no moths in Creigiau

The trap failed to attract any moths again last night - that makes four weeks in a row ! The last moths seen in the garden were way back on 17 December.

caterpillar query

No moths but I found this when sweeping the lake off my decking this afternoon. Best I can find is Small Angle Shades  ... but open to correction.

I'll put it in the box that contains the buried (questionable ) pupae of Buff-tip and Buff Ermine and we'll see what happens in the Spring.

You Pale Brindled Beauty!

A cool, breezy and showery night didn't promise much for my winter GMS trap, but there on the under side of the perspex this morning was a moth and not just any moth: a Pale Brindled Beauty. A lot of fuss about a common moth, you might think, but last year, I didn't see one at all, for whatever reason, so this one was particularly welcome.

Nantyffyllon.

A white shouldered house moth was flying in my flat last night, i don't normally see them until mid march.

Blast from the past

I've just come across these images and thought they might provide a little mid-winter entertainment!

GMRG Pyralid workshop 08-04-2000

GMRG trapping session at Crymlyn Burrows 09-06-2000

GMRG Silky Wave count at Horton 08-07-2000

GMRG indoor meeting 09-12-2000

Horton & beyond

Given all the exciting migrants around, three traps left overnight at Horton returned rather disappointing totals as follows: Light Brown Apple Moth 1, Crocidosema plebejana 1, December Moth 9, Dark Chestnut 1, Angle Shades 1 & Small Mottled Willow 1.

Back in Gorseinon Chris Brewer informed me there were 2 Bordered Straw in his trap and at Cwm Ivy Veronica Shenston recorded December Moth 13, Winter Moth 3, Small Mottled Willow 3, Bordered Straw 2, Dark Sword-grass 1 & Rush Veneer 1.

The main prizes all seemed to have been in our neighbouring counties last night with Sam Bosanquet's Euchromius and Ian Morgan 2 Cornifrons, the latter new for Wales it seems!

Blastobasis lacticolella

With another mild night forecast, but dry for a change, I ran my 22w actinic garden trap all night. Although it proved to be a little on the breezy side, I was disappointed to find just a single moth inside, this morning. That said, the moth was Blastobasis lacticolella (decorella), which was only my third and the second for the garden. My previous records were for July and August, and looking on MapMate, there are records for as late as November, so I guess the prolonged spell of mild weather has encouraged them to extend the flight period.
Apologies for the poor photos.My macro lens is broken and the combination of a standard zoom lens with extension tube forces the front of the lens ridiculously close to the subject: too close for my ring flash to work properly.