Festooned with success

As the weather has turned so warm, Paul Wheeler decided to do some trapping at Pewley Down last night. Although it was clear, the warm still air remained in situ, right up to 1:00 when we packed up. Under the light of Saturn, we kept a vigil on both traps, and they were almost constantly heaving with moths. Loads of highlights but I got two new species (the latter was even a lifer for the experienced Mr Wheeler!), which were a fantastic Festoon, and a stunning fresh Netted Pug. The other stars were heaps of Reddish Light Arches (50+), a few Lace Border (an also-ran now!), a Privet Hawk, and 7 Small Elephant Hawks.

Pewley Downs, 2nd June:
Small Dusty Wave
Middle-barred Minor
Common Swift
Clouded Silver
Barred Yellow
Reddish Light Arches
Light Brocade
Straw Dot
Heart and Dart
Treble Lines
Satin Wave
Green Carpet
Willow Beauty
Shuttle-shaped Dart
Scorched Carpet
Mottled Beauty
Light Arches
Small Elephant Hawk
Varied Coronet
Common Marbled Carpet
Setaceous Hebrew Character
Large Yellow Underwing
Iron Prominent
Dark Arches
Snout
Tawny Marbled Minor
Vine's Rustic
Privet Hawk
Clay
Cinnabar
Lesser Swallow Prominent
Light Emerald
Mottled Pug
Festoon*
Lesser Yellow Underwing
Blotched Emerald
Small White Wave
Peppered Moth (carbonaria)
Flame
Bright-line Brown-eye
Engrailed
Netted Pug*
Brimstone
Lobster Moth
Marbled Minor
Total macros: 47

White Point

Varied Coronet

Reddish Light Arches

carbonaria Peppered Moth

Mottled Beauty

Light Brocade

Lace Border

Engrailed

Cinnabar

Blotched Emerald

Netted Pug

Festoon

Small Elephant Hawk

Privet Hawk

Some new friends!

We Loop-the-loop at Oaken!

Another session out and about last night with David Gardner, and I was most excited by it, as it was at the Butterfly Conservation reserve at Oaken Wood. Initially however, it looked as if we might be scuppered by the weather, as it looked fairly clear, and a little windy. Luckily, it was not quite that bad, and the moths came, in thier hundreds! Although admittedly, about 80% of that number is made up of Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana!

In the end, I managed to see 7 new species, as well as many stunning moths. The best record came from my trap (which is so much less powerful than David's!), as two Rannoch Looper turned up, suggesting they are breeding there. Also fantastic Four-dotted Footman and a gorgeous Map-winged Swift.

The final number up to 1:00 in David's and my traps, was 75 macros of 34 species, plus the hundreds of Tortrix viridana and a load of Scorparia ambigualis as well. The final list (* is a new species to me):

7 Willow Beauty
6 Four-dotted Footman *
6 Green Carpet
5 Buff Ermine
4 Brown Silver-line
4 Mottled Beauty
3 Common Marbled Carpet
3 Common White Wave
3 Barred Yellow *
2 Little Emerald *
2 Orange Moth *
2 Common Swift
2 Flame Shoulder
2 Blotched Emerald
2 Grey Arches
2 Rannoch Looper *
2 Light Emerald
2 Ingrailed Clay
1 Map-winged Swift *
1 Marbled Minor
1 Lobster Moth
1 Beautiful Golden Y *
1 Clouded-bordered Brindle
1 Grey Pug
1 Silver-ground Carpet
1 Common Wainscot
1 Treble Lines
1 Middle-barred Minor
1 Common Wave
1 Buff-tip
1 Clouded Border
1 Lilac Beauty
1 Small Square-spot
1 Green Silver-lines

Just as usual for these outings, I was not able to get particularly good shots.

Barred Yellow

Beautiful Golden Y

Blotched Emerald

Common Swift

Four-dotted Footman

One of many Grasshoppers around the trap!

Grey Arches

Lilac Beauty, Mottled Beauty, and Tortrix viridana

Little Emerald

Map-winged Swift

Orange Moth

The first Rannoch Looper

Both Rannoch Looper

The full trap!