Lunar Hornet Moth at Cultivate , Newtown. Saturday 14th June 2025. Report by Phil McGregor.

 An invite from Cultivate https://www.cultivate.uk.com/ to help run a novel, moth focussed "Father's and their children" morning turned out to be quite the event!

Cultivate gardens. P McGregor

Based in the new activity shelter at the back of the site, a mixed group of 11 parents and children learnt about moths through viewing and even drawing them. 

The new activity shelter. P McGregor

One of the new actinic loan traps from the moth group was left on overnight at the site with the hope of catching some moths. Thanks to the torrential rain on the Friday evening potentially reducing the flight window, I decided to trap some moths at home just in case I needed a top-up for attendees to view. Some moths were also trapped and lent by Simon Spencer which I collected on my way down to Newtown in the morning.

Arriving at the site, I found the actinic trap to contain only seven species of moths so the contingencies proved worthwhile.

Being a horticultural site with a good patch of currant bushes, I decided to bring some pheromone traps and lures for Currant Clearwing which I was confident would be there. At the back of the site there are a few mature willow trees, by the pond area. I had Lunar Hornet Moth lures in the freezer too so I decided to take some along just as a long-shot curiosity, not having seen the species before. "If you don't try....."

Around 11.45am, one of the children in the group mentioned there was a "sort of bee in the tree trap". Immediately hoping for the improbable, we all went straight over to the trap which was not 5 metres away and there, to much excitement, inside it was a Lunar Hornet Moth!

Lunar Hornet Moth inside the pheromone trap. P McGregor

Lunar Hornet Moth "potted up". P McGregor

Later verified by Peter Williams, it is the sixth county record and the earliest record by one week.

Ironically, no Currant Clearwing were recorded!

The actinic trap species recorded were:

• Cinnibar
• Beautiful Golden Y
• Riband Wave
• Heart & Dart
• Burnished Brass
• Hedya pruniana
• Lozotaenia forsterana

Many thanks to all the enthusiastic families who attended and to Cultivate staff for their part in the event, providing engagement support and a fab lunch.

Phil.

Lunar Hornet Moth drawn by one of the group.

Moth night at Severn Farm Pond, Welshpool 06/06/2025. In association with Butterfly Conservation.

Another moth recording session was held last Friday night at the reserve in conjunction with the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust Wild Skills Wild Spaces (WSWS) group, headed by Nik Cain.

The diversity and infrastructure of the site is maintained and increased by the efforts of the WSWS members. It is a predominantly scrub wetland site edged mainly with broadleaf trees. There is also a "growing" area for pollinators.

View from the shelter into the reserve. P McGregor

Once again, the excellent, large shelter was used as "HQ". This was particularly useful as rain was forecast from around midnight onwards.

Reserve shelter. P McGregor

However, for the most part, the weather remained overcast, calm and mild, the most important requirements for moths to emerge!

By 9.30pm the traps were turned on and the group were soon bringing in moths to identify. Micro moths and a lot of them! There was soon a backlog on the table for me, with many variations of Pandemis cerasana and Epiphyas postvittana to look through, Tortrix viridana (an easy one), Clepsis spectrana, Archips xylosteana and Aphomia sociella providing relief!

Tortrix viridana. P McGregor

Aphomia sociella. P McGregor

As expected for a wetland site, geometrids were many with the first macro caught being a fresh Barred Yellow,

Barred Yellow. P McGregor.

followed by Silver-ground Carpet, Brimstone Moth and Willow Beauty.

Willow Beauty. P McGregor.

At one point the Macro and Micro list were evens at 15 species each but as the night drew on a steady stream of Macro's pulled ahead. Micro's seem to be having a good year.

Notable species of the night were Currant pug and a well marked Cnephasia asseclana.

Cnephasia asseclana. P McGregor.

By 2.15am, happily with a  delay to the arrival of rain, moth activity was quiet enough that it was decided to call it a night.

48 species were recorded. 30 Macro and 18 Micro. The full species list is available HERE .

Equipment:

1 x White sheet 125wMV

1 x Skinner's 125wMV

3 x Skinner's 15w Green Phosphor

Many thanks for the help and great enthusiasm of the WSWS group. To Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust for access to the reserve. To Butterfly Conservation for provision of insurance cover and to Peter Williams, County Recorder, for verifications.

The next moth group public event is at Rainbow Trails, Pen-Y- Ffordd in the Dyfnant forest. Saturday 14th June, 9pm onwards.  

Further details available here https://montgomeryshiremoths.blogspot.com/2025/05/upcoming-public-moth-night-at-dyfnant.html

Woodland moth survey near Tylwch, 28/05/2025. Report by Phil McGregor

 A private night survey was commissioned at a young, mixed broadleaf woodland near Llanidloes.

The site, at around 298m, was originally peat bog, planted up with Sitka Spruce in the 1960's, which was then felled in the 1990's. Natural regeneration, sympathetic to enhancing diversity has resulted in a stand of mainly Birch and Rowan, with a scattered understory of Holly and Oak. 4 acres of Sitka Spruce remain. Due to the damp nature of the site there is a fine tapestry of lichens, mosses and ferns.

The woodland site.

With the promise of a mild night, albeit wet and rather windy, I had hopes of reasonable results.

Four light traps were used. Two Skinner's 125wMV and two Skinner's 15w12v green phosphor.

By 04.30am when the traps were switched off,  51 Macro and 13 Micro species were recorded. Nothing spectacular but reassuringly abundant numbers.

Macro:

Flame Shoulder

Poplar Hawk-moth

Nut-tree Tussock

Heart & Dart

Common Marbled Carpet

White Ermine

Scalloped Hazel

Pale Tussock

Peppered Moth

Large Yellow Underwing

Devon Carpet

Small Angle Shades

Beautiful Snout

Common Lutestring

Small Phoenix

Green Silver-lines

Brown Silver-line

Pebble Hook-tip

Water Carpet

Brimstone Moth

Clouded Silver

Common White Wave

Square Spot

Broken-barred Carpet

Small Fan-foot

Scalloped Hook-tip

Purple Thorn

Spruce Carpet

Lesser Swallow Prominent

Pebble Prominent

Buff Ermine

Alder Moth

Clouded Border

May Highflyer

Tawny-barred Angle

Shoulder-striped Wainscot

Pale Prominent

Beautiful Golden Y

Silver Y

Silver-ground Carpet

Common Pug

Shears

Foxglove Pug

Elephant Hawk-moth

Broom Moth

Pale-shouldered Brocade

Green Arches

Iron Prominent

Poplar Grey

Grey Birch

Dwarf Pug

Micros:

Monopis Weaverella

Eudonia Mercurella

Chrysoteuchia culmella

Agonopterix heracliana

Capua vulgana

Phylloporis bistrigella (8th county record)

Epinotia immundana

Epinotia oehlmanniella

Notocelia cynosbatella

Orthoteania undulana

Argyresthia conjugella

Epinotia tedella

Epinotia bilunana

Green Silver-lines. P McGregor.

Phylloporia bistrigella. (Silver Birch leaf miner). P McGregor

Thanks to Peter Williams, county recorder, for assistance with verifications.

Phil.

Upcoming public moth night at Dyfnant Forest. Saturday 14th June 2025.

 Hi all,

This is an advance reminder for the evening event Montgomeryshire Moth Group will be holding at Rainbow Trails, Pen-Y-Ffordd.  It is a fairly remote part of the Dyfnant forest, being on its southern fringe. 

Consisting of a mosaic of conifer, Birch/Alder scrub and carr. This covers a large part of the survey area. There is also an area of regenerating clear-fell. It is a very good moth-ing site.

The usual suitable clothing, footwear and hand/head torch are advised as for an outdoor, night time event. Midge repellent recommended.

You will need to bring your own refreshments.

Directions

From Welshpool, take the A458 towards Dolgellau. Just after Llangadfan, turn RIGHT onto the B4395, signposted Llanfyllin.

After approximately two miles the car park is on the left. It is signposted as "Rainbow Trails".

Alternatively, take the A490 west from Llanfyllin, soon turning left onto the B4393. Then bear left onto the B4395 shortly after Llanfihangel garage, through Pont Llogel and after about two miles, "Rainbow Trails" is on the right.

OS NGR SJ017135.    w3w//yachting.couple.schools

We will be switching on traps around 9PM.

If the event is cancelled, it will be notified by a post on this blog and the moth group facebook page. Please check before setting out.

Hope to see you there,

Phil.

MMG Moth Night at Llanymynech Golf Course, 24/05/2025. Report by Simon Spencer.

The MMG Moth Night at Llanymynech Golf Course put 5 traps out on this area of limestone grassland and caught 36 macros and 8 micros (link to species list available HERE when available). The weather was warm, windy and with frequent light rain which may have put people off.  Phil McGregor and Simon Spencer were very pleased to have help from new member Kate Gillan as the traps were spread out and attracted lots of moths.  We were lucky to have the practice shed as our base which gave us some shelter.

Highlights were Grey Pug, confirmed overnight via the MMG facebook page by Pete Bent and Meurig Garbutt (Thanks both!).  We also had orange footman and Broken-barred Carpet.  Hawk moths were scarce but we had Poplar Hawk and Small Elephant Hawk.  We hope to run Moth Mornings there again soon. 

Our next Moth night is Rainbow Trails, Dyfnant Forest, Saturday 14th June 9pm. More details to follow soon.

Added to the blog by Phil McGregor.

Upcoming moth-ing event at Llanymynech Golf Club, Saturday 24th May.

 

This area of calcaerous grassland is sympathetically managed by the golf club and always produces a diverse range of moths.

We will be setting up traps around 8.30pm and switching them on at dusk.

Directions

OS NGR SJ265220 w3w//fuels.buns.spreading

From Welshpool direction, turn left off the A483 at the Cross Guns Pub in Pant. Take the second lane on the left, signposted for the golf club, following the narrow and sinuous lane to the top, passing over the cattle grid. 

Continue along the track up to and past the club house to a car park at the rear. The event will be based in the practice shed (as with previous years) below the car park.

Suitable clothing, footwear and hand/head torch are advised as for an outdoor, night time event. Midge repellent recommended.

You will need to bring your own refreshments etc.

Simon Spencer and Phil McGregor will be leading the event.

We hope to see you there!

Phil

A moth night at Cultivate, Y Drenewydd. Friday 16th May 2025.

A second invite from Cultivate, Newtown (next door to Theatr Hafren) for me to run another moth night at their fabulous community gardens, proved to be a chilly challenge and not of the hot variety!

Cultivate gardens, Y Drenewydd. Phil McGregor

With the setting sun, a fabulous evening meal prepared by Annie Levy was provided for attendees, using on-site produce and Newtown food hub ingredients, a major part of Cultivate's sustainability ethos. Locally grown and reduce waste   https://www.cultivate.uk.com/bwyd-powys-food/

By switch-on time for the traps, around 9.15pm, it was apparent that the forecast cloud was not going to materialise and a steady drop in temperature was felt by all.

Having caught and examined Common Carpet, abundant Alucita hexadactyla and Gracillaria syringella before dusk, the recording base moved indoors as darkness descended and the familiar chill deepened.

Gracillaria syringella. Phil McGregor

Initially, micro moths easily outnumbered their macro counterparts, including Hedya pruniana, Anania hortulata, Bactra lancealana and Tinea Trinotella, the latter being a specialist of bird nests. A lovely Cinnabar and Silver Y were the next macros brought to the table. We then saw a slowly-but-surely flow of diverse macro moths, including Figure of Eighty, Miller, Poplar Hawk-moth and Pebble Hook-tip.

Anania hortulata. Phil McGregor.

Figure of Eighty. Phil McGregor.

Miller. Phil McGregor.

By 01.30am activity was very quiet in all respects. I decided to wind down the night with the last trap switched off at 02.15am. The final moths for the list, (typically) found as the traps are dismantled, were Peppered Moth and Alder Moth.

Alder Moth. Phil McGregor

36 species were recorded. 

25 Macros:

Common Carpet

Silver Y 

Cinnabar

Poplar Hawk-moth

Pale Tussock

Coronet

Foxglove Pug

Brimstone Moth

Pebble Hook-tip

Common Pug

Flame Carpet

Common Marbled Carpet

Miller 

Marbled Minor agg.

Currant Pug

Buff-tip

White Ermine

Spectacle

Brindled Pug

Garden Carpet

Poplar Grey

Heart & Dart

Golden-rod Pug

Common Rustic agg.

Peppered Moth

11 Micros:

Gracillaria syringella

Alucita hexadactyla

Celypha lacunana

Endrosis sarcitrella

Epiphyas postvittana

Anania hortulata

Aphomia sociella

Hedya pruniana

Bactra lancealana

Dioryctria abiatella

Tinea trinotella

Traps used:

2 Skinner's 12v15w Green Phosphor

1 Skinner's 240v 20w Blue Actinic

1 Skinner's 125wMV

1 White Sheet 125wMV

A big thank you to Cultivate, Newtown  https://www.cultivate.uk.com/ for great food, great company and great moth-ing! 

Cinnabar and Pebble Hook-tip on Golden Hop (released). Phil McGregor

Phil McGregor.

There will be another opportunity to see moths at Cultivate when I run a second moth night on Saturday 19th July. More details will be available on this blog and Cultivate's facebook page nearer the time.

Cors Dyfi Moth Night, 26th April 2025. Report by Simon Spencer.

 

Visitor centre, Cors Dyfi. Phil McGregor

Our first MMG evening moth event at Cors Dyfi on Saturday 26th April was very successful.  It is a superb venue being surrounded by excellent and unusual wetland habitat, having  electricity, tables and warm shelter if needed. Our hosts Dulcie and Tom Faulkner were very  welcoming and regularly trap there. Phil McGregor, Simon Spencer and Richard Bullock  attended. We were joined later by Peter Williams, Mont Moth Recorder. We started by  putting traps along the board walk where we heard Grasshopper Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler  and Sedge Warbler. We ran a Mercury Vapour trap in the car park and a white Sheet with a  MV bulb by the picnic tables. The weather was kind with cloud coming in from the West  keeping the temperature up. I am sure it was still 12C when we packed up at midnight. It  was a very enjoyable evening and we got some stunning moths. 

Maiden's Blush. Richard Bullock

Small Phoenix 

Maiden's Blush (new to Cors Dyfi list)

Peach Blossom 

Pale Prominent 

Early toothed-striped 

Dwarf Pug 

Oak-tree Pug 

Brindled Pug 

Narrow Winged Pug 

Water Carpet 

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet Pebble Hook-tip 

Brown Silver-line 

Scalloped Hook-tip 

Least Black Arches 

Pale Pinion 

Purple Thorn 

Hebrew Character 

Flame Shoulder 

Lunar Marbled Brown 

Pebble Prominent 

Oak Nycteoline 

Ruby Tiger 

White Pinion Spotted 

Pale Tussock 

Common Quaker 

Alder Kitten 

Common Wave 

Great Prominent 

Red-green Carpet 

Brimstone 

Brindled Beauty 

Scorched Wing 

Lesser Swallow Prominent 

Early Thorn 

Overnight 

Poplar Hawk 

Square Spot

Pebble Prominent. Richard Bullock.

The standardised event species link will be available HERE in due course.

Edited and added to the Blog by Phil McGregor.

Next event is on Saturday 24th May at Llanymynech Golf Club. OS NGR SJ265220. w3w//fuels.buns.spreading

Start time 21.00pm.

Montgomeryshire Moth Group events programme 2025

Hi all,

I am just taking the opportunity here to remind everyone of the dates for the moth group night events arranged so far. It is hoped to hold events in Welshpool and Newtown later in the year but the details are still being finalised for these.

The Andrew Logan Museum event in Berriew will be a collaborative event during the school holidays with a night event and following day activities. More details to come on this.

26th April 2025.  Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve, MWT  NGR SN703984  w3w.baker.officers.  guideline 8.00PM

24th May 2025. Llanymynech Golf Club, Pant. NGR SJ265220 w3w.fuels.buns.spreading   9.00PM

14th June 2025   Dyfnant Forest Car Park. Rainbow trails. NGR SJ018136. w3w.shadowing.straws.giant    9.00PM

23rd August 2025.  Llangynog.  Craig Rhiwarth. NGR SJ055263. w3w.desktop.socialite.ashes  8.00PM

20th September 2025.  Deri Woods MWT. Llanfair Caerinion. NGR SJ099065. w3w.nitrate.rigs.mammouth 7.00PM

Simon is running a series of moth mornings this year. These will be advertised on the MMG facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/montymoths They will normally start at 8.00am and unless the catch is ridiculous, should finish at 10.00am.  Anyone wishing to host such an event please get in touch with Simon Spencer cerisyi@btinternet.com or 07866428875.  240volt MV traps and cables can be provided but a power supply will be required.

Simon also intends to hold regular public Moth Mornings at RSPB lake Vyrnwy.  Exact location of these will be advertised nearer the time and will start at 8.00AM. These will be advertised by the RSPB as well on the MMG facebook page and Blog.  There will be similar events at 8.00AM at Llanymynech Golf Course, behind the greens staff tractor shed,

NGR SJ265220. w3w.enhanced.surpassed.flames. Access via Briggs Lane by the Cross Guns Pub in Pant leading to Hillside but signposted.  Again these will be advertised at short notice.

Two further moth mornings are planned as part of bio-blitz events.

Sunday 8th June 2025 8.00AM Dolydd Gobaith Bioblitz  Pen y Garnedd, SY10 0AW NGR SJ109230 w3w.reflect.continues.reserved

Friday 20th June 2025 8.00AM Ola Lluest, SY22 5NB (near Llanfyllin). NGR SJ126148 w3w.saved.balconies.foiled ***Places for this event must be booked through Eventbrite which can be done HERE***

Phil.

Apologies for the background text colour, Blogger has chosen what to highlight!

Annual mothing report for Montgomeryshire 2024

Hello all,

Just a quick message to let everyone know that my annual report for 2024 can now be viewed in the 'Articles and reports' area of the website, or please click on the link below to take you directly to the article.

http://www.montgomeryshiremoths.org.uk/articles/VC47_summary_2024.pdf

Peter.

BIS Library Loaning Scheme

 Hi all, 

I thought it worth advertising this very good lending scheme from the Biodiversity Information Service as it applies to the whole of Powys and includes the loan of moth traps! 

Phil.

BIS Library Loaning Scheme

We are excited to launch the BIS Loaning Library which will be made available from the end of this month to all recorders or wildlife enthusiasts across Powys. Through the library, we want to inspire recorders to generate new biological records and enable anyone with an interest in wildlife to learn more and develop new skillsets!

As part of the library scheme, you will be able to borrow: 

• Guides and books on various taxon groups  
• Hand lenses 
• Moth traps
• Camera traps 
• Microscopes

We will be updating our website with the full list of equipment and resources by the end of the month. In the meantime, please contact us via email (info@bis.org.uk) if you wish to borrow any equipment/books or if you have any questions.

The library is open to recorders of all abilities who are live in Powys. We can make arrangements for recorders to collect loaned equipment/resources from our Brecon office or somewhere more convenient to you.