Ghostly...

quiet....

Taxa
1631 December Moth (Poecilocampa populi) 5
1769 Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica) 1
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1

8 moths of 4 species...

It must be December....

December Moths in profusion...

Although it was a mild 10 degrees last night, each night sees the number of moths dwindling. I hope I can get to the end of the Garden Moth Survey on 5th November without any blanks. My last blank session was right at the beginning of March...

Taxa

1631 December Moth (Poecilocampa populi) 6, a good count.
1769 Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica) 1
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1

Only 10 moths of 5 species.

Angle Shades

A bit of a revival?

No probably not, but still a reasonable show.

Feathered Thorn

Taxa
1041 Acleris sparsana 1
1631 December Moth (Poecilocampa populi) 1
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1769 Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica) 3
1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 5
1923 Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria) 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri) 1
2259 Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula) 1
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 3
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 3

21 moths of 11 species.

Still no Light Brown Apple after 4 last year. Looks like the cold winter has done for them...

Furry Moth...

Delayed update from Thursday night due to working late yesterday...

December Moth. A favourite of mine, is there a moth more suited to its name, with its furry black coat to keep it warm... 

Thursday 21/10/10

Taxa
1631 December Moth (Poecilocampa populi) 1
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 2
1769 Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica) 1
1923 Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria) 3
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 1
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 3

12 moths of 7 species...

and last night GMS -

Taxa
1041 Acleris sparsana 1
1631 December Moth (Poecilocampa populi) 3
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 5
1769 Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica) 7
1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 2
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 1
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 2

22 moths of 8 species. 7 Spruce Carpets ( above) is my highest count ...

What a Gem!

Gem

A nice selection of late species last night included my first Gem and the first December Moths since January...time flies...

Gem is a rare migrant to the north east, so this was a much appreciated find this morning. It was smaller than thought. A tiny 'carpet'...

Taxa
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
1631 December Moth (Poecilocampa populi) 2
1720 Gem (Orthonama obstipata) 1 New
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
1769 Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica) 1
1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 5
1923 Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria) 3, a good count here.
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 2
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 2
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 3

23 moths of 12 species



Chestnuts

A quick summary of catch

Taxa
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri) 1
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1
2259 Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula) 3
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 5
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1

12 Moths of 6 species.

I have photographed all of the 'Chestnuts' to be sure...

Above two, Dark Chestnuts

Above two probably Dark Chestnuts

Chestnut

New Migrant

Rusty Dot Pearl

Such a nice name for a tiny non descript moth.

Rusty Dot Pearl is new for me, a smaller moth than I imagined? The Epirrita sp was a nice well patterned specimen, better than those big grey things I usually get...

Taxa
Epirrita species (Epirrita sp.) 1 possibly Autumnal Moth?
1395 Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis) 1 new
1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri) 1
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 3
2259 Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula) 1 very distinctive against the Chestnuts. I'll get a photo tomorrow.
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 1
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 2
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 1

12 moths of 9 species

The forecast for next week isn't looking good for mothing. Frosts and cold northerlies might put paid to that.

A good show at the work halogen light this morning - 1 November Moth agg, 2 Blair's shoulder Knot, 1 Angle Shades and a Barred Red. Seems late for this latter species...

Barred Red update, Previous latest in the county was 25th September. This one was on 14th October...

Unlucky for some...

This week Tom Tams and Tim Barker have been catching a few specimens of the Gem, a rare migrant moth. In less than ideal weather I had to try for one myself..

Red Green Carpet

 It was baltic here last night though-

Taxa
0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 1
1760 Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) 1
2263 Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota) 1
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1

Only 7 moths of 7 species. I think things are winding up...

But I still intend to trap in every month until the year end. That was my plan at the start of the year so I could get a grounding of whats to be had...

Work Moths.

I work in the old council offices at Bedlington. In the building there is a small external courtyard without any vegetation, but there is a massive halogen security lamp, that must measure 2 ft across. Over the summer one or two Large Yellow Underwings and White Ermines found their way into the offices but I didnt know this lamp was present.

Tonight I noticed it and a quick scan around the wall revealed 2 Figure of Eight and 2 Blair's Shoulder Knot. I'll be scrutinising it more closely in future...

Mystery Micro last night...

Left, Large Wainscot and right, Merveille du Jour

Figure of Eight

Mystery micro? Diamond Back Moth, I haven't seen this form before. 

0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 7
1041 Acleris sparsana 1
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 3
1795x November Moth agg. (Epirrita dilutata agg.) 3
2020 Figure of Eight (Diloba caeruleocephala) 2
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 5
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri) 1
2247 Merveille du Jour (Dichonia aprilina) 1
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 1
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 4
2259 Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula) 2
2264 Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 5
2375 Large Wainscot (Rhizedra lutosa) 3
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

42 moths of 17 species, including no less than 3 Large Wainscots (thats 6 in the last few days, nearest reeds are at Low Newton, 6 miles away) and another 2 Figure of Eight...