Aberdare Ivy Blossom

I've just returned from a rewarding hour's searching of Ivy blossom, at Robertstown, near Aberdare. The Ivy blossom, locally, is only just starting to open and attract insects, so this was my first search of the season.
Nine species were recorded as adults, plus a macro larva, which might turn out to be Angle Shades, when I get the chance to study the photo.

The species list is as follows:

1 x Epiphyas postvittana.
1 x Emmelina monodactyla.
1 x Red-green Carpet.
2 x Large Yellow Underwing.
1 x Red-line Quaker.
1 x Yellow-line Quaker.
1 x Centre-barred Sallow.
1 x Pink-barred Sallow.
9 x Angle Shades (adults).

Saturday 06/10/2012

Given that we had heavy rain for the first part of the night, followed by clear skies and a minimum of 2.80 C, it wasn't surprising to find only five moths in the GMS catch for the 5th, these being Autumn Green Carpet (1), Common Marbled Carpet (2), Grey Shoulder-Knot (1) and Lunar Underwing (1).
Later in the day, while wandering around a former factory site in Robertstown, Aberdare, I saw five Small Tortoiseshells, Red Admiral and at least five Silver Y. According to Atropos Flight Arrivals, it seems that there has been a small influx of migrants.
At the same site, I also saw a Common Darter and and a Southern Hawker.

Rhoose Point

12 species last night, highlights were a Vapourer, Blair's Shoulder-knot, Black Rustic and a couple of Silver Y.  The Feathered Ranunculus seem to be having a good year with 15 last night.

Also an impressive Dor Beetle (Geotrupes stercorarius?) trundling around the trap like a small tank.  I know these are reasonably common but it is the first I have seen here.

Vapourer.

One male Vapourer on the wing at Foxhole slade, Gower this afternoon, also, one Silver Y.

Duffryn

 Saw a couple of leaf mines on Hazel today.  The first one I believe may be Stigmella microtheriella.  There is not a lot of frass in the mine so I reckon it is microtheriella rather than floslactella.














The second mine (below) I cannot see a promising match for.  Any ideas?  Apologies for the quality of the photos and the leaves being somewhat dessicated!

Abercregan

                              This Anomalous came to a lit window last night.

Cardiff Nats

The Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society is online to view. I have been reading Howard Hallett's original Lepidoptera of Glamorgan, which is in Vol. L, 1917 p45. That article and Hallett's annotated notebooks, which contain other records not published in the original article, were the basis from which all our historical records come from. Hallett edited the Entomological Notes until 1936 and again briefly in the late 40s until 1952. He died in 1958.

L = 50.

The link: welshjournals.llgc.org.uk