The Merv

Surely this is the Rolls-Royce of moths? And what a great name (best said in a ropey 'Allo 'Allo! style French accent): Merveille du Jour.

1 of these stunners was in the trap this morning, with 2 more sitting around outside it (as they do). The other TEAL tick was a Streak and the total haul was 61 moths of 21 species - not bad for October.

Brick by brick

More autumnal goodies in the moth trap this morning, including several Sallows, 2 Brindled Greens, a Black Rustic and TEAL ticks in the form of Blair's Shoulder-knot and Brick.

Heath Rustic

Only 55 moths in 2 traps this morning... but there was definitely quality if not quantity. Along with one each of autumn specialities Brown-spot Pinion, Frosted Orange, Autumnal Rustic, Large Wainscot and Brindled Green was what looks the part for Heath Rustic - a potential first for TL88 and not previously recorded in Norfolk this year!

Photos by Dawn Balmer

Keep on keepin' on

I'm sure the lack of recent postings from both teams can be put down to the intensity of effort of late... nothing from the Lodgers on their BioBlitz last Monday, and we've certainly had our heads down following our own TEAL day last Saturday. I can reveal that we now have Wryneck on the list... but only in terms of Tony Irwin's assessment of the scarcity of the fly Myopina myopina (henceforth known as Wryneck Fly), which he put on a par with Wryneck (it turned out to be a first for Suffolk as it was from the west side of the River Little Ouse - more Short-toed Treecreeper than Wryneck then, I reckon)! A huge thank you to Tony for helping us out with countless Diptera - I'm pleased to say that he did seem to enjoy it and was certainly very patient as he talked us through various keys and ID criteria (using numerous words that made me embarrassed to have previously called myself a Biology teacher, as most were new to me!).

The marathon of mothing is continuing at a good pace - a bumper haul of 60+ macro species last night included a whopping 9 new ones:

Purple Bar

Black Arches

Poplar Kitten

Cabbage Moth

Square-spot Rustic

Olive

Marbled Clover - a Brecks speciality

Fen Wainscot

Twin-spotted Wainscot

The other recent highlight was a Silky Wainscot - not much to look at but v few recent records round Thetford.

More Leps

In addition to the fantastic night's mothing that Moth(-)er Musgrove initiated, I managed a few more micros at the other end of the reserve the following night - namely Phlyctaenia coronata, Epagoge grotiana and Helcystogramma rufescens. Better still were the Purple Hairstreaks that eventually yielded to my scoping of the 4 mature oaks that mark the boundary of my front garden and the reserve - from the reserve, of course! I make that 1138, give or take.

Whilst initially scanning the canopy with bins, a Little Egret flew through my field of view! There was another one on the flood a few minutes later, along with an obliging pair of Little Ringed Plovers that I scoped from the meadow.

New to Beds

Pempelia palumbella in a pot (Colin Campbell)

This micro moth was sat on the side of our small actinic trap on the heath this morning. We almost ignored it, but its a good job we didn't as it appears to be Pempelia palumbella, a new species for Bedfordshire!

Moth-tastic avec trap

Despite windy and clear conditions over the weekend, Saturday night produced another decent haul of moths, including 7 hawkmoths of 4 species (Pine, Eyed and two of my favourites, Elephant and Small Elephant). On a personal note, sorting out Epiblema cynosbatella (with its diagnostic yellow labial palps - handy info for my next pub quiz, I'm sure) and Ancylis mitterbacheriana without assistance was surprisingly gratifying!

Obscure

Our friendly county moth recorder popped up again to help us on with a few more.


Bradley - Fletcher number Common Name Date Remarks
6 Eriocrania subpurpurella 05/05/2011 tenanted mines on Oak
8 Eriocrania unimaculella 05/05/2011 tenanted mine on Birch
10 Eriocrania salopiella 05/05/2011 tenanted mines on birch
11 Eriocrania cicatricella 05/05/2011 tenanted mine on Birch
13 Eriocrania semipurpurella 05/05/2011 tenanted mines on birch
36a Ectoedemia heringella 05/05/2011 mine on Holm Oak
85 Stigmella suberivora 05/05/2011 mine on Holm Oak
185 Luffia ferchaultella 05/05/2011 several cases on lichen on wall
186 Psyche casta 05/05/2011 case on signpost, larva seen
321 Phyllonorycter messaniella 05/05/2011 mines on Holm Oak
332a Phyllonorycter leucographella 05/05/2011 mine on Pyracantha on toilet block wall by gatehouse
366a Cameraria ohridella 05/05/2011 adults seen
493 Coleophora serratella 05/05/2011 many cases on Birch
523 Coleophora hemerobiella 05/05/2011 case on Hawthorn
797 Neofaculta ericetella 05/05/2011 potted near Heather on old heath
2190 Hebrew Character 05/05/2011 larva on Lime

Double the Diversity

Nothing like a bit of warm weather to get the moths out and about; with all the IDs from last night finally clinched, I can now reveal a total score of 99 moths of 40 (macro) species, easily the most diverse haul of the year. Better still, 19 new ones for the TEAL Cup, Pale Pinion attracting the most attention from Moth-er Musgrove (it being a tick for him!), the best-looking beast award a three-way tie between Eyed Hawkmoth, Buff-tip and Angle Shades.

More moth magic

Some fine moths yesterday morning, including the first hawkmoth of the year, a pristine Lime Hawkmoth (my first ever, as I started mothing too late in the year to see this species in 2010; also made it on to Martin Hughes-Games' TEAL Cup list!):

...a Great (well, big - but truly great?) Prominent...

...and a smart Lesser Swallow Prominent

Moths on the up

25 degrees centigrade in the Brecks over the past couple of days and the increased diversity of moths is certainly reflecting the warm weather.

This morning's haul included Iron Prominent...

...Herald (a personal favourite)...

...and Lunar Marbled Brown

Tortricodes alternella

Arguably not the most exciting micro moth of all time but a good one to get 'out of the way' early in the season, before the onslaught of micros later in the year.

Full macro moth list from the first (successful) trapping of the year - no Shoulder-stripe (yet) but a decent haul all the same:

Small Quaker 111
Common Quaker 67

Hebrew Character 15

Clouded Drab 14

Oak Beauty 4
Pine Beauty 4
Twin-spotted Quaker 3

Chestnut 3

March Moth 2

Grey Shoulder-knot 2

Early Grey 1