Mostly Moths

Just a quick hello, the move went well but too much to do & too little time to do it. I did a moth trap last Friday only 2 days after we finished moving, there over 250 moths & I'm still sorting them. This is one that came to the window soon after we moved, just to whet your appetites.

It's called a Brown China-mark.

Sorry it's a quick visit, will pop in again in a few days!

P.S This is the link to my previous moth thread http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/wildlife/f/13609/t/111255.aspx

  • Welcome back HinNH ... pleased to hear you are safely ensconced in new habitat, can well imagine you are completely cc'd but still you can manage to show us this pretty moth!

    Be great for you (& us) if there are newbies in your latest trap, look forward to hearing all your new news, take care!

  • Glad the move went well - looking forward to more moths. The Brown China-mark is lovely and a v interesting species with its underwater larval stage.

  • Thanks A for underwater larvae info ... new learning for today - 'tracheal gills' & interesting to see on L&R map that not many in our neck of the woods!

  • Thanks for the info on that moth Aiki, for a 1st moth in the new house it was a good start.

    I did my first big trap in the new house on the 19th/20th September & had around 250 moths which was a bit of a shock at this time of year, but it has been lovely weather, it took ages to sort & then another trap on 28th September added to the backlog. Anyway I'm almost clear now, so these are the best of the newbies,

    I htink this is a Cypress Pug, but not 100%

    a Centre-barred Sallow

    another tricky one which I think is a Southern Brindled Green,

    a Scarce Bordered Straw (with lovely green eyes),

    a Fan-foot

    This one is really awkward, I've had 6 or 7 & can't find anything certain, it may be a Crescent dart, but very uncertain,

    This si a migrator & quite unusual, I had some on the sugar ropes & some in the trap, it's called a Sorcerer,

    A Straw dot on the window,

    & a micro moth, probably Autostichidae,

    Then in the later trap another micro moth with distinctive markings but apart from thinking it's a Gelechidae, no definate ID,

    an easily spotted Vestal,

    a Feathered Ranunculus (like devonotter)

    a pretty Black Rustic,

    an Autumnal rustic with striking markings,

    a Large Wainscot

    & finally a little Diamond-backed moth.

    Thanks for looking.

     

  • Beautiful additions Hazel,   the Sorcerer Moth is stunning but then again they are all lovely.  

  • Thanks Hazy, I think the Autumnal rustic was my favourite but they all have something of interest, the numbers seem to be dropping off now, but there are still some goodies around!

  • Hi Hazel,

    Found your new thread which I will follow with interest. It would be interesting to know what numbers of moths you've caught in your trap this summer? Here in North Somerset I've averaged about 400 per trap although many will be large numbers of 1-3 main species.

    Best

    higgy

  • You seem to have much geater numbers than me Higgy, my max was arouns 250 moths & 75ish species in one trap. Th facts & figures so far this year are in these documents if you've time to plough through. All my observations are noted by date with quantities. You can also go in & change it to A to Z to get the range for each moth. All latin names.

    Hétéros Mortagne et St Sorlin 2014.xls

    2806.Papillons de nuit 2014.xls

    If you've any info on your traps I'd love to see it. I think the way species sweep in with a huge number & disappear off again really interesting. Also what factors affect the numbers in the trap if it's always in the same place (temperature, wind, cloud, moon) etc

    To answer your question on the old thread, the aims of the survey is to see what's there & where. I'm doing how many as I think it's also relevant. It's being funded by OPIE an environmental/insect organisation, but at 50 euros a trap the cost was not high. They are also cataloging the moths in the museum at la Rochelle but it's too far for me to go for 1/2 a days work. They have got other more local volunteers for that!

  • Another update with newbies from the 2 traps of 4th & 10th October. There aren't so many moths around but enough to keep the interest up! In fact the one's around now are quite often late season moths that you don't get in the Spring & Summer.

    This first is a Pale Eggar, hanging onto the outside of the trap,

    quite a few Lunar Underwings,

    a (Tony) Blairs Shoulder-knot,

    a different version of a Crescent dart

    a Golden Twin-spot on the sugared/wine rope

    then in the next trap I had 5 of these, they all looked different so I've sent them all off as they may not be same, I think it's a Northern deep-brown Dart, but needs checking!!

    a Tawny Pinion (thats my opinion!) on the ropes again,

    & a stunning Flame Brocade, which was as eyecatching as it appears in the photo,

    Thanks for looking.

    We've a hot spell starting today (26°C) & going through to Sunday so I'm quite optomistic for the next trap!  More beauties I hope.

  • Very pleased you are settled in & treating us to more from your Moth traps HinNH, will be interesting to share in your Winter discoveries!