Far from a Grey night at Dawneys

On the 9th, the weather was perfect, so we did an impromptu trapping session at Dawney Hill, near Woking, hoping for pioneer species at this site with young heathland. We couldn't possibly predict the quality that was about to occur. The first of four new species was a Narrow-winged Pug, a fairly common species. But after a brief sighting of a Beautiful Yellow Underwing, a Bordered Grey arrived, a notable A species. After that fantastic find, we looked at the same egg box later, and found an Archer's Dart in it, a species which could definitely be described as a pioneer species. Finally, we found a late Poplar Lutestring, to complete the quality lineup. We also got a large number of Wax Moths, presumably there was some hives nearby.

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Dawney's Hill, 9th August:

Small Fan-footed Wave

Yellow Shell

Cloaked Minor

Flame Shoulder

Canary-shouldered Thorn

Narrow-winged Pug*

True Lovers Knot

Beautiful Yellow Underwing*

Riband Wave

Large Yellow Underwing

Shuttle-shaped Dart

Dark Arches

LBBYU

Common Rustic

Pale Prominent

Vine's Rustic

Dunbar

Common Lutestring

Iron Prominent

Pine Hawk-moth

Common Carpet

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Black Arches

Least Yellow Underwing

Small Rivulet

Copper Underwing

Yellow-barred Brindle

Horse Chestnut

Currant Pug

Archer's Dart

Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

Straw Dot

Maiden's Blush

Elephant Hawk-moth

Pebble Hook-tip

Scalloped Hook-tip

Double-striped Pug

Birch Mocha

Six-striped Rustic

Brimstone

Tawny-barred Angle

Poplar Lutestring*

Oak Hook-tip

Ruby Tiger

Early Thorn

Bordered Grey*

Rosy Footman

Willow Beauty

Peacock

Smoky Wainscot

Scarce Footman

Large Emerald

Lime-speck Pug

Scalloped Oak

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Archer's Dart

Narrow-winged Pug
Wax Moth
Poplar Lutestring
Bordered Grey

Cold Wisley still produces Sharp sightings

On the 7th August, I went to Wisley Common, but the weather was as cold as it could possibly be, and we only got 18 macro species. Luckily, the site was good enough to still produce a couple of lifers. One of the first moths was a Dotted Clay, and one of the last was a Sharp-angled Peacock, and we also got a Common Peacock for comparison.

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Wisley Common, 7th August:

Double-striped Pug

Turnip

Dingy Footman

Single-dotted Wave

Dotted Clay*

True Lovers Knot

Ruby Tiger

Brimstone

Scarce Footman

Riband Wave

Common Rustic

Black Arches

Pale Prominent

Peacock

Ear Moth

Copper Underwing

Sharp-angled Peacock

Common Wave

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Peacock

Sharp-angled Peacock

Dotted Clay

Sweet success at Chobham

The event on the 6th August brought me to a place I have never been to before, the famous Chobham Common. Accompanied by the calling of Nightjars, we set up the trap near a wet boggy area, and it came up trumps. I managed two new species, and they were both hum dingers! First, a Small Scallop arrived, and shortly after, a Small Chocolate-tip. A very scarce species, with only a few known colonies in Surrey (only one seen at Chobham before). Loads of Straw Underwing were a surprise too.
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Chobham Common, 6th August:
Straw Underwing
Currant Pug
True Lovers Knot
Small Fan-footed Wave
Turnip
Straw Dot
Small Chocolate-tip*
Rosy Footman
Small Scallop*
Ruby Tiger
Small Rufous
Yellow Shell
Scarce Footman
Scalloped Hook-tip
Double-striped Pug
Shuttle-shaped Dart
Drinker
Copper Underwing
Large Yellow Underwing
Flame Shoulder
Pale Prominent
Iron Prominent
Smoky Wainscot
Dusky Thorn
Pebble Hook-tip
Dark Arches
Peppered Moth
Horse Chestnut
Dagger sp.
LBBYU
White Point
Canary-shouldered Thorn
Pebble Prominent
Poplar Grey
Willow Beauty
Brimstone
Maiden's Blush
Vine's Rustic
Common Carpet
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Straw Underwing

Small Scallop

Small Chocolate-tip

Micro interest

In the first of my retrospective posts, I go back to 5th August in the garden: Not a great deal on the night, but amongst 45 moths of 17 species was my second Scalloped Hook-tip, and a noctuid which had me confused, til I realised it was a small Cabbage. Also a couple of interesting micros.

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5th August:

12 Dunbar

11 Common Rustic sp.

5 Riband Wave

4 Shuttle-shaped Dart

2 Red Twin-spot Carpet

1 Scalloped Hook-tip

1 Herald

1 Ear

1 Turnip

1 Copper Underwing

1 Flame Shoulder

1 Dark Arches

1 LBBYU

1 Small Rivulet

1 Cabbage

1 Large Yellow Underwing

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Pyrausta aurata

An unknown bold micro (I got two of these)

Garden Pebble
Cabbage Moth

Bits and pieces

While Sean is off-line, I've also been doing little. But I'll post a couple of pix I've taken over the last few days.

Agriphila tristella

Meadow brown - an unusually well marked example

lychnis - found in a red campion plant

small copper

No internet

Just a quick note to say that I have not had an internet connection since last friday, and this will continue to be the case until Tuesday at the earliest (I am using someone elses computer for this). I have lots to catch up on come then, including several fantastic trapping sessions, so please watch this space! As a teaser, moths I have seen include Small Chocolate-tip and Bordered Grey. See you soon!

Sean

Still plenty of moths about - and predators

I had the trap on overnight on Thursday (5th August). The catch was not huge but included a couple of wasps and a dozen hornets - with the resultant carnage. I don't enjoy identifying moths from odd wings but I found a lesser swallow prominent's forewing and that of one of the kittens (probably sallow). A number of moths made their first appearance for some months - pale prominent, nut-tree tussock, coxcomb prominent. There were three September thorns, a scalloped oak, yellow-tail and a very faded common emerald.
A few random pictures follow:

straw underwing

shuttle-shaped dart

cloaked minor

The clay

common emerald

chocolate tip

Agapeta zoegana

Spilonota ocellana

Cochylimorpha straminea

German wasp Vespula germanica

magpie

The Magpie is one of my favourite moths. I saw quite a few when on holiday in Scotland but they are less than annual in my garden and I have been hoping to photograph one ever since I got my current camera (several years ago now). Last night, I didn't have my trap on but I was pleased when a magpie turned up on the outside of our conservatory. This species is similar to the small magpie Eurrhypara hortulata which is a Pyralid (micro), but several sizes larger. I'll post photos of both for comparison. I also found a largish micro at about the same size.
small magpie

magpie moth

Agriphila tristella

butterflies

I took advantage of the sunshine yesterday to photograph a few butterflies - and a dragonfly

green-veined white

ringlet

gatekeeper

silver-washed fritillary

comma

speckled wood

red admiral

black-tailed skimmer

My garden is into the Black

A solid but unspectacular night in the garden, with 64 moths of 29 species.

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Amongst them were several second records for the year, but only one new one. A few nice micros included a Diamond-back moth, a large micro that I believe was Phycita roborella (neither of which co-operated for the camera), and the green shiny moth below. Help with its ID would be appreciated.

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2nd August:

11 Dunbar

9 Riband Wave

6 Common Rustic sp.

5 Shuttle-shaped Dart

4 Copper Underwing

3 Double Square-spot

2 Uncertain

2 Buff Ermine

2 Large Yellow Underwing

2 Ruby Tiger

1 Nut-tree Tussock

1 Dagger sp.

1 Small Seraphim

1 Clouded Border

1 Scalloped Hook-tip

1 Small Phoenix

1 Least Yellow Underwing

1 Peppered Moth

1 Willow Beauty

1 Black Arches NFY

1 Turnip

1 Dark Arches

1 Cloaked Minor

1 Tawny-barred Angle

1 Small Rivulet

1 Vine's Rustic

1 Bright-line Brown-eye

1 Small Fan-footed Wave

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Garden Macro Year List: 180

Garden Macro List: 223

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Unidentified micro

Black Arches