September 2017

22nd September a relatively cold and chilly night, but the weather forecast was for a dry night so my first opportunity this month to get the moth trap out. I was not expecting to catch much, and that is exactly what happened.

A couple of Brimstones were fluttering around the trap late evening but did not enter,
 2 -L-album Wainscot moths in the trap, 1- Yellow Shell Moth, 2- Lunar Underwing .

The last eggbox checked revealed a very dark looking moth which I suspected rightly was a Black Rustic and another new species recorded for the garden, and a herald that autumn is on the way.

Black Rustic Aporophyla nigra

From a distance a very black looking moth, but on closer inspection an attractive looking moth, the whitish stigmata on each wing stands out distinctively. described as a longish winged moth with a wingspan of 40- 46mm, this was not really noticeable on my specimen. The hind-wing is whitish but this was not visible on my moth.

Another common moth in the south of the country, although this is the first and only one caught in the garden. Reported as flying in September to October, so right on schedule, favours heathland and downland, may be the reason not many seen in my garden as yet.

Black Rustic

Black Rustic

Lunar Underwing 

Garden list now stands at :-

 65 - Black Rustic