Carreg-y-big farm event report

The report and species list from Saturdays event at Carreg-y-big farm has now been posted to our website and can be found (along with the other 2011 event reports) here.

Thanks once again to the Davies family of Carreg-y-big farm for their splendid hospitality throughout the evening.

Event 18/6 - reminder

Dear All

Just a reminder that there is a MMG (Montgomeryshire Moth Group) event at Carreg-y-big farm: hosted by Alison & Gareth Davies, this Saturday 18-06-11, from 9:00pm onwards, Map reference: SH993033.

This venue has an isolated, high altitude, ancient oak woodland, so the evening may well throw up some interesting species.

All are welcome: Full details and directions can be found in 'events' on the web site.

Peter.

Warm nights at last!!

Well last night was rather a fine mothing night, stayed around 15c all night with only light rain.

Among the usual was a personal favorite, Peach Blossom and a different brown form of Agapeta zoegana which I've never seen before.

Ever optimistic!

I put my trap out on Friday night at our caravan at Morben Isaf; I knew it was going to be a cold clear night and that I probably wouldn't catch much, and I wasn't disappointed! Lowest temperature on the marsh was a balmy +0.4°C.

Just 3 victims - a Large Yellow Underwing, a Heart & Dart, and a very nice Oblique Carpet.

Peter

A very cold June night

Although I did trap last night, I didn't expect to catch very much, as by 10:00pm the temperature was already falling steeply and by 4:40am it had fallen to -.7c the coldest June night I have recorded in Commins Coch during the past eight years of recording the weather.

When I checked the trap this morning I did actually manage to catch five moths who I thought had all surrendered themselves and were holding white flags, but then I could see they were mainly all White Ermines.

Peter.

Request for Horse-Chestnut Leaf-Miner records

I have been asked by Laura Gosset who is doing some research in Wales on the Horse-Chestnut Leaf-Miner if anyone would like to get involved with collecting data for her later this month. Her full request and details are below:-

Thanks, Peter.

-------------------------------------------------
Hello,

My name is Laura, I am an MSc student from the University of Glamorgan in South Wales and am conducting my research project on the invasive Horse-Chestnut Leaf-Miner (Camararia ohridella). The caterpillars of this moth live inside the leaves of the Horse-Chestnut tree.

LEAF-MINER HUNT - Saturday the 25th of June 2011

I need help in collecting data about the distribution of the Moth in the UK and wondered if you might be able to pass this message onto your local moth groups to see if they are interested in getting involved in leaf-miner hunting.

Everyone would need to find their nearest Horse-Chestnut tree on the 25th of June and have a look at the middle 'finger' (leaflet) of 10 different leaves from a single tree.
I need to know how many 'mines' there are in each of these leaflets (these are small brown circles or lines on the leaf, easiest to see when the leaf is held up to the light) and the location of the tree (post code, town etc.), even if there are no mines.

This information will then be put into a map to show the geographic distribution, this will help with my research project into the distribution of the moth and it's parasites.
More information can be found on My Blog http://leafminer.wordpress.com if anyone is interested. I will keep it updated as we approach the big day, with information on how to send your results.

There is now an online survey form that should make results sending quicker (http://edu.surveygizmo.com/s3/563890/The-Leaf-Miner-Hunt).

Thank you so much for your help,

Laura

Last week's mothing

Last week I went on a holiday in the South, I of course took the moth trap. I've embedded the report as a .PDF file below. It should let you scroll, zoom, etc.

Moths From Around the Country



While away my Small Eggars pupated, they made nice round cocoons:

Satin Wave

Did trap last night although I still have looked through it, I did however, trap the night before. It was nice and warm and I got Burnished Brass [NFY] and Satin Wave [NFM] among the usual lot.

MMG Event

Last Saturday's event at Dolforwyn Woods Nature reserve was an excellent evening's trapping, we managed to record a new micro moth for the county, which was great, but due to the weather the event wasn't without its moments!

To read the full event report and to see the species list, please go to the web site and click on 'events'

Peter.

Small Eggar

My first ever Nb. moth! Found it on my way home from school, makings it's way across the lane. I immediately thought Small Eggar as I've recently ID'd them for my Aunt, when she's been at her holiday home in Dorset, although I wasn't 100%. But Peter has just confirmed it (thank you!), making it the first record for many many years!

Hoping to keep it 'til it pupates and then hatches, but I've read that can take 7 years in captivity. But hopefully it'll hatch sooner though!

Douglas

Other night's moths

Had a very exciting day, a group of bank robbers dumped their car at school and the police heilcopter was buzzing and forensics were everywhere. Anyway back to moths!

Didn't trap last night as it was quite cold, although I did the night before (17th), where it remained 14c most of the night. Whenever it's this warm I know I'll catch a lot and I did!
I trapped, with the generator, at our 'wild' garden, which a few hundred meters from the house. (pics)

Mottled Rustic

Macros:
[NFM] Mottled Rustic - 1
[NFM] Small Clouded Brindle - 1
[NFM] Oblique Carpet - 1
[NFM] Golden-rod Pug - 1
[NFY] Sallow Kitten - 1
[NFY] Poplar Grey - 2
[NFY] Shoulder Stripe Wainscot - 1
Green Silver Lines - 3
Seraphim - 6
Shell - 1

Small Clouded Brindle

Nut-tree Tussock - 1
Oak Hook-tip - 1
Clouded Bordered Brindle - 1
Green Carpet - 3
Silver-ground Carpet - 16
Brimstone - 3
Flame Carpet - 1
White-pinion Spotted - 2
Clouded Silver - 1
Figure of 80 - 1
Buff Ermine - 7
White Ermine - 23
& Dart - 7
Scalloped Hazel - 2
Ingrailed Clay - 6
Flame - 7
Elephant Hawk - 1
Treble Lines - 6
Pebble Prominent -  1

Oblique Carpet

Flame Shoulder - 13
Swallow Prominent - 1
Straw Dot - 1
Pale Tussock - 5 (inc.1 nice female)
Small Phoenix - 2
Shuttle-shaped Dart - 1
Marbled Minor agg. - 1
Hebrew Character - 1 (no SHC, strangely)
Pale Prominent - 1

Shoulder Stripe Wainscot

Common Swift - 1
Small Fan Foot - 2
Common Carpet - 2
Common Marbled Carpet - 3
Scorched Wing - 1

Micros:
Epiblema cynosbatella - 2
Cydia succedana - 4
Syndemis musculana musculana - 1
Alucita hexadactyla  (Twenty-plume Moth) - 1
Coleophora albicosta - 1
Nemapogon cloacella (Cork Moth) - 3

Beautifully marked Ingrailed Clay

Nematopogon swammerdamella  - 2
Ancylis badiana - 1
Celypha lacunana - 1


I'm looking forward to the moth event on Saturday, forecast still saying it'll rain. Hopefully it'll change it's mind though.


Douglas