Acleris hyemana

A micro-moth flew across Mansel Street as I was walking from the BC Wales office to Swansea Railway Station this afternoon. 'Probably just a light brown apple moth' I thought. Luckily it came to rest on some iron railings by the road and I could hardly believe my eyes when it turned out to be Acleris hyemana, a moth I've long wanted to see

This is a moorland species with just 6 previous VC41 records, mostly from the western part of the county. There is a record from Kilvey Hill not too far away - perhaps it wandered from there? There is a little bit of heather closer to Mansel Street, on the steep slopes in the Mayhill and Townhill areas of Swansea but I'd be suprised if it's breeding up there.

Wherever it came from, it seemed a most unlikely moth to see flying in an urban street...which just goes to show that interesting moths can turn up almost anywhere.

Parc Slip

It was pretty mild here last night - 11 degrees and we consequently had the best catch since mid-September. 44 moths of 11 species with the FFY of feathered thorn, red-line quaker and yellow-line quaker and our latest ever large yellow underwing. We also had our second latest record of straw dot and a black rustic, green-brindled crescent, merveille du jour and red-green carpet were other attractive species.

Llandaff - 25th October

Last night was mild and misty and lot warmer than the previous few evenings. Sum total of four moths, two Blair's Shoulder-Knot in the trap and two November Moth on the patio wall.

 It's getting time to pack away the trap.

Creigiau 21 October

Put the box out last night for GMS hoping for an improvement on last Friday when the box attracted exactly nothing! Minimum temperature that night was 9.4C and the min temp last night was 3.8C. It was an improvement, 4 moths of 3 species - Spruce Carpet, a very nice Merveille du Jour and the first appearance of the year of November Moth agg (2).

Coleophora virgaureae

To continue the recent Coleophora case theme, I found three cases of C. virgaureae while mapping Marsh Fritillary habitat along a forestry ride near Bryn, Neath Port Talbot yesterday. Cases were on the seedheads of goldenrod. MBGBI vol. 3 says the cases are hidden in the seedheads but two of the three were clearly visible without having to pick the seedheads apart (see circled case in photo below).

The larva makes a silken case to which it attaches fine hairs from the seedheads.

 

As far as I know there are just two previous county records, both from the 1920s, but given that I found it on the first plant I looked at it is likely to be very under-recorded. Timing is important - the larva only makes a case in its final instar, so there is probably only a brief window of opportunity in which the cases can be found.

Mallow at Whiteford

This time last week I arranged to go to Whiteford as the weather forecast looked good; warm, cloudy, humid.
It would have been a bit late for Mallow but might have been a chance. In the event the sky cleared and there was a fullish moon and it got very cold very quickly, total catch 3 moths: Silver Y, Autumnal Rustic, Pine Carpet.
However, Veronica in Cwm Ivy gave me hot chocolate and a chance to photograph one she had caught earlier, so not a total waste.

Mallow. 10th October 2016

Cypress Carpet in Bridgend

Another small catch overnight in the garden, but the highlights were Cypress Carpet and Blair's Shoulder-knot (both pictured) and Large Ranunculus.