Hi all,
Unfortunately, we have a very poor weather forecast for tomorrow evening and night. Due to insurance implications I am compelled to cancel this as a public event for health and safety reasons.
However, all is not lost. I am rescheduling the session to Saturday 10th August. Lets hope for dry weather then instead!
I will confirm this again nearer that date.
Phil.
A chilly, small scale survey was undertaken by myself on Saturday night at this rather inhospitable moorland site. The main purpose being to add species to a very under recorded area in the very far north of the county, bordering Gwynedd. There was also an optimistic hope of finding a new colony of Silurian, being a Bilberry dominated landscape such as they inhabit.
At around 500m it was never going to be warm. However, the weather was calm, dry and largely overcast which is not bad considering the location.
Apparently, Silurian only fly around 2am to 4am so a necessarily long night in the car was in store. If I had found any, you would have heard about it already...
However, I was not to be disappointed. Shortly after setting out two 12v 15w synergetic Skinner's traps, my first two moths for the night were a Narrow-winged Pug and a Scarce Silver Y (a personal first for me).
Dozens of Barred Yellow and True Lover's Knot steadily emerged from the darkness to engulf the traps. Other highlights from the night included a very finely marked Grey Mountain Carpet (another personal first), Donacaula forficella, Pammene fasciana and Phiaris schultziana
19 species were recorded, four of those being micro's. 15 of the species look to be new to the quadrat list.
I called it a night at 3.30am as I had to get home to empty my trap there before daylight! Two lovely Garden Tigers to greet me!
Phil
A recording session is planned in an area of Montgomeryshire that has only four moth records. Two macro (Straw Dot (Aderyn) and Welsh Clearwing) and two micro (Glyphipterix thrasanella (Aderyn) and Small Magpie) species have been recorded. This circumstance would appear largely due to only a very thin slither of the county being present in this particular 1km OS quadrat. It is located in SH81 of the OS 10km quadrat species distribution map on the MMG website.
I believe we have a reasonable chance to improve on this species list.
The location is beside the Afon Angell, approximately 1 mile along the lane from Aberangell, which eventually leads to Corris,
OS ref SH 8316 1038. what3words crimson.acrobatic.manual
From the A470 turn right after crossing the Afon Dyfi, following the windy lane up into Aberangell, take the left turn signposted Corris. After approximately 1 mile you come to a multi-direction junction. Follow the lane bearing slightly left and down, across a cattle grid then small river bridge. The parking area is ahead on the left.
The area for recording is in a narrow wooded valley with some mature Aspen, Beech and Alder mixed with native species. Some small fields create a mosaic effect which is always promising for species diversity. There is newly SSSI designated "temperate rainforest" to the north, just over the border in Gwynedd.
We will be setting up traps from 8.30pm onwards with an envisaged switch on time around 9.30pm.
Anyone interested is most welcome to attend.
Appropriate footwear and a head/hand torch are essential. There are no facilities so self-sufficiency is recommended.
If the session is cancelled, it will be notified via a post on the MMG website blog so please refer to this before setting out.
Phil.
