Waxwing

Waxwing
"To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour."

From "Auguries of Innocence"

by William Blake

Wednesday 14 August 2013

Garden Moths, Bees and Butterflies

I've reverted back to trapping once a week mainly due to lack of time at the moment for potting and identifying moths. I put the trap out last Friday as it was Garden Moth Scheme Night and one of the Moth Nights for 2013. This year's theme for the latter event was Tiger Moths. Unfortunately, I have never trapped a Tiger Moth in 4 years although they were common when I was young. I used to raise moths from the caterpillars. I did manage four new species for the year though.

Marbled Beauty - very pretty, tiny moths in camouflage colours. I always trap a lot of these.


First new species for the year was Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing


Hasn't it got a cute face? When freshly emerged the LBBYYU's have a pale green collar.


Orange Swift - also new for year


Common Wainscot (hopefully - I always struggle over the Wainscots) New for Year


I really am not sure about the id of these rather cute moths - Wainscot species I think but which ones not sure


The trap seemed full of worn lbj's of the moth world - such as the one below which I think might be Straw Underwing


Underside of one of the moths - have managed to forget which one!!!!


And I'm still working on the id of the micro below. I let most of the micros go unless they look distinctive and just pot a couple to have an attempt of identifying. One of these days (or years) I'll have the time to spend hours trying to get to grips with micro id. Although to be fair I still struggle over many macros!!!



I did another Butterfly Count last weekend - the buddleias are now flowering and full of Whites, Commas and Peacocks - just a few record shots as the butterflies were mainly feeding on the higher blossoms making photography rather difficult!!!

Comma








One of the white-tailed Bumble Bee species


Peacock



Summary of Moths Trapped Friday, 9th August

Minimum Temperature 13.9 degrees centigrade

15w Actinic Skinner Trap


2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) x 2 (New for Year)

2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) x 9

2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) x 1

1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) x 1

2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) x 5

1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) x 2

2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) x 1 (New for Year)

2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) x 8 (New for Year)

2318 Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina) x 1

0015 Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) x 1 (New for Year)

2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) x 1

2303 Straw Underwing (Thalpophila matura) x 6

2381 Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines) x 1

2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) x 6

2343 Common Rustic (Mesapamea secalis) x 2

2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) x 1


12 comments:

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

HI That was a good selection of Moths, Butterfies and bee.

Rohrerbot said...

I love how you are keeping track of all these moths. I love Tiger Moths and I'm crossing my fingers that you find one this year. Good luck!!!!

Anonymous said...

The marbled beauty and the orange swift are absolutely beautiful- have never seen either of those here but would love to.

Ian said...

A very nice collection of moths and buterflies, seems like you are having a very good season.

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Hi I am sure I already left a comment, perhaps it is in spam! anyhow, it i wonderful to see such a selection of insects. Well shots also.

Ragged Robin said...

Margaret Adamson - Thanks for the comments - sorry been out a lot so a bit late publishing. But not sure if system is playing up because I had a google email to say someone had left a comment on an old post but there has been no sign of it in my Comments section. Strange!!

Chris Rohrer - Many thanks :) Would be over the moon to see a Tiger Moth and live in hope :) So sad how they must have declined when they were so common when I was a child.

Countryside Tales - Thank you - hopefully you will get both species soon. The Marbled Beauty is very small but very pretty!

Ian - Thank you Ian. Certainly a much better year for butterflies (and I have several new moth species for the garden) :)

Wendy said...

Lovely photos of the moths and butterflies and bee. I've seen so many Peacocks in the last few days - they seem to be everywhere here - so I'm delighted about that.

Ragged Robin said...

Wendy - Many thanks. Such good news that it seems such a good year for Peacocks :) I saw a couple of Small Tortoiseshell (the first this year) today as well :)

SeagullSuzie said...

It seems every garden is full of butterflies this year. I had a Comma land on me yesterday! Lovely moth collection, between you and CT, I am always looking out for moths in the garden now.

Ragged Robin said...

Seagull Suzie - Its certainly been the best year for ages for garden butterflies :) So glad you are enjoying moths so much and finding them in your own garden :)

Lou Mary said...

A lovely selection! I do like the orange swift.. my mum saw one at work the other day. She often brings home photos taken on her phone and we spend some time identifying them! Our buddleia is too, in full flower and the garden is packed with butterflies!

Ragged Robin said...

Lou Mary - Thank you :) Moths are great fun - though can be a challenge to id! So glad garden butterflies are doing so much better this year :)