Borth Bog

Last night I took a trip to Cors Fochno (Borth Bog). The site is just outside of the county in Ceredigion. It's a peat bog - vegetation on the bog is dominated by heather and bog myrtle. The track leading onto the bog is lined with willows and birch. Put out 3 MVs and 3 actinic traps - 4 out on the bog and 2 on the track.

Being a whole country's width away, I caught lots of species that I don't usually see. This included Lackey, Rosy Footman, Four-dotted Footman and Lesser Cream Wave. Other notable records were good numbers of Marsh Oblique-barred, Striped Wainscot, Southern Wainscot and also Double Kidney, Apotomis semifasciana, Eudonia pallida, Celypha cespitana and Biselachista albidella.

Mostly species that would be expected on the far western side of Montgomeryshire - especially at Cors Dyfi. However I did record about three or four species not on our county list. A couple of them I suspect will be present (small, obscure micros).

With Ynyslas Sand Dunes only a five minute drive away, I couldn't resist a quick visit. Unfortunately I'd left my bucket and spade at home but was able to have nearly as much fun with my net. The productivity of the site was just incredible: so many moths. Didn't net anything too special but definitely a site I will do some trapping at this summer. Though next time I'll take a compass - I ended up getting lost for about half an hour: sand dunes all look the same in the dark!

At one point, what I believe were a pair of ospreys flew low over the bog. (Probably should point out I'm talking about the military aircraft, not the bird. Strangest things: half helicopter, half plane - see here.)

At around midnight, I suddenly realised that although I'd put the garden trap out, I hadn't plugged it in. In my experience this does tend to reduce the catch somewhat... Knowing there probably wouldn't be all that many moths waiting for me in the garden, I decided to stay later than I usually would - didn't leave the site until about 4am. The temperature had dropped to 10c and the final species total was 129.

As ever, follow the link for a load of crappy camera phone photos: (also a species list)

Borth Bog (10/07/14)