Passenger, caught 23/9/2006 (National moth night).

Mothing at St Margaret's

Most of the Moth lists and Photographs are from my garden (TR359450) in the village of St Margaret's at Cliffe in Kent. It is situated about 1Km from the sea and has farmland with in 100 metres. The garden is well shrubbed and about 1600 sq metres. I normally run a 125 MV lamp and a 15W actinic light over-night and once the season gets going a couple of other traps. At the moment both are 25W black Lamps. previously I used a 160W blended lamp in one of them. All traps are home made. Trapping dates refer to the date the trap was put out.

Trap Update in 2017. A new 125W MV Robinson was added to a 125W MV Skinner, 15W Actinic Skinner, two 80W MV Morris modified Skinners and a 80W MVMorris Box trap.
Traps are now (2020 onwards) 2x 125W Robinsons, 2x 80W Skinner type and 1x 15W Actinic strip light on a Skinner type .

I try and identify all the Macro Moths, with the micros I am not at all systematic, I do more than I used to with the help of the new book, but there are some that do get through.


Monday 19 October 2009

Species List for 16/10/2009

A very meagre return. Two traps recording zero for the first time. Two days off, with our grandson Sam in Walthamstow, I don't think I'll bother with a trap!

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
464 Plutella xylostella Diamond-back Moth 1
874 Blastobasis decolorella
1
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 2
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 7
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 1

Saturday 17 October 2009

Species List for 15/10/2009

The first Mallow of the Autumn, a late start for this species.

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
1745 Larentia clavaria Mallow 1
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 1
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 10
2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 1
2126 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character 2
2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot 2
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 2
2256 Eupsilia transversa Satellite 1
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 7
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 1
2274 Xanthia icteritia Sallow 1
2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 1

Thursday 15 October 2009

Species List for 14/10/2009


A Chestnut (on left), paler than yesterday's (on right) but very little else on a cold night.

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 1
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 3
2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 1
2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot 2
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 2
2258 Conistra vaccinii Chestnut 1
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 6
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 5
2306 Phlogophora meticulosa Angle Shades 1
2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 1

Wednesday 14 October 2009

Species List for 13/10/2009

Although I had two conflicting opinions on the Conistra species on balance I think it is in fact a Chestnut. A welcome new for the year was the Merveille du Jour.

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
1728 Xanthorhoe fluctuata Garden Carpet 1
1760 Chloroclysta siterata Red-green Carpet 1
1764 Chloroclysta truncata Common Marbled Carpet 1
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 1
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 18
2202 Mythimna l-album L-album Wainscot 1
2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 1
2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot 3
2247 Dichonia aprilina Merveille du Jour 1
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 2
2258 Conistra vaccinii Chestnut 1
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 14
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 1
2272 Xanthia aurago Barred Sallow 1
2441 Autographa gamma Silver Y 2

Dark Chestnut? - No a Chestnut!

Caught last night. As Ben says, it is a Chestnut, also confirmed by Greg Bond.

A couple of Geometers for ID

Two from the 12th.

This is the second almost identical Worn Carpet - any ideas?


Epirrita dilutata?

Species List for 12/10/2009

I think the Epirrita is a Novemeber Moth, also another pale or warn carpet.

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
1795 epirrita dilutata November Moth 1
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 9
2202 Mythimna l-album L-album Wainscot 1
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 4
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 11
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 1
2272 Xanthia aurago Barred Sallow 2

Tuesday 13 October 2009

Species List for 11/10/2009

Clear and cold last night and hardly any moths!

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 3
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 2
2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 1
2134 Xestia xanthographa Square-spot Rustic 1
2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 1
2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot 1
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 2
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 1
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 2
2441 Autographa gamma Silver Y 1

Sunday 11 October 2009

Species List for 10/10/2009

An more interesting night with the first Scarce Bordered Straw since one in 2007 (Jul 27th). In 2006 I caught an amazing number (163), 32 of which were on or after Oct 10th, so there's a chance of more to come. Also the first Green-brindled Crescent of the year.

Scarce Bordered Straw (Helicoverpa armigera)

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
1764 Chloroclysta truncata Common Marbled Carpet 2
1760 Chloroclysta siterata Red-green Carpet 3
1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 1
2087 Agrotis segetum Turnip Moth 1
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 1
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 20
2126 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character 1
2194 Mythimna albipuncta White-point 2
2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 5
2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot 4
2245 Allophyes oxyacanthae Green-brindled Crescent 1
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 7
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 7
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 2
2272 Xanthia aurago Barred Sallow 1
2375 Rhizedra lutosa Large Wainscot 1
2400 Helicoverpa armigera Scarce Bordered Straw 1
2441 Autographa gamma Silver Y 1

Friday 9 October 2009

Species List for 8/10/2009

The first Red-line Quaker of the year (the earliest I've had by four days).

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
1398 Nomophila noctuella Rush Veneer 2
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 2
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 13
2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 2
2134 Xestia xanthographa Square-spot Rustic 1
2202 Mythimna l-album L-album Wainscot 1
2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot 8
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 8
2263 Agrochola lota Red-line Quaker 1
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 12
2269 Atethmia centrago Centre-barred Sallow 4

Species List for 6/10/2009

Was it worth it?

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 3
2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 5
2134 Xestia xanthographa Square-spot Rustic 1
2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 1
2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot 1
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 6
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 1

Tuesday 6 October 2009

Eudonia? from 7/8/2009


I think that this may be Eudonia mercurella - but it's a terrible photo!

Dog's Tooth? from 7/8/2008

Publish Post
I think that this is a Dog's Tooth. I found the photo in a number I took on a busy night in Aug 2008 and somehow neglected. Three confirmatory replies.

Species List for 4/9/2009

A late Emmelina monodactyla and a stunning Red Underwing, other than that a few of the normal October moths.

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
1342 Eudonia angustea
1
1398 Nomophila noctuella Rush Veneer 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla
1
1764 Chloroclysta truncata Common Marbled Carpet 4
2087 Agrotis segetum Turnip Moth 1
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 3
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 11
2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 4
2117 Eugnorisma glareosa Autumnal Rustic 1
2126 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character 2
2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 1
2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot 3
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 17
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 2
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 7
2272 Xanthia aurago Barred Sallow 1
2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 2
2452 Catocala nupta Red Underwing 1

Monday 5 October 2009

Species List for 3/10/2009

Few moths. The Spectacle was a surprise and the Willow Beauty a very small specimen, possibly 3rd generation?

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 1
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 3
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 3
2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 3
2134 Xestia xanthographa Square-spot Rustic 1
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 8
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 3
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 7
2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 1
2450 Abrostola tripartita Spectacle 1

Sunday 4 October 2009

Species List for 2/9/2009

Again a sparse list. The first Satellite of the "winter" period. although I caught one on April 4th.


Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
1342 Eudonia angustea
1
1764 Chloroclysta truncata Common Marbled Carpet 2
2087 Agrotis segetum Turnip Moth 1
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 3
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 7
2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 1
2110 Noctua fimbriata Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1
2134 Xestia xanthographa Square-spot Rustic 1
2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot 4
2248 Dryobotodes eremita Brindled Green 1
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 5
2256 Eupsilia transversa Satellite 1
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 12
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 12
2272 Xanthia aurago Barred Sallow 1

Friday 2 October 2009

Species List for 1/10/2009

Although it was a poor night, just as in birding, major rarities do turn up in October, so it's fingers crossed and carry on for a while.

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 6
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 10
2126 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character 2
2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 4
2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot 5
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 9
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 5
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 13
2306 Phlogophora meticulosa Angle Shades 1
2361 Hydraecia micacea Rosy Rustic 1
2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 1

Thursday 1 October 2009

Species List for 30/9/2009

Another Clancy's Rustic. This moth was first recorded in the UK at Dungeness in 2002. Here, I had four in 2005, 19 in 2006, three in 2007 and one in 2008. As the numbers dropped I thought that perhaps any colonisation in the area had not succeeded, but after two this week it will be interesting to see if it makes a comeback.

Code Taxon Vernacular Individuals
1728 Xanthorhoe fluctuata Garden Carpet 1
1764 Chloroclysta truncata Common Marbled Carpet 1
2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 7
2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 15
2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 2
2126 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character 2
2134 Xestia xanthographa Square-spot Rustic 1
2202 Mythimna l-album L-album Wainscot 2
2240 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot 7
2255 Polymixis lichenea Feathered Ranunculus 8
2267 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 9
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 11
2306 Phlogophora meticulosa Angle Shades 1
2361 Hydraecia micacea Rosy Rustic 1
2387a Platyperigea kadenii Clancy's Rustic 1
2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 1

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