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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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