Lanlay Meadows last night

Mike Thornton and I had a fairly productive 3 hour session last night, recording a total of 43 moth species (between 1 MV and 2 6W actinics). I was hoping for slightly more, but the temperature did drop to 8.5C by 12:30am.

Highlights among the macros included Scorched Wing (3), May Highflyer (8), Sharp-angled Peacock (2), Cream Wave (2), Chinese Character, Scorched Carpet and Grey Birch (2). The latter appears to be new for ST07.

Among the micros, Elachista subalbidella is new for ST07 and only about the 9th county record (plenty of Purple Moor-grass, the foodplant, at the site). We also caught this Agonopterix which I've been puzzling over - possibly a worn arenella though it keys out in MOGBI Vol 4 as subpropinquella. Any thoughts?

Agonopterix query

Elachista subalbidella

Other insects included around 7 species of Caddis (including a few still to ID) and this rather attractive, if nasty, horsefly.

Haematopota crassicornis

The caddisfly Plectrocnemia conspersa

Mothing Tonight

I will be running my trap on the Taff trail, near Pontsticill, North of Merthyr Tyfil, this evening and if anyone is interested in joining me, you'd be welcome. I will be entering via the locked barrier (SO 0604 1055) at around 21:00 then it will be locked again before I drive down the trail to the trapping site. If you want to come along, email me before eight, at grizmoths at gmail dot com.

Bridgend overnight 15May14 (MV)

We trapped 16 species overnight in our garden:- Light Brown Apple moth, Twenty-plumed moth, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Small Phoenix, Garden Carpet, Brimstone, Pale Tussock, Heart & Dart, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, Bright-line Brown-eye, Angle Shades and Treble Lines. Also a very plain, worn looking individual - photo attached - any ideas? All we can think of is a small dark worn Dark Arches.

I also took a walk out to the Kenfig rivermouth this morning and noted 25+ Little Blue, 5+ Common Blue, 20+ Small Heath, 3 Orange Tip, 6+ Wall, 1 Peacock, 10+ Green-veined White and 3 Cinnabar Moth.

Moths and Mammals at Bryngarw

Tomorrow evening, Bridgend Council are running a 'Moths and Mammals' event at Bryngarw Country Park, and I'm doing the moths bit. If anyone else fancies coming along and running a trap or assisting with crowd control, then please feel free to come along! There are things going on from 6pm, but obviously the trapping won't start until 9pm or so.

http://www1.bridgend.gov.uk/media-centre/2014/07-05-2014-an-evening-of-moths-and-mammals-at-bryngarw.aspx

Lanlay tonight

I'm going to be trapping at Lanlay Meadows with Mike Thornton tonight. If anyone else fancies it, meet by the track at ST079759 at 9pm.

Thanks
George

Micropterix at Coed y Bedw

I've spent a bit of time in Coed y Bedw over the last couple of weeks and i was pleased to spot some non-calthella Micropterix while I was there. I believe this is M.tunbergella?

And this one is M. aureatella? Lots of the latter flitting around on bramble earlier in the week. Both beautiful little moths.

Parc Slip

Better catch at Parc Slip last night despite the big moon and cool temperature. Only 29 moths but they consisted of 20 different species with plenty new for the year: poplar hawkmoth (not at all posed below...), white ermine, brown silver-line, green carpet, common marbled carpet, silver-ground carpet, common white wave and cinnabar and a couple of cockchafers as a bonus.