The red twins....

A decent night for weather, and the trap was reasonably busy with 25 moths. I had a couple of Chestnut which gave me the first oppurtunity to use this very good article ( http://213.253.6.41/webzine/article.asp?a=3135 ), unfortunately, despite a promising initial look, they were both normal Chestnut (I've still not seen Dark). Best things in the trap was only my second Red Chestnut, and a year-tick of some Twin-spot Quaker.

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9th March:

12 Small Quaker

5 Common Quaker

3 Twin-spot Quaker NFY

2 Chestnut

1 Small Brindled Beauty

1 Clouded Drab

1 Red Chestnut NFY

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Chestnut

Small Brindled Beauty

Twin-spot Quaker

Red Chestnut

The Twin-spot Spring

Last night seemed ideal once again with nice cloudy skies following a hot day, and I managed to get more than yesterday. Again nothing ground breaking, but it was nice to get two Twin-spotted Quaker. Otherwise I got the same 6 species as the previous night, but 41 individuals this time. I also got a nice plume, but as usual I don't have a clue at the species (now identified as Emmelina monodactyla, thanks Dean).
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15th March:

17 Common Quaker

10 Small Quaker

6 Hebrew Character

4 Clouded Drab

2 Twin-spotted Quaker

1 Early Grey

1 March Moth

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Common Quakers

Emmelina monodactyla

Early Grey

Twin-spotted Quakers

Not sloe but early

I've been thinking for some time that I must get out with a torch at night and look at our local blackthorn (sloe) bushes to see if I can find an early moth. The early moth is said to be common but it hasn't shown in my trap - until now! I was just turning my trap off at bed-time when a small Geometrid fluttered around my feet. I potted it and immediately wondered if it was an early. But I wasn't 100% sure as sloe carpet (which I've had a few times) is quite similar. On close inspection I was able to be certain it was early. a) the antennae were pectinate and b) there was a clear dark blotch on the centre of the hind-wings. The pattern and shape are also meant to be distinctive but that's not always easy to judge on a worn moth without a sloe carpet for comparison. The early is in fact quite similar in shape to a winter moth.


I also had a few other new for year moths, including an Agonopterix-type which I'm not sure of. I also had a twenty-plume moth indoors. So my year list is slowly building up. I always feel I'm making progress when my moth list passes my bird list for the year - but some way to go yet! A few photos below:


Agonopterix alstromeriana


satellite



early moth


Twin-spotted quaker (compare with Billy's three below)


Tortricodes alternella

Fabulous February

Since my last post, I've caught plenty more early spring gems...
On the 23rd, along with the regular seasoning of Common Quakers, March Moths and Hebrew Characters, I caught a welcome 3 Twin-spotted Quaker. The variation between them was interesting, especially an individual which hosted 7 spots on each wing, and not the usual 2! After looking in the 'Larger Moths of Surrey' atlas, Collins describes specimens with increased spotting as rare in Surrey...

The usual form...

On the 24th, I moved the 15w actinic to the other end of the garden, with a sheet behind it to reflect the light to all areas of the garden.

It paid off and I caught 4 new species for the garden; Small Brindled Beauty, Small Quaker and an individual of each Amblyptilia acanthadactyla and Agonopterix sp.- the latter of which to me looks very promisingly like A. scopariella- Only 6 sites appearing to be shown on the provisional micro distribution maps for Surrey. Photo send to CR for identification.

Small Brindled Beauty...

Small Quaker and Common Quaker (and to think I was previously afraid of how I would seperate the two species should I ever catch them!)...
 

 
Amblyptilia acanthadactyla
 

I'll post the outcome of the mystery micro, as well as a mystery Chestnut sp. that I'm also in the process of IDing, and a Clouded Drab that I haven't had to photograph, in due time... moth trapping is a busy process!