Pear Tree Moths: June 2018

16th June 2018

Only seven species caught last night with 3- Cabbage moths of varying colouration, 1- Heart and Dart, 2- Marbled Minors, 1- Ribband Wave, 1- Garden Dart, 1-unidentified, 1- Large Fruit Tree Tortrix. which is new for the garden list.

Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana

Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana

With a very large pear tree in the garden , one of these Fruit tree Tortrix was not unexpected, although this is the only one to make it to the light trap.

flight period is from june to July but its reported that adults can be found from May through to September.

The larvae feed on the foliage, flowers and fruit of a wide variety of deciduous trees, including apple (Malus), plum, sloe and cherry (Prunus spp.) and, occasionally, conifers.

unidentified

Marbled Minor (rufous ? )

4th June 2018

A good start to the month with seventeen moths being found in the moth trap, of these sixteen there were ten species as outlined below, two new species for the garden, (75) Small Waved Umber & (76) a tentative Powdered Quaker.

The nights catch included 1- Willow Beauty, 1- Light Emerald, 5- Heart & Dart, 2- Large Yellow Underwings, 2- Garden Darts, 1-Powdered Quaker*, 1- Lesser Yellow Underwing, 1- Small Waved Umber*, 1- Common Quaker, 2- unidentified moths

Garden list now stands at 77

75 - Small Waved Umber
76- Powdered Quaker
77. Least Yellow Underwing

Small Waved Umber Horisme vitalbata

Nice to see this the Small Waved Umber after catching its larger cousin the Waved Umber last month.

Two generations of this month, flies in May and June and again in August, found in the south of the country and south Wales, said to inhabit woodland margins and hedgerows.

Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis

Definitely not hundred per cent on this identification, the flight is a little late, field guide suggests flying time is between April and May. This could be a well worn individual, but some of the i.d. features can still be seen.

For future reference some identification details

Flight period: Flies slightly later than the other Orthosias, from April to May.

{ Identification features: Once seen for the first time, Powdered Quaker is a distinctive moth, with an attractive light sandy ground-colour of the forewing, often with a very fine dusting of black scales.

The oval is small and not entirely obvious on some individuals. The kidney-mark is more distinctive and fairly large.

The pale outer cross-line is relatively straight and faintly edged with light brown, with a row of black dots between the outer cross-line and kidney-mark. }

Heres a few other moths found in the trap for the evening of 4th June.