Species List for 18/9/2014

Any form of Natural history is a mixture of the predictable and surprises. A large number of Setaceous Hebrew Characters last night was the former, a was another European Corn Borer, but there were some of the latter as well.Only once before have I caught a Kent Black Arches in September and that was in the exceptional year for migrants of 2006. Another surprise was a Palpita vitrealis, a good migrant in a poor year. The last surprise wasn't a moth, but a pristine Speckled Wood. I have had a few butterflies in a trap in the morning before but this is a first for this very successful species. The last unwelcome surprise came at 3 a.m. I always check the forecast before I go to bed, and it gives an hourly forecast including the likelihood of rain. Each hour through the night was show at less than 5%. So when the thunder and lightening arrived I was scurrying round in my night garb putting my rain guards, (pyrex bowls) over the lamps. In total there were 369 moths of 41 species, the Palpita vitrealis was new for the year.

  European Corn Borer

 Kent Black Arches

 Palpita vitrealis

Speckled Wood

Code	Taxon	Vernacular	Individuals
464	Plutella xylostella	Diamond-back Moth	3
998	Epiphyas postvittana	Light Brown Apple Moth	14
1048	Acleris variegana	Garden Rose Tortrix	1
1309	Agriphila geniculea		1
1342	Eudonia angustea		4
1375	Ostrinia nubilalis	European Corn Borer	1
1408	Palpita vitrealis		1	NFY
1415	Orthopygia glaucinalis		2
1454	Dioryctria abietella		1
1689	Scopula marginepunctata	Mullein Wave	1
1708	Idaea dimidiata	Single-dotted Wave	1
1764	Chloroclysta truncata	Common Marbled Carpet	5
1776	Colostygia pectinataria	Green Carpet	1
1825	Eupithecia centaureata	Lime-speck Pug	2
1906	Opisthograptis luteolata	Brimstone Moth	5
1914	Ennomos fuscantaria	Dusky Thorn	10
1937	Peribatodes rhomboidaria	Willow Beauty	4
1961	Campaea margaritata	Light Emerald	1
2049	Eilema depressa	Buff Footman	1
2076	Meganola albula	Kent Black Arches	1
2092	Agrotis puta	Shuttle-shaped Dart	2
2102	Ochropleura plecta	Flame Shoulder	1
2107	Noctua pronuba	Large Yellow Underwing	55
2109	Noctua comes	Lesser Yellow Underwing	11
2110	Noctua fimbriata	Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing	2
2126	Xestia c-nigrum	Setaceous Hebrew Character	169
2134	Xestia xanthographa	Square-spot Rustic	2
2160	Lacanobia oleracea	Bright-line Brown-eye	11
2199	Mythimna pallens	Common Wainscot	3
2269	Atethmia centrago	Centre-barred Sallow	3
2270	Omphaloscelis lunosa	Lunar Underwing	28
2298	Amphipyra berbera	Svensson's Copper Underwing	1
2299	Amphipyra tragopoginis	Mouse Moth	2
2306	Phlogophora meticulosa	Angle Shades	2
2353	Luperina testacea	Flounced Rustic	3
2384	Hoplodrina ambigua	Vine's Rustic	3
2389	Paradrina clavipalpis	Pale Mottled Willow	4
2434	Diachrysia chrysitis	Burnished Brass	1
2441	Autographa gamma	Silver Y	3
2474	Rivula sericealis	Straw Dot	1
2477	Hypena proboscidalis	Snout	2