Large Yellow Underwing

Back in March I found two caterpillars while  preparing the raised beds for planting. These I identified as Large Yellow Underwing. I dropped these into my 'rearing' box and they immediately went into the soil. Nothing happened until I noticed a pupa emerging on 02 May.

Last night both moths emerged. I missed the first and it escaped into the depths of the garage but the second was newly emerged when I saw it. I wanted to watch it expand its wings but my eyes were beginning to lose focus so, disappointingly it was time for bed. This morning the second LYU was fully formed and ready to be released.

Micropterix sp.

Was with George Tordoff in Coed y Bedw on Sunday morning and saw my first Micropterix  aureatella and today, when out for a local stroll, I saw my first  Micropterix aruncella. The latter shows no Aderyn records for ST08 so well pleased with that.

Seraphims

I'm sure the phrase 'like buses' has been used on this blog before, but I can't resist using it again anyway as I caught two Seraphims in the Llandaff North garden trap last night after an 11 year wait. One was much better marked than the other.

The catch was good after a warm night with 36 species in total. New for the year were Buff-tip, Marbled White Spot, May Highflyer, Silver Y, Diamond-back, Epinotia bilunana, Notocelia rosaecolana, Hedya nubiferana, Blastobasis lacticolella, Eupoecilia angustana, Cydia pomonella and Ectoedemia decentella.

Llandaff - Garden - 27th May

A very warm evening here Llandaff, but sadly a clear sky, at least it wasnt raining.

I was expecting a decent haul but sadly not to be. There was less than 15 moths in the trap, most seemed to be around or on the trap. Nothing really of note excpet Pale Tussock, Dingy Shell, Ruby Tiger and Coronet.
I did however have my second Toadflax Brocade, first in 2015. It's so warm he was off everytime I tried taking a photo, so had to make do with a fridge/phone pic in container. Looks pretty fresh too.

 

Parc Slip

By far the best night of the year for moths last night (wednesday night) - minimum 13.5 degrees resulted in easily the biggest catch so far in 2018. 151 moths of 67 species including 40+ new for the year and 4 that I've never caught here before: Gracillaria syringella (beautiful!), Callisto denticulella, Capua vulgana and a cocksfoot moth. 
Other highlights were 2nd ever Syndemis musculana, 3rd ever fox moth (first since 2013 and bursting with eggs..), first cinnabar since 2015, little thorn along with plenty of the usual showy May species: scorched wing, chinese character, yellow-barred brindle and peach blossom.

A couple that I'm struggling with (apologies for the quality of the photos - they're pictures of the back of my camera but I'll try and get them off the camera if needed):

Bryotropha sp.(?)

Pyrausta sp.?

Llangynwyd last night.

                            Barred umber

                           Broken barred carpet.
                           29 species inc 4 micro's. Diamond back moth, Bee moth.
                           White pinion spotted,  Chinese character, Rivulet, Sandy
                           carpet, Fox moth and coronet the highlights.

Llandaff - Garden - 22nd May

It's definitely on the up in the garden here in Llandaff.

Over the last week I've had a nice selction of moths and butterflies to the garden. There's been good numbers of Holly Blues, Speckled Wood, Comma, Large and Small White and after an absence of many a year, a Green Veined White.

Some decent moths, the best being so far, Poplar Hawk, Poplar Grey, Pale Prominent, Orange Footman, Spectacle, Miller, Rustic Shoulder-knot, Chinese Character, Small Angle Shades, Iron Prominent, Treble Lines, Esperia sulphurella, Least Black Arches, V-Pug, Cinnabar and I too had a Elachista argentella, which was the only new to garden.