Port Eynon and the first adult emerged yesterday - a tiny but stunning little moth, unfortunately I haven't managed to capture a really sharp photo of it.

Cosmopterix pulchrimella

Cosmopterix pulchrimella

Mines on Pellitory

It will be interesting to try and find out how far east its distribution extends. It will probably occur anywhere the foodplant is well eastablished, but Pellitory seems to be quite localised in East Glamorgan - it occurs in a few places in Cardiff but is generally quite scarce, and I've failed to find any at all at Penarth and Barry Island.

Abercregan last night.

                                   Yellow line quaker

                                   Pyla fusca.
                                   Only 12 species but 14 Frosted orange amd 11 Flounced
                                   rustics was a good show.

Llanbethery Moths

A pat on the back to the person who gets all correct (Mike, Sid & myself can't afford to buy chocolates) - Clue: the caterpillar is on spindle. Over 30 species recorded, some pics from Sid. [PP, MCP & DRWG]

Moth

Two more pics of this moth yesterday. It was just over half inch (5/8*) long. The underwing was a off white with a pale greyish fringe, bit like black rustic but fringe more pronounced. I know the reniform stigma has a whitish edge, not unlike cabbage moth, but the absence of any pronounced subterminal fascia which all the cabbage moths I have seen, has been strongly present - in this moth it doesn't show up well, if at all. I must admit I cannot for the life me see why I called it a Brindled Green - although I did the trap after a night shift! Any suggestions welcome.

As for this am, only real surprise was banded Riband Wave and my first Blair's S/k.

[* = Can't do foreign measurements, Imperial only I'm afraid. Just ask MCP, he has to translate to me when out in the field.]

Ivy

If anyone's thinking of heading to the coast to check Ivy blossom, I'd advise waiting a couple of weeks - I went down to Lavernock last night and only a couple of plants were in flower (and these only just coming into flower). It's evidently having a very late flowering this year - I've found good numbers of moths on it at Lavernock as early as 19th September (in 2008).

George

Bulbs

The MV bulb on my trap has just shattered which reminded that the EU will phase out MV bulbs in 2015 and we aren't that far off now.  I'm not sure if specialist uses such as moth traps will be allowed to continue, but it seems likely that MV bulbs will get more difficult to get hold of  and probably more expensive.  I suggest it may be worth getting a few in if you have a chance!

The new one is also noticeably much brighter than the old one, so if you have been using the same one for a number of years it may be time to change it anyway!

Rhoose

I'm getting good numbers of second generation moths this year with lots of Small Dusty Wave, Light Emerald, Heart and Dart and Turnip moth over the last week or so.  Also a single Garden Pebble on the 21st which was a bit of a surprise.

I've not had any Large Ranunculus yet, but I have seen several Feathered Ranunculus and the first L-album Wainscots of the year.  Other autumn moths include Black Rustic and several Lunar Underwings.  Square-spot Rustics are having a good year too!

Roath & Llanishen news

Brindled Green this am was a surprise, only the 3rd garden record, although MCP has been having a few in his Llanishen garden over the last few days. MCP has also recorded Cypress Carpet, Currant Pug and good numbers of Large Ranunculus in his trap.

Parc Slip

Not a bad night last night - 26 species plus this one - is it well-marked enough for someone to id please?

Apart from the sallows and frosted orange, highlights for me were green-brindled crescent, dusky thorn and angle shades. Migrants were represented by a single silver Y and a single diamond-back moth. Also a couple of Pandemis cinnamomeana which I haven't caught here before. 

The main feature of the trap were the caddisflies however; we normally catch a few but there were dozens in there this morning. Can anyone recommend a good id guide for them as it seems a waste to ignore them.

Thanks.

Roath

Last couple of nights have produced good catches in the garden, including late H&D's and lots of Small Dusty Waves - sorry Ba. Also had a Sallow, which isn't common in central Roath and my first Black Rustic of the year. A few Large Ranunculus in garden, Whitchurch & Pengam Green. Migrants include Silver Y & Dark Sword-grass.

Gorseinon & Oxwich

First time I've trapped the garden for a while so nice to record 29 moth species and a few miscellany, the most interesting as follows: Caloptilia syringella 1, Phyllonorycter messaniella 1, Pandemis cinnamomeana 1 (late), Light Brown Apple Moth 52 (a garden record), Calamotropha paludella 1 (over a month later than our previous latest record!), Turnip Moth 1, Dark Sword-grass 1, Large Ranunculus 3, Silver Y 14, Cream-spot Ladybird 1, Harlequin Ladybird 2 & Nicrophorus investigator 1.

Yesterday I found a few poorly developed mines on Pellitory-of-the-Wall in Oxwich village which I assume to be Cosmopterix pulchrimella, however, I somehow lost my specimen by the time I returned to the the car. Does anyone know if there is anything else these could be? The fly-mine website says not.

Lesser/Treble-bar

Could someone help with this moth found resting on the wall at Parc Slip please - is it a treble-bar or a lesser?? Is treble-bar much commoner in glamorgan/south wales than lesser treble-bar? I gather that the tip of the abdomen can help with id but is that only with males?
Any tips appreciated - thanks.

Abercregan MV last night.

                   Black rustic2, Merveille du jour, Spruce carpet 10, Common
                   marbled carpet 5, Silver Y, Square spot rustic 3, Neglected
                   rustic, Autumnal rustic 2, Angle shades, Sallow, Flounced
                   chestnut, Red green carpet 3, Anomalous 2 and Acleris
                   comariana.

September Cinnabar

Not much of note in the trap last night, but was rather surprised to see a Cinnabar sitting on the trap collar. As far as I can see there is only one previous adult record for September on the system (although there is a record of an Adult that has the method as Larva, so I've discounted that!).

Grey Chi

 I trapped this rather handsome Grey Chi last night - this appears to be the first record of this species for Cardiff County Borough. Shows the value of doing the GMS - I wouldn't have bothered trapping on such an unpromising night if it hadn't been a Friday.

 George (Llandaff North)

Cameraria

Somewhat more mundane than Gypsy Moths I know, but as I was driving into Barry and back this afternoon (someone has to!) I noticed that nearly all of the Horse Chestnuts appear to be very much greener than in recent years.  I wondered if this is just a local phenomenon, or has something reduced the plague-like infestations of Cameraria ohridella elsewhere? 

Gypsy Moth Caught at Bryngarn Common, Pencoed.

I had a nice evening's moth trapping last night with Emma Douglas (Coity Wallia Commons Biodiversity Enhancement Project Officer) and Gill Barter on Bryngarn Common near Pencoed, Bridgend which produced 25 species including a very unexpected male Gypsy Moth Lymantria dispar.

Dave Slade tells me this is the only record from Glamorgan. The trapping site is immediately adjacent to Brynna a Wern Tarw SSSI which is designated for its species-rich marshy and dry neutral grassland. Trapping in a field within the SSSI yielded 75 moth species on 24th July this year. A wonderful site.

Gypsy Moth in Pencoed

A Gypsy Moth was caught overnight at Pencoed [VC41] by Nick Sharp.

Lobesia littoralis.

                             Quite a few of these (50+) seen flying low around the saltmarsh
                             Below Woebly castle today, near the end of the track that leads
                             to the shoreline (SS4794).

Parc Slip

The security lights around the Visitor Centre are always worth checking as they tend to have a decent selection of insects around them in the mornings and today was no exception - a beautiful fresh red underwing, a brimstone and a plume (Platyptilia gonodactyla) plus a nice bibionid fly - Bibio pomonae. There doesn't appear to be many Glamorgan records for this species on NBN and it wasn't on our Parc Slip species list until now.

Phyllocnistis unipunctella

I collected 6 of these distinctive snail-trail mines from a Hybrid Black Poplar (Populus x canadensis) growing on the Taff riverbank in Llandaff North yesterday. The mines are hard to spot from some angles, though obvious when the sun is slanting across them as in the photo.

Phyllocnistis unipunctella mines

I didn't have to wait long for results - 2 adults emerged this morning.

Phyllocnistis unipunctella

The cocoons are formed in a distinctive folded leaf edge.

Phyllocnistis unipunctella cocoon & exuviae

I also found numerous mines of this species on Lombardy Poplar in Fairwater Park last week. I've struggled to find them in previous years so it seems they are having a good season. In Glamorgan this species has only been recorded in Cardiff and the eastern Vale - it seems like now is a good time to look for it further west.

Senghenydd

Only 15 species in the trap this morning. Almost missed this Pine Carpet, which was hiding under the baton that my light is attached to.  It's a new species for me and for ST19 according to my mapmate. Also of note - Anomalous and Neglected Rustic.
The Pine Carpet was the  6th new macro species (4 of them being lifers) that I've recorded in the garden this year. Not bad at all considering the number of nights I've put the trap out are well down on previous years.

Pug City, Roath

Pug species at Roath [DRWG] 1991-2013
25 species recorded during period
B&F
1825 - 422 Records
1862 - 408 "
1834 - 209 "
1860 - 143 "
1816 - 102 "
1855 - 38   "
1827 - 37   "
1858 - 35   "
1830 - 23   "
1832 - 16   "
1837 - 15   "
1813 - 13   "
1852 - 4     "
1838 - 3     "
1844 - 3     "
1835 - 2     "
1846 - 2     "
1851 - 2     "
1817 - 1     "
1819 - 1     "
1826 - 1     "
1839 - 1     "
1842 - 1     "
1853 - 1     "
1856 - 1     "
[All are viewable in detail on database]

Wednesday night 4th September

Weather promised some late summer so popped out to Bryn Tip at the last minute.
50 species including 16 Feathered Gothic, with 6 on one egg box in the actinic, 3 Hedge Rustic, 4 Anomalous, 12 Autumnal Rustic, a late Antler, Dark Sword Grass etc.
Also a couple of small queries, possibly Gelechiidae,  suggestions welcome.

Query 1. 4mm long



Query 2. 6mm. Maybe a form of Teleiopsis diffinis?

Feathered Gothic

Hedge Rustic

Pugs in Llandaff North

Following the recent pug discussion, here's a summary of the 19 species recorded in my garden since 2007.

Species	Records	Individuals	First Recorded	Last Recorded
Double-striped Pug	120	197	2007	2013
Common Pug	39	59	2007	2013
Green Pug	25	44	2007	2013
Lime-speck Pug	23	23	2007	2013
V-Pug	23	25	2007	2013
Wormwood Pug	11	11	2007	2013
Golden-rod Pug	11	11	2008	2013
Brindled Pug	11	14	2007	2013
Maple Pug	9	11	2011	2012
Grey Pug	9	10	2008	2013
Freyer's Pug	7	9	2007	2013
Cypress Pug	5	6	2012	2013
Currant Pug	4	4	2007	2011
Haworth's Pug	3	3	2012	2013
Toadflax Pug	3	3	2007	2010
Foxglove Pug	3	3	2010	2013
White-spotted Pug	3	3	2008	2011
Oak-tree Pug	3	3	2008	2008
Dwarf Pug	1	1	2010	2010

Early Large Ranunculus in Roath

A Large Ranunculus this am, is my earliest ever for this species in the garden. There are a couple earlier in VC41, 15.viii.1979 on Gower & one reared on from larva by GMT 29.viii.2011. This year has also been the best for two other species in the garden: Cypress Pug & Yellow-barred Brindle. 

Kilvey, again!

Also from Monday night. This appears identical to Bob Heckford's image on UKMoths.
What do you think?

Depressarinae pimpinellae 10mm

Parc Slip

Quite a cool night last night so down to only 30 species and low numbers compared to recently. Most common was sallow (10) and brimstone (8) with hedge rustic and autumnal rustic appearing for the first time this year. A couple of fresh common marbled carpets, a willow beauty and a spectacle were also nice to see. There was also this pug (is it a double-striped?):

Thanks in advance!

Kilvey, Swansea

A few hours with the traps and home by midnight! 50+ species including this 4mm puzzle with the frizzy topknot. If anyone can suggest a name I'd be very grateful. I've kept it for now.
Also a weird Yellow-barred Brindle which looked extremely striking in mv light, and Acleris emargana and Matilella (Pyla) fusca which I don't seem to see very often. Also a big plant of white heather amongst all the other purple, a Beautiful Yellow Underwing, and 4 Anomalous.

Query. 4mm long

Acleris emargana

Matilalla (Pyla) fusca

Yellow-barred Brindle ab.

Beautiful Yellow Underwing