At Long Last Some More Interesting Moths!

I've finally finished identifying the moths I trapped on Friday night - although some of the identifications are a bit tentative!! Quite a nice selection of moths and by far the highest catch of the year so far both in terms of numbers trapped and the amount of individual species with some new year and garden ticks.

I trapped Common and Smoky Wainscot last year but I am pretty sure this is a Shoulder-striped Wainscot - a new tick for the garden and rather a sleek and elegant moth.



Two pugs were in the trap - first up was this one - its rather well camouflaged in this photo sitting on the table which I use for potting plants. Click on the image to enlarge and you may just be able to make it out!



And here's a photo of it in its pot - A Foxglove Pug (yippee another well marked pug!) and a year tick.



I struggled a bit with the id of this one as its very worn but I think its a Buff Ermine.



And here's a photo of the same species I took last year in a far better condition - you can see from this picture how it gets the name "Ermine".



Flame Shoulder



A moth with a similar name "The Flame" - they always look like discarded cigarette ends to me!



A worn Riband Wave - very lively moths like the Carpets and very difficult to photograph. I just managed to get a picture of it on the floor after it had flown off straight after I opened the pot.



Last year I got in a dreadful muddle with my "Uncertains", "Rustics" and "Mottled Rustics"! And here is the first one of the year. I think this is "Uncertain". I only have the Concise Version of the Waring and Townsend "bible" and I think I will have to add the full version to my Christmas and Birthday List as I think it gives more id hints and tips!



And here's another pug - note the green colour so with typical female logic :D!!! I am going with Green Pug!! It doesn't look that much like the ones in the "bible" or the Manley book but the one on UK Moths website looks similar.



Now we reach the dreaded lbj's of the moth world. Am rather flummoxed with this one - although it is worn which doesn't help. I thought possibly a dark form of Heart and Dart but it was larger than most I catch so is it a Turnip?



I trapped a couple of micros - I think this one may be a Bee Moth - Aphomia sociella whose larvae feed on the combs in wasp and bee nests.



I thought the long antennae (which you can see better if you click on the image) would be a good id feature but there seem to be several micros with very long antennae. My best guess is Adelareau murella. Unfortunately I let the moths go yesterday as I don't like to keep them too long so I only have the photos to use for id.



Finally, I couldn't resist another photo of the Elephant Hawk-moth



As always if I've made the usual howling errors with my id's please don't hesitate to let me know!


Summary of Moths Trapped Friday, 3rd June

9.30 p.m. until dawn

Minimum Temperature 9.0 degrees centigrade

15w Actinic Skinner Trap

Heart and Dart x 34
Setaceous Hebrew Character x 1
Elephant Hawk-moth x 1 NFG NFY
Shoulder-striped Wainscot x 1 NFG NFY
Buff Ermine x 1 NFY
Foxglove Pug x 1 NFY
The Flame x 1 NFY
Flame Shoulder x 1 NFY
Riband Wave x 1 NFY
Uncertain x 1? NFY
Green Pug x 1? NFY
Bee Moth x 1 ? NFG MFY


Adela reaumurella x 1????? Would be NFG

Plus one unidentified macro (the Heart and Dart/Turnip moth look alike)