Waxwing

Waxwing
"To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour."

From "Auguries of Innocence"

by William Blake

Friday 21 June 2013

Moth Numbers are Finally Slowly Improving!

Moth numbers are slowly improving especially over the last two trapping sessions with warmer overnight temperatures. All were trapped in my 15w Actinic Skinner Trap

Monday, 10th June

2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) x 2 (New For Year)

1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) x 2


Heart and Dart


The dark mark (which always reminds me of the silhouette of a flying bird) on the patagia helps distinguish Heart and Dart from female Heart and Club




Saturday, 15th June

1920 Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata) x 1 (New for Year)

2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) x 3

2334 Rustic Shoulder knot (Apamea sordens) x 1 (New for Year


Scalloped Hazel



I really am not 100 per cent sure about this moth. Is it a worn Heart and Dart? (couldn't really see a dark facial mark)


Rustic Shoulder knot



Sunday, 16th June

0656 Tachystola acroxantha x 1

1428 Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella) x 1 (New for Year)

1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) x 1 (New for Year

2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) x 2

1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) x 2


Bee Moth



Common Marbled Carpet



Tuesday 18th June

0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) x 4

1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) x 4

2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) x 3

1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinatasia) x 2 (New for year AND New for Garden)

2301 Bird's Wing (Dypterygia scabriuscula) x 1 (New for Year)

2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) x 1 (New for Year)

1334 Scoparia ambigualis ??? x 1 (would be New for Garden)


Green Carpet - I have longed to catch one of these beautiful moths and I trapped two although the other individual was quite worn. This species shows how moths can be just as colourful as butterflies I think!!


Brimstone Moth - dreadful photo but this species is very lively and even after chilling for a few hours in the fridge (this does not hurt moths by the way just makes them more docile) it tried to escape as soon as I emptied it out of the pot.


Bird's Wing - another moth with lovely markings. I have only trapped this species once before.


White Ermine - one of the "teddy bears" of the moth world and you can see how it gets its name.


I think the moth in the photo below is probably the micro Scoparia ambigualis??


Please feel free to comment on any of the above identifications especially if I am wrong!!!Sorry again for lack of italics for scientific names - still can't get them to work!!!

12 comments:

SeagullSuzie said...

You and CT are getting me quite interested in moths. Thats a great collection, but I cant id them for you.

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Hi Lovely to see more moths. Hope you got the last ones you didn't know ID'ed. The yellow one is lovely and the Green carpet. Really when you study them, they are all wonderful. Have a great weekend. Margaret

Anonymous said...

I loved this post! You and I are seeing many of the same moths in our trap and the warm weather has definitely picked up the numbers here too. I also got a Green Carpet recently which I was over the moon about, and 3 peppered moths which made me think of you as I first heard about them on that fascinating post you wrote recently. :-)

Ragged Robin said...

SeagullSuzie - They are fascinating and colours on some species are wonderful :)

Margaret Adamson - Glad you are enjoying the moths. I'm taking part in a Garden Moth Challenge group and often people help with id on Twitter :) I do sometimes give up on the very worn ones! Have a good weekend too :)

Countryside Tales - So glad you enjoyed :)!! Warm humid weather definitely improves numbers! Been raining the last few nights so haven't put out trap again. The Green Carpet and Peppered Moths are particularly spectacular so glad you have trapped them :)

Em Parkinson said...

The Green Carpet moth is so beautiful, the Bird's Wing too. Always fascinating to see your catches!

Ragged Robin said...

Em Parkinson - Thanks Em. Even after trapping for several years I still get excited every time I check the trap!

Ian said...

Hi Caroline, what a terrific collection of moths, love the green carpet moth.

Ragged Robin said...

Ian - thanks - makes a change from the usual browny coloured ones I normally trap :)

Anonymous said...

Things are definitely improving moth wise aren't they and it seems we are catching more or less the same moths at the moment :-)

Id'ing all these Darts, Rustics & alike is hard work though isn't it but occasional treats like an Elephant Hawk-moth (http://woldranger.blogspot.co.uk/p/moths-of-wold-garth.html) which I caught the other morning or your lovely fresh Green Carpet make it all worth while :-)

Wendy said...

It's fascinating to see the different moths. I agree that the Green Carpet is as beautiful as a butterfly. Amongst all the news of moth decline, I'm pleased that you're able to catch such a variety.

Jerry said...

Loved looking at these photos (I trapped my first ever Bird's wing in Norfolk last week).

Ragged Robin said...

David Turner - Thanks :) Typically its rained every night for a while so not put the trap out again :(

Had to smile at your comment re: all the lbj's of the moth world :) Usually, they are all I trap. I will check out your Elephant Hawk-moth - what a treat as you say. Have only trapped one. In fact I have only ever had two Hawkmoths!

Wendy - Many thanks. Glad you are enjoying the moths - its incredible what is flying around gardens at night and remaining generally unseen!

Jerry - Many thanks. Well done on your first Bird's Wing - aren't they beautiful :) Recent one was only the second ever trapped.

Hope you are enjoying your new cottage :)