A few moth photos from last Thursday's trapping session
Middle-barred Minor
Edit doh!! :) Cant believe I got this one wrong - thanks so much to Bennyboymothman for the correction - its Straw Underwing!
I've been having a bit of a debate on Twitter as to whether this is Foxglove or Toadflax pug. We think the former because the central cross band on outer edge is kinked rather than curved. Apparently its very late for a Foxglove Pug so I've emailed the County Recorder for his opinion.
Edit - Thanks to Bennyboymothman for confirming this as Foxglove Pug - they are still around - please see his comment
The photo below of two Marbled Beauties illustrates the problems you can face when taking moth photos. When I tipped this pair out of the pot the one remained obligingly still for a few seconds whilst the other was immediately ready to flee.
Smoky Wainscot (I hope - Common and Smoky are very similar!!)
I decided to pot a few micros to attempt id but already struggling with this plume species
Edit Huge thanks again to Bennyboymothman for identifying the Plume as Platyptilia pallidactyla
(In some ways I am improving id wise as this was on my short list of two possibles :) )
and I am not sure what this moth is - I think its a Wave but I don't trap many. Its tiny - wingspan only about 15mm
Edit - Really can't than Bennyboymothman enough for all his help - this is Small Dusty Wave
If anyone has ideas re: the last two please leave a comment and also if any of the earlier id's look incorrect.
Summary of Moths Trapped Thursday, 25th July
Minimum Temperature 13.8 degrees centigrade
15w Actinic Skinner Trap
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) x 4
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) x 9
2381 Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines) x 38
1921 Scalloped Oak (Crocallis elinguaria) x 1
2160 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) x 2
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) x 1
2089 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) x 2
2289 Knot Grass (Acronicta rumicis) x 1
1378 Phlyctaenia coronata x 1
2343 Common Rustic (Mesapamea secalis) x 1
2293 Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica) x 7
2340 Middle-barred Minor (Oligia fasciuncula) x 1 Edit This should be Straw Underwing!
2434 Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) x 1
1817 Foxglove Pug (Eupithecia pulchellata) x 1 tbc Edit now confirmed
To finish off a few photos from around the garden
The rockery replanted last year after the waterfall was constructed is starting to look more established
Wild carrot is dominating the wildflower mini meadow
but there is still a lot of St John's Wort - much loved by bees and hoverflies
One of these days when I have sorted out who on earth will look after them when we are on holiday I will keep hens but in the meantime I've treated myself to a wire one! She is not in permanent position - have still to decide where I want her to go.
And tomatoes are finally starting to form on the plants - only pea size at the moment.
11 comments:
The garden's looking lovely. No help on the ID front I'm afraid. The marbled one was very pretty :-)
Hi Another lovely selection of moths Sorry I can't help on ID I love your newish pool.
Hi Robin
Straw Underwing for the top one.
Yes to Foxglove, they are still around apparently.
The plume looks good for Platyptilia pallidactyla
and the Wave is Small Dusty.
All the best
Ben
I love your wire hen. She looks like she should be friends with the Rusty Duck!
Countryside Tales - Thanks CT - Marbled Beauties one of my favourites I just love the lichen type colouration - there's also a Marbled Green but never trapped that one!!!
Margaret Adamson - Thanks Margaret. Sorry didn't word it very well - we've had a pool for years and years - its just the waterfall that's new and we replanted rockery at same time! Glad you are enjoying the moths :)
Bennyboymothman - Oh thanks so much for coming to the rescue. Can't believe I got Straw Underwing wrong :( and thanks for confirming the Foxglove and identifying Plume and Wave for me. Your help is really really appreciated and I will edit the post in a minute.
Em Parkinson - She is cute lol re: Rusty Duck :)
My toms are about the same size as yours, but the mini cucumbers are ready and I have loads! I too would love to have chickens, have you seen giftsandgardens.com for painted aluminium animals including chickens-they look very colourful. Glad you have a hen pal to keep you company!
SeagullSuzie - Enjoy your mini cucumbers - I imagine lots of cucumber sandwiches for tea!!! Nice sliced on cream cheese :)
Thanks for the website link re: painted aluminium animals - hadn't heard of it so off to check now :)
The moths are lovely and it's wonderful to hear that the pollinators are loving your wildflowers. Looking after hens (and here geese, too) has been preoccupying us this year and we've just changed our usual arrangements for our holiday. Your fantastic wire hen would be so much easier!
Wendy - Thank you really pleased about amount of bees (even if still not many butterflies) and yesterday lots of different hoverfly species :)
Hope you new hen holiday arrangements work! After mum became incapable of looking after our pet rabbit hols became a nightmare trying to find someone :( These days we only have stick insects and they can be left for a week with pots and pots of bramble!
Looking great that backyard. How you can ID any moths is beyond me! That's the hardest group of critters to work with.....so kudos to you for having the patience trying to ID:) Last year I did one post on them and that was it. I spent hours trying to ID a few pics! Hope that car situation is resolved:) I know how it can be.
Chris Rohrer - Thanks :) I agree moths are hard - have to admit I often misidentify!! When I first started I used to spend hours on just a few moths too!!! You must have a lot more species where you live too which would make it even harder!!!
I keep saying I'll have a serious attempt at identifying some of the very small "micro" moths (some less than a cm long) but most of the time I give up pretty quickly!!!!
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