Warm air flow - good numbers of moths - more migrants.

I had an excellent number of species (18) and moths (57) at Commins Coch last night - these were unuasually high totals for a late November night, which just goes to show how much a mild air flow over the county can really effect moth catches.

There were 14 macro species which included Red Sword-grass and the Scarce Umber and 4 micro species.
I had 2 migrant species: - 1 x plutella xlostella  and 10 x Udea ferrugalis - the latter number is the highest recorded for this species in a single night for the county.

Please post about the migrant species you record as this keeps everyone in the loop as to what's turning up in the county. 

Peter.

More migrants

I'm currently in Oxford but the garden trap was kindly run on my behalf last night. The best catch was this Palpita vitrealis. A lovely moth, that I've been lucky enough to see in France before now - though this is the first garden record. An uncommon visitor: as of last year there had been only 3 records across all of north Wales (all from Peter in 2006 & 2013). Seems to be a species that is becoming more regular, possibly due to climate change.

Other migrants were Vestal, Udea ferrugalis and Silver Y.

Photo by Clare Boyes

Dolforwyn event report

The species list and write up from our latest MMG event are now online here.

New county record of a Scar Bank Gem

When I opened the trap this morning I had a moth which resembled a Silver Y, but it looked somehow different, I potted it and cautiously hoped that I might be a Ni Moth, however when I checked through the reference books it turned out that I’ve recorded a Scar Bank Gem, a migrant species which is found in south-west Europe, Africa and Asia (the small light brown, tear shaped mark in the middle of the outer edge of the wing is diagnostic). It was first recorded in the UK at a house call 'Scar Bank', near Swanage, Dorset. It's much more rare than the Ni Moth and from what I can tell this species has only been recorded 15 times before in the whole of the UK and never in Wales – Needless to say I’m quite animated with this excellent record this morning. 

I've already had requests from moth-ers to view and photo this moth, so I'm going to set aside tomorrow afternoon (Friday 31/10/14) for this and I’m going to ask everyone who turns up to donate £2.00, which will go towards the running costs of the Montgomeryshire Moths website.

All viewings must be by prior appointment only, my contact details can be found on the Montgomeryshire Moths website.

With an air flow from a south-westerly quarter and temperatures picking up over the next few days it is quite possible that we could have an influx of migrant species across the county, so keep those traps fired up and good luck to you all.

Peter. 

Mothing event at Dolforwyn Woods Nature Reserve on Saturday 25/10/14.

Hello All,

This Saturday the MMG (Montgomeryshire Moth Group) is holding a mothing event at Dolforwyn Woods Nature Reserve, just north of Newtown – we’re targeting autumn migrant species and with an air flow from a south westerly direction, we might just get one or two species. This is our last event of the season, so please come along and join us for what promises to be a terrific evening’s mothing at this superb woodland site.

Full event details are:-

Venue: Dolforwyn Woods Nature Reserve.

Target Species: Autumn migrants.

Event Date: Saturday 25 October 2014.

Event time: 6:00 onwards, at the trapping site.

Directions: Going north on the A483 from Newtown to Welshpool you will see two signposts for Abermule on the right hand side of the road. Directly after the second signpost take the first left turn, signposted for Dolforwyn Castle. Dolforwyn Hotel is visible as you turn up this lane. Go straight on and follow the lane as it curves right for about 300yds. The reserve track is on the right. Follow the track for about 400yds until you reach the parking area area.                         Grid Reference: SO158956.

Montgomeryshire Moth Group (MMG) is an independent voluntary group of people interested in moths. All ages are welcome to attend events whether experts or beginners.

This year all the events are light trapping events. We set up the light traps at dusk to attract moths and then release them after identification.

As with all our evening events, please bring a torch and wear suitable outdoor clothing.

You are welcome to join us for as much of the evening that suits you, we are likely to stay for several hours. However, in case of cancellation, due to poor weather or unforeseen circumstances, always ring or e-mail to check the event is on before joining us.

Please note that some sites are not easy to find, so please make sure you know where the venue is before you set off.

All the best,

Peter.

Coed Pendugwm event report

The report and species list from our latest MMG event can be found here.

Posting on our blog

This blog is completely open for anyone to share anything moth or wildlife related. We are always looking for users who would like to contribute by posting here. If this is of interest to you, please get in touch and I will happily set it up (my email on the sidebar). The only thing needed is a Google account - a shared account between all of Google's services: Blogger, Gmail, Youtube, Picasa, etc. (the chances are you already have one.)

PS - anyone is welcome comment on any of our posts without being an author (though Google account still required).

Mothing event at Coed Pendugwm Nature Reserve Saturday 27th September

Hello All,

This Saturday the MMG (Montgomeryshire Moth Group) is holding a mothing event at Coed Pendugwm Nature Reserve in the centre/north of the county. This is a joint event with Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust who are doing bat recording. This site is very under-recorded so there is a chance that we might record something new or scarce for the site or indeed the county, so please come along and join us for what promises to be an excellent evening’s mothing and bat recording.

Full event details are:-

Venue: Coed Pendugwm Nature Reserve.

Target Species: Early autumn migrants.

Event Date: Saturday 27 September 2014.

Event time: 7:00 onwards, at the trapping site.

Directions: from the A458 at Heniarth take the B4389 for approximately half a mile, then on the left take the B4382 for about a mile and a half, where you will turn right towards Pont Robert. Coed Pendugwm is on a minor road a mile north of Pontrobert towards Llanfihangel; follow the brown signs from Pontrobert. Park in the reserve car park down the short but steep track opposite Pendugwm Farm. Please note that the reserve only has a small car park, so please ‘car share’ wherever you can.                                                                                          Grid Reference: SJ103143

Montgomeryshire Moth Group (MMG) is an independent voluntary group of people interested in moths. All ages are welcome to attend events whether experts or beginners.

This year all the events are light trapping events. We set up the light traps at dusk to attract moths and then release them after identification.

As with all our evening events, please bring a torch and wear suitable outdoor clothing.

You are welcome to join us for as much of the evening that suits you, we are likely to stay for several hours. However, in case of cancellation, due to poor weather or unforeseen circumstances, always ring or e-mail to check the event is on before joining us.

Please note that some sites are not easy to find, so please make sure you know where the venue is before you set off.

Peter.

Surveying for moths in a lost world (14th September 2014)

The idea of conducting a moth survey in a "lost world" at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) was something that Peter had been working on since May.  The site is part of the disused Llwyngwern slate quarry just north of the main CAT site, now only accessible through a small wet tunnel.  Ideally the survey would have taken place in mid-summer, but the availability of group members and then inclement weather precluded running the event until now.

 

Logistics - getting 9 traps on site

Four of us arrived on site just before 7pm, giving us about an hour to set things up.  Peter's excellent organisational skills ensured that the necessary transport was on hand to convey the trapping gear from our vehicles, namely a trolley and two rusty wheel-barrows!  

En-route to trap site

However, a fallen tree across the path meant we had to carry everything through the dark wet tunnel in order to set up the traps in the quarry beyond.  Come 8 o'clock and everything was ready for the moths: two 125w MV Skinner traps on the path short of the tunnel, then within the quarry itself two more Skinners and a Robinson trap all with 125w MV lamps, plus four Heath traps (three 6w actinic and one 15w Actinic).



Tunnel entrance

Survey site

It wasn't long before Douglas came back with the first moth of the evening - a dead Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas), a species native to South-East Asia!  We wondered whether some enterprising member of the CAT staff had left it specially for us to find? 

Atlas Moth

British moth species gradually appeared, starting with Flame Carpet, then the first of the two most prolific species of the night - Common Marbled Carpet and July Highflyer.  A single Brimstone Moth was followed by a Tissue; subsequently many of these were found over-wintering on the tunnel walls, as well as three Herald.

Over-wintering Herald

Over-wintering Tissues

The air temperature at the table was holding up quite well, between 13°C and 14°C for most of the evening, but when it rose to nearly 16 degrees surprise was expressed, until we found that Peter's mug of tea was rather close to the sensor!

Micro-moths were being outnumbered 2-1 by their macro cousins, but notable finds were Argyresthia goedartella, Epinotia ramella, Ypsolopha parenthesella and Pandemis cinnamomeana.
 

Epinotia ramella

Argyresthia goedartella



Ypsolopha parenthesella

Pandemis cinnamomeana

















Back with macros, a very fresh Red-line Quaker was nice to see, along with a rather worn Anomalous.  Some late arrivals included a Straw Dot and Fan-foot and at about 1am, as the last trap was being emptied, we found a Purple Bar and a Hedge Rustic.  That took the species tally for the night to 36 (11 micro and 25 macro).

We mused that notable by their absence were many of the usual autumn species such as Autumnal Rustic and the Sallows, but we felt that the site holds enough promise for a re-visit, hopefully in mid-summer next time.

Survey species list

0411  Argyresthia goedartella

0460  Ypsolopha parenthesella

0858  Hypatima rhomboidella

0971  Pandemis cinnamomeana

1038  Acleris laterana

1062  Acleris emargana

1134  Epinotia ramella

1334  Scoparia ambigualis

1338  Dipleurina lacustrata

1340  Eudonia truncicolella

1344  Eudonia mercurella 

1722  Flame Carpet

1752  Purple Bar

1760  Red-green Carpet

1764  Common Marbled Carpet

1769  Spruce Carpet

1777  July Highflyer

1790  Tissue

1862  Double-striped Pug

1906  Brimstone Moth

1913  Canary-shouldered Thorn

2102  Flame Shoulder

2109  Lesser Yellow Underwing

2111  Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

2176  Antler Moth

2177  Hedge Rustic

2178  Feathered Gothic

2263  Red-line Quaker

2361  Rosy Rustic

2364  Frosted Orange

2394  Anomalous

2469  Herald

2474  Straw Dot

2477  Snout

2484  Pinion-streaked Snout

2489  Fan-foot

The Tissue - foodplants

One of the Tissues that came to light at Llyn Mawr

This summer I have caught the Tissue, Triphosa dubitata, at three separate sites: Llyn Mawr (upland bog), Glaslyn (heather moorland) and Vyrnwy (upland scrub). The foodplants given for the species in the books are buckthorns (Frangula & Rhamnus). I couldn't help but notice that these foodplants don't seem to be present at any of these of sites. The fact that three were recorded on a single night at Llyn Mawr would suggest that these are probably not wanderers.

There are several other records from around the county from upland areas where the foodplant is perhaps somewhat unlikely. It's possible the moth is able to thrive on isolated patches of buckthorn, existing in high enough density to wander from these areas.

But is it perhaps more likely this moth is utilising a different foodplant in the county? I notice Andrew Graham has made the same observation on his north Wales site, saying "Occurs on moorland, miles from the stated foodplants. Could it be breeding here on some other plant?". Text on the Yorkshire Moths website hints at their suspicion it might be feeding on something else in their county.

In addition to the two buckthorns, the Natural History Museum database gives ash, apple and bird cherry as plants it's been recorded on in continental Europe. I also find reference to it feeding on hawthorn abroad. Clearly elsewhere it's adapted to other foodplants - so why not here?

The only tree species growing nearby to where the moths were caught at all three sites is rowan. Could this be an alternative foodplant? It's just possible, I suppose. If Glaslyn is excluded, birch and willow are common to the two other sites. There are of course going to be plenty of low-growing plants common to all three sites.

Obviously this is just speculation but certainly an area that merits some attention. Next summer I'll try searching/beating rowan at these sites for larvae - probably worth a try! Hopefully I'll also obtain a gravid female and, if so, I will see if the larvae are less choosy in captivity and what other plants they will accept.