Its looking like a week to early will prove to be the dictator of the small amount of lep work down in Cornwall where generally the weather was fine after a showery start but with strong winds persisting all week with very cold nights.
With asthma in crisis finally finishing the week it has to be said the main visits were to Godrevy and Upton Towans Nature reserve where at the latter the Dark Green Fritillary were showing in the highest numbers I have ever seen but extremely active in the strong winds. Godrevy somewhat disappointed this year when seeing the female Silver-studded Blues was timed perfectly but finding females with blue markings as seen in the past drew on one or two specimens only so a bit of a let down this year. No Thrift clearwing but then they dont like the showers anyway.
A couple of possitives proved to be my first sightings of Blue-bordered Carpet and the Nationally Scarce species called Dolicharthria punctalis which is a coastal species especially in south west England and another coastal species Monopis crocicapitella found in the caravan. The moth trap which started rather differnent to most trappings when the sister inadvertently covered the electric box to protect it from the rain managed to melt the box but the trap itself still worked all week. No lectures another is on order.
So not the best of lep weeks in Cornwall after the initial excitement but 3 new moths for the website added to the many that Tim is now catching with his MV and the number of new moths so far this year is about 90+ so not bad at all and a lot of writing over the winter.
Back home with the weather temperatures up on Cornwall I am expecting the moth trap to pay its way this week so look out for whats about on "lepiblog".
Here the measly few photos including the small SSB I have ever seen.
With asthma in crisis finally finishing the week it has to be said the main visits were to Godrevy and Upton Towans Nature reserve where at the latter the Dark Green Fritillary were showing in the highest numbers I have ever seen but extremely active in the strong winds. Godrevy somewhat disappointed this year when seeing the female Silver-studded Blues was timed perfectly but finding females with blue markings as seen in the past drew on one or two specimens only so a bit of a let down this year. No Thrift clearwing but then they dont like the showers anyway.
A couple of possitives proved to be my first sightings of Blue-bordered Carpet and the Nationally Scarce species called Dolicharthria punctalis which is a coastal species especially in south west England and another coastal species Monopis crocicapitella found in the caravan. The moth trap which started rather differnent to most trappings when the sister inadvertently covered the electric box to protect it from the rain managed to melt the box but the trap itself still worked all week. No lectures another is on order.
So not the best of lep weeks in Cornwall after the initial excitement but 3 new moths for the website added to the many that Tim is now catching with his MV and the number of new moths so far this year is about 90+ so not bad at all and a lot of writing over the winter.
Back home with the weather temperatures up on Cornwall I am expecting the moth trap to pay its way this week so look out for whats about on "lepiblog".
Here the measly few photos including the small SSB I have ever seen.
Upton Towans where its easy to get lost amongst the dunes - here it all the way to the sea facing Carbis Bay next to St Ives
 59.019 - Dark Green Fritillary - Argynnis aglaja - (Linnaeus, 1758) - Upton Towans - 13 July 2016 |  59.010 - Meadow Brown - Maniola jurtina - (Linnaeus, 1758) - Upton Towans 13 July 2016 |
 61.014 - Silver-studded Blue female - Plebejus argus - (Linnaeus, 1758) - Upton Towans - 13 July 2016 - Females have beautifully marked orange lunules. |  61.014 - Silver-studded Blue - Plebejus argus Female - (Linnaeus, 1758) - Upton Towans - 13 July 2016 |
 61.014 - Silver-studded Blue Male - Plebejus argus - (Linnaeus, 1758) - Upton Towans - 13 July 2016 - this one was minute |  61.014 - Silver-studded Blue male - Plebejus argus - (Linnaeus, 1758) - Upton Towans - 13 July 2016 |
70.084 - Blue-bordered Carpet Plemyria rubiginata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) - Cubert Common Walk - Cubert,Cornwall - Field Observation - 9 July 2016 - NFW species - now has species page
 72.029 - Scarlet Tiger - Callimorpha dominula - (Linnaeus, 1758) - Upton Towans - ten minutes later its wings were like rags as the wind threw the moth against the brambles |  12.039 - Monopis crocicapitella - Travella Caravan Park,Newquay - 10 July 2016 |
 49.091 - Pseudargyrotoza conwagana - (Fabricius, 1775) - Lost Gardens of Heligan - 11 July 2016 |  49.185 - Lobesia littoralis (Westwood & Humphreys, 1845) - Behind small sea wall with trence on inside where the above moth is always seen at Godrevey - 12 July 2016 - this one is the darkest ever found by me. |
63.050 - Dolicharthria punctalis - ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) - Godrevy,Cornwall - 12 July 2016 - NFW Species - Nationally Scarce - found 2 of these one at Godrevy and 1 at Upton Towans
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