As I stated in my last blog I would be out and about looking for Purple Emperors on Saturday last and this I did at Tugley Wood near Dunsfold and although they were seen on the ground my only two sightings was a beauty barely feet from the ground circling around two scoops of vegetation, flashing its purple in the bright sunshine before of all luck the sun went in briefly. Later I saw another high in the Oaks but eventually the heat of the day, as it has since, got the better of me.
The light trap has been incredible but sadly time both from work and later from the time it takes to take shots,I have been able to records moths in the manner that is normally expected preferring to stick to the new moths only. There has been a plethora of moths and on more than one occasion it has felt like I was a young lad again peering into a bag of Dolly Mixtures for the first time such has been the range of colours.
If you don’t have a light trap and enjoy moths then get out there and spend a few pounds on a hobby that will enthrall you every bit as much as it has done for me especially this year when the butterfly numbers had suffered so. At least with this weather next year could look a far better picture as they will be able to start the early part of their life cycle as we would hope it to be.
I have rather suffered in the heat and have restricted the long trips although this is certainly not a complaint but just something that happens when you get older I suppose but I have enjoyed the season every bit as much as the next man.
I hope you enjoy the following moths,some that still need to be identified.
The first moth is a Minor Shoulder-knot
The light trap has been incredible but sadly time both from work and later from the time it takes to take shots,I have been able to records moths in the manner that is normally expected preferring to stick to the new moths only. There has been a plethora of moths and on more than one occasion it has felt like I was a young lad again peering into a bag of Dolly Mixtures for the first time such has been the range of colours.
If you don’t have a light trap and enjoy moths then get out there and spend a few pounds on a hobby that will enthrall you every bit as much as it has done for me especially this year when the butterfly numbers had suffered so. At least with this weather next year could look a far better picture as they will be able to start the early part of their life cycle as we would hope it to be.
I have rather suffered in the heat and have restricted the long trips although this is certainly not a complaint but just something that happens when you get older I suppose but I have enjoyed the season every bit as much as the next man.
I hope you enjoy the following moths,some that still need to be identified.
The first moth is a Minor Shoulder-knot
73.173 - Marbled Minor agg. OLIGIA strigilis (Linnaeus, 1758)
There appears to have been a massive migration of the Bird-cherry Ermine moth into this county as the larval food plant does not grow in Hampshire.Although the Ermines are a difficult bunch to identify this moth has five rows of black dots making it the easiest to identify.
I've had then in the trap and on all the windows at the back of the house.The larva do reach pest proportions so maybe this is one as a result of the fine weather.
I've had then in the trap and on all the windows at the back of the house.The larva do reach pest proportions so maybe this is one as a result of the fine weather.
16.001 - Bird-cherry Ermine - YPONOMEUTA evonymella (Linnaeus, 1758) - there you go five rows of black spots
The next moth I wont remember its Latin name which is Phycita roborella which is common in Oak woodlands
62.029 - PHYCITA roborella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
The next moth had me stumped. I knew from its size and shape it wasnt just another Carpet or Wave and yet it took me a while to identify the Small Seraphim
70.199 - Small Seraphim - PTERAPHERAPTERYX sexalata (Retzius, 1783)
The beautiful Pug,not found in the trap but some time later hiding under the windowsill gave me a buzz as green always feels special and so is the V-Pug
70.142 The V-Pug - CHLOROCLYSTIS v-ata (Haworth, 1809)
70.233 - August Thorn - ENNOMOS quercinaria (Hufnagel, 1767) - There is a September one but this basal cross-line turns at right-angles to the costa
Different coloured "Coronet" turn up and i thought this one looked great
73.047 - The Coronet - CRANIOPHORA ligustri ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
I suppose with the weather the way it is the next moth might have a very apt name to "whom it may concern"-The True Lover's Knot
73.338 - True Lover's Knot - LYCOPHOTIA porphyrea ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
35.143 - TELEIODES luculella (Hübner, [1813])
There are a few "Footmen" some easy some not-this one is easy its the Four-dotted Footman
72.038 - Four-dotted Footman - CYBOSIA mesomella (Linnaeus, 1758) - yes,two on the other side as well
The next moth was on my "Wish List" and is the beautiful Green Silver-lines-beautiful!!!
74.008 - Green Silver-lines - PSEUDOIPS prasinana (Linnaeus, 1758)
Next a humungous moth called The Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
73.343 - Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing - NOCTUA fimbriata (Schreber,1759)
The nest two were also high on my Wish List,the first being a Lobster Moth and the second,my absolute favourite the Small Elephant Hawk-moth
71.009 - Lobster Moth - STAUROPUS fagi (Linnaeus, 1758)
69.017 - Small Elephant Hawk-moth - DEILEPHILA porcellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
69.017 - Small Elephant Hawk-moth - DEILEPHILA porcellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Hows this for a stunning micro moth the very beautiful Rhyacionia pinicolana
49.306 - RHYACIONIA pinicolana (Doubleday, 1850)
Another "Wish List" moth but a bad specimen the Peach Blossom
65.008 - Peach Blossom - THYATIRA batis (Linnaeus, 1758)
The moth below was originally marked down as a mystery but many thanks go to Maurice for the I/D of Satin Lutestring.Cheers Maurice
65.012 - Satin Lutestring - TETHEELLA fluctuosa (Hübner, [1803])
65.012 - Satin Lutestring - TETHEELLA fluctuosa (Hübner, [1803])
49.021 - PTYCHOLOMOIDES aeriferana (Herrich-Schäffer, 1851)
72.046 - Scarce Footman - EILEMA complana (Linnaeus, 1758) - wraps wings tightly viewed from above
72.046 - Scarce Footman - EILEMA complana (Linnaeus, 1758)
73.096 - The Uncertain - HOPLODRINA octogenaria - Goeze 1781
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