Thursday 29 June 2017

June 2017


Moth night on the 4th June 2017 brought in a reasonable catch for me with a few new species.

1- White Ermine*
1- Heart&Dart
4- Willow Beauty
2- Clay
1- Bright-Line Brown Eye*
1- Common Marbled Carpet
1- Magpie*
1- unidentified.
  
White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda

A beautiful moth which I nearly missed in the trap, surprisingly widespread and common (although not for me being the only one ever caught).
Flies from May to July so still time to maybe catch another for some better photographs, has a wingspan of 34-48mm.

Considerable variation in the black speckling apparently.


White Ermine feigning death !

Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea




 Another common species found over most of the country, sometimes known as the Tomato Moth.

 This one not so variable, flies May to July. Favours suburban habitats as well as salt marshes. 

The fore-wings are uniformly brown in colour with a fine white outer cross line forming a 'W' ( this is the bright line). And an Orange blotch or kidney mark ( this is the brown eye)




The Clay Mythimna ferrago








The Clay showing the black chevron or triangle on the underside of its abdomen confirming its identity.

Two of these found in the light trap early June.

 suggested flight period July to August.








This moth was originally marked as unidentified but it could be the Cabbage Moth Mamestra brassicae which is on the wing between May through to September. I have caught one in the trap on an earlier occasion in May. There is suppose to be a variation in size and markings.



The Magpie Abraxas grossulariata



Described as a common moth found in most of the country, very Butterfly like and an easy one to identify, flies in July and August , so a little early for first week in June. This one was well worn with damaged wing tip unfortunately.


10th June 2017 - second session for this month brought in a relatively good selection including the following :-1- Willow Beauty, 1 - Flame, 2 Heart & Dart, 1 Common Emerald, 2 Small Magpie,
1 Clay, 2 Riband Wave,  3 Clouded Silver, 1 Common Carpet, 1 Small Quaker, 1 Large Yellow Under-wing, and two unidentified moths.

        New for the garden list were   Common Emerald
                                                 Small Magpie
                                                 Clouded Silver
                                                 Riband Wave
                                                 Common Carpet
                                                 Large Yellow Under-wing.
                                                

Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria

Common Emerald
Light Emerald caught in May 2017



Appears slightly smaller than the only other Emerald moth caught thus far, the Light Emerald, with a wing span of 24-27mm. 

Flies from dusk in June and July usually around woodlands, occurs in the southern half of the country.

Hind-wings end in a slight point with black and white checker effect around the edge of the wings.


Small Magpie Anania hortulata



Another very common moth which flies in June and July, still only two individuals caught in the light trap so far. has a wingspan of 24-28mm.
Easy Moth to identify with its yellowish body parts and black and white patterned wings.

(The large Magpie considerably larger and has yellow markings on there wings.)


Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata


Three of these lovely micro moths found in and around the light trap, said to be a common species over most of the country.

Flies in May and June with the occasional adult on the wing in autumn. frequents woodland, suburban gardens.

wingspan of 22-26mm.

Riband Wave Idaea aversata


A common species found throughout the country, flies between June and August, sometimes a later generation in the south in autumn. has a wingspan of 23-30 mm. a member of the Geometridae family of moths.

There are two forms which are roughly equal in numbers.
this one which I believe is known as the plain form ( remutata ) which only has narrow cross lines.
The other has a dark band across all four wings.






Common Carpet Epirrhoe alternata




Another quite common and widespread moth of the Geometridae family. 
sometimes known as the White- Banded toothed Carpet.

Flies in May and June with a wingspan of 20-25mm



Large Yellow Under-wing Noctua pronuba


Said to be one of the country's most abundant larger moth, with numbers being enhanced with migratory influxes here in the south of the country.
Flies from July to September , so this one slightly early perhaps, has a wingspan 0f 45-55mm
The hind-wings appear more orange than yellow on the individual caught in the trap with a black border at the end of the hind wing, the purpose of this brightly coloured hind wing is to confuse its predators.
The two dark spots on the outer edge at the rear of the forewing are characteristic.





 Unidentified moth for the moment below




Last session of the month on the evening of 18th-19th June, brought in another twelve species to the light trap :-  Least Carpet, Flame, Small Magpie, Heart & Dart, Common Quaker, Spindle Ermine, Oncocera Semirubella, Large Yellow Under-wing,  Smoky Wainsot, L-Albun Wainscot, Riband wave.

        new for the garden list   Least Carpet
                                        Flame
                                        Spindle Ermine
                                        Oncocera Semirubella
                                        L-Album Wainscot
                                        Smoky Wainscot
                                     



Least Carpet Idaea rusticata




Nearly missed this tiny micro moth, usually on the wing in July to August,
wing span of just 19-21 mm
This moth restricted to the south eastern counties of England, so my trapping in North Kent fits nicely albeit slightly early for its flight range.



The Flame Axylia putris




The flame is a moth from the Noctuidae family, reported as a common species over most of the country, except in the north where it is more local. 

The adults rest with its wings wrapped around the body, this is suppose to resemble a broken twig. which is unusual for moths of this family

Has a wingspan of 27-32mm and flies in June to July, sometimes a second generation in the autumn.
Found in suburban gardens as well as woodland fringes and hedgerows .



 Spindle Ermine Yponomeuta cagnagella





Hoping I have the right identification for this moth as there appears to be several very similar yponomeuta species.

(References say that this species can be distinguished by the " terminal cilia" on the fore-wing.
not sure exactly what that refers too at the moment.)

Assuming I have the right identification, this is a common species found throughout the country except the north , I had several in the light trap.
Its a small moth with a wingspan of 19-26mm,  larvae food plant is the Spindle, hence its name.




Rosy-striped Knot-horn
Oncocera semirubella




A nice looking moth quite easy to identify, a wingspan of 17-29 mm, flies in June to July. Strangely its preferred habitats are chalk downland and limestone cliffs, not sure what its doing in my garden. this species usually found in southernmost counties.


L-album Wainscot Mythimna l-album





This is one of the more distinctively marked Wainscots, restricted to the southern counties of England from Cornwall to Kent,

Its favoured habitat are damp coastal habitats such as brackish ditches. Strange to find it in my garden in North Kent.

the adults fly in two generations in July and again in September and October, so my June sighting a little early perhaps.

Used to be considered a nationally scarce moth in the UK, first recorded in Devon in 1901, thought to be a immigrant species, then in 1930s established itself as a breeding species in South Devon.

A strange name! L refers to the L-shaped marks on the fore-wing and album is the Latin for white.

Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura ?


Not sure whether this is a Common Wainscot or Smoky Wainscot, couldn't get a look at the hind wing as it flew off
Named after the dusky or smoky suffusion on the hindwing, this is a fairly common species over most of the British Isles.

It flies from June to August, sometimes later in the south, wingspan 31-38mm



Garden list 


1. Brimstone
2.-Yellow Shell
3.-Silver-Y
4.-Straw Underwing
5 - Small Square-Spot
6.- Square Spot Rustic
7.- Lesser Yellow underwing
8.- Uncertain !
9.- Common Wainscot
10.-Light Brown Apple Moth
11.- Lime-Speck Pug
12.- Double-Striped Pug
13.-Brown House moth
14.-Common Plume

Additions to Garden list :-   15/8/16

15. Common Carpet
16. Copper Underwing
17. Spectacle
18. Scalloped Oak
19.Lesser Bordered Yellow Underwing
20.  Bright line, Brown Eye
21. Jersey Tiger.

Additions -  September 2016

22. The Snout *
23. Setaceous Hebrew Character *
24. The Clay *
25. Lunar Underwing (3) *

additions to garden list, March 2017

26. - Hebrew Character
27. - Common Quaker
28. - March Dagger Moth
29. - The Streamer

additions April 2017

30. - Early Grey

additions May 2017

31. - Cabbage Moth
32. - Light Emerald
33.- Common Marbled carpet
34. - Campion
35. - Peppered Moth
36. - Green Pug
37.- Silver-Ground Carpet
38. - Willow Beauty
39. - Clouded Border
40. - Marbled Minor
41. - Dark Spectacle
42. - Treble Brown Spot

additions June 2017

43.- White Ermine
44.- Magpie
45.- Common Emerald
46.- Small Magpie
47- Clouded Silver
48.- Riband Wave
49.- Large Yellow Underwing
50.- Least Carpetr
51.- The Flame
52.- Spindle Ermine
53.- Rosy-striped Knot-horn
54.- L-Album Wainscot
55.- Smoky Wainscot


No comments:

Post a Comment