Setaceous Hebrew Character
Lunar Underwing
Willow Beauty
Blair's Shoulder Knot - a recent colonist - 1st recorded on the Isle of Wight in 1951 and the species has spread rapidly northwards
Copper Underwing - you might just be able to make out a glimpse of this species beautiful coppery "underskirt". Very late arriving in my garden this year.
Treble-bar - Larvae feed on St John's Wort - it would be nice to think the mass of St John's Wort plants in the mini wildflower meadow has paid dividends!!
Snout
Garden Carpet (hopefully, I'm very good at getting this species confused with Spruce Carpet!!)
Black Rustic
Near the trap one morning I found this rather beautifully marked Shieldbug - not 100% sure of its id - could it be Red-legged Shield Bug? (it seems a bit early for Green Shieldbug in its Winter colouration??)
I spotted these fungi growing near a community centre in Bentley Heath. I've had a quick look at my id guides but haven't a clue. My fungi id skills are woeful. In fact, the only species I can identify with any degree are confidence are Fly Agaric, Shaggy Inkcap, Puffball and Turkeytail! Wild mushrooms will never be on the menu in our household!
Edit - Many thanks to Stewart (please see comments). Fungi are one of the Bolete species. Should also have mentioned that diameter of largest was 4/5 inches approximately!
I stopped off briefly at the lake at Brueton Park last week - a few photos of a Black-headed Gull
I've put the moth summaries at the end of the post as I am sure most people won't wish to wade through them all!!
Saturday, 21st September
Minimum Temperature 13.9 degrees centigrade
15w Actinic Skinner Trap (used for all moth trappings - to save me typing it again!!!)
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) x 12
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) x 6
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) x 3 NFY
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) x 1
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) x 2
Sunday, 22nd September
Min Temp 11.1 degrees centigrade
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) x 24
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) x 5
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) x 14
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) x 1
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) x 1
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) x 2 NFY
2240 Blair's Shoulder Knot Lithophane Leautieri x 1 NFY
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) x 2 NFY
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) x 1 NFY
Monday 23rd September
Min Temp 14.2
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) x 26
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) x 21
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) x 1
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) x 8
2232 Black Rustic (Aprorophyla nigra) x 2 NFY
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) x 1 NFY
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) x 3
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribataodes rhomboidaria) x 2
Tuesday, 24th September
Min Temp 11.6 degrees centigrade
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) x 31
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) x 16
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) x 5
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) x 1
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) x 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) x 1
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) x 1
Wednesday, 25th September
Min Temp 11.9
2270 Lunar Underwing (Ompahloscelis lunosa) x 23
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) x 18
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) x 3
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) x 2
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) x 2
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) x 1
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) x 3
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) x 1
2477 Snout (Hypena probosciclalis) x 1 NFY NFG
1867 Treble-bar (Aplocera plagiata) x 1 NFY NFG
Thursday, 26th September
Min Temp 8.9
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) x 17
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) x 16
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) x 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) x 1
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) x 3
1867 Treble-bar (Aplocera plagiata) x 1 (Not a retrap as previous night's still in fridge!)
Friday, 27th September
Min Temp 8.7
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphalosclelis lunosa) x 29
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) x 15
2232 Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra) x 1
1738 Garden Carpet (Xabtgirgie fluctuata) x 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chorloclysta truncata) x 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) x 1
2297 Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) x 1
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) x 1
Sadly, no sign of Merveille du Jour a species never trapped but one I hope for every year at this time!!!
14 comments:
I can point you in a direction with the fungi Caroline - Its a Bolete of some kind, see the spongy underside rather than gills. Thats me done. I dont believe anyone can id them it makes micro moths seem easy ;)
So pleased the copper turned up for you! I've never had a Blair and am also desperate to see a MDJ. Moth box is out tonight so fingers crossed. I'm also rubbish with fungi ID so that's my focus this autumn. I want to get better at it- must get a decent field guide and get on with it :-)
Nice study!!! I really love the Setaceous Hebrew Character. You've had some nice moth visits on this post. The seasons are finally changing here so we'll see what happens over the next week with birds and bugs.
Stewart - Oh many thanks. Yes can see what you mean re: Boletes and spongy underside - have found them now in my id guide. Should have mentioned largest 4/5" diameter!! lol re making micro moths seem easy!!! On that basis will never id fungi :)
I must return to "Mushrooms" by Peter Marren - have got totally distracted by Jefferies and Thomas!! :) Thanks again :)
Countryside Tales - Thank you - yes very relieved to finally see Copper. I've never trapped a MdJ in 4 years but live in hope :) Good luck too with Blair's.
I've got a couple of Fungi field guides and still find them impossible!!! Though I did id a slime mould for someone recently but it was very distinctive :)
Chris Rohrer - Many thanks Chris. Very pleased with the two moths not seen before :) Glad to hear your seasons are changing - so hope it gets cooler for you and brings in new birds and bugs :)
Lovely seeing all these wonderful Moths. Perhaps there is still time to catch the Moth that you want to see.
Margaret Adamson Thank You :) Yes still have a few weeks to catch the one I would so love to see :)
Will keep my fingers crossed for your Merveille du Jour! I do wish I had a box - perhaps one day. I really hope to see the sky soon as we've been shrouded now for what feels like weeks. That fungus was HUGE.
Em Parkinson - Many thanks. Have you thought of trying putting out a white sheet and a light - that can attract quite a few species? People also make sugar concoctions - alcohol, treacle etc. and paint on tree trunks/fences to attract moths. think Butterfly Conservation website has a recipe.
Also some local moth groups (attached to Butterfly Conservation local group) sometimes let people borrow traps - might be worth checking.
I got my trap (very basic model) from Anglian Lepidopterist supplies - trap plus light and electrics is £124. I had the beginner's kit which is £150 and includes pots and a book - I think that's £25 cheaper than I paid when I bought it about 4/5 years ago!!!
Also, if you are technically minded I think you can make your own.
Thoughts with you over weather - really do hope mist disappears soon.
It is nice you are still getting a good number of moths! That shield bug is a very handsome fella!! I get ever so excited when I see one! Love photos :)
There's been quite a lot about moths on the TV recently. Hopefully people are realising what incredible (mostly) night-time creatures they are. Love the name Black Rustic. Very pretty little gull too.
Once again, as well as seeing your lovely photos, I love to read all the fantastic names that moths have! No wild mushrooms in this household, either. At the moment, I'd only pick one if I had an expert advising me to!
Lou Mary - Many thanks :) Yes I love Shieldbugs too - such a great shape! We get a lot of Hawthorn Shieldbugs in the garden.
SeagullSuzie Thank you. Its great news that there is so much in the media about moths these days. The variety and number of species never ceases to amaze me :)
Wendy Many thanks. I've looked without success for a book describing origins of moth names - they are superb :)
Good to see you are still getting plenty of moths, I really must get the trap out sometime this week as I haven't had a chance since early September. I think we all dream about capturing something as beautiful as a Merveille du Jour and I hope you get one this year :-)
David Turner - Thank you :) I haven't trapped this week since doing the post as a lot of overnight rain. It looks dry overnight this weekend so it will be out again - good luck to you too with Merveille du Jour.
Hope you had a good holiday.
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