Moth trapping at home: May 2017

Did only a couple of moth trapping sessions at home in May.

27/28 May
2 Orange Footman Eilema sororcula
1 Yellow-barred Brindle Acasis viretata
2 Figure of Eighty Tethea ocularis
1 Rustic Shoulder-knot Apamea sordens
1 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana
1 Olive Pearl Udea olivalis
2 Pale Oak Beauty Hypomecis punctinalis
4 Light Brocade Lacanobia w-latinum
1 Maiden's Blush Cyclophora punctaria
1 Clouded Border Lomaspilis marginata
1 Crescent Bell Epinotia bilunana
1 Vine's Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua
2 Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica
2 Common Marbled Carpet Dysstroma truncata
2 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda
2 Common Wave Cabera exanthemata
2 Small Magpie Anania hortulata
1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata
1f Bee Moth Aphomia sociella
1m Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta
5 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta
4 Light Emerald Campaea margaritaria
7 Heart & Dart Agrotis exclamationis
13 (12m, 1f) Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria
1 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis
1 Freyer's Pug Eupithecia intricata
1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata
2 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata
1f Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana
1 Common Marble Celypha lacunana
3 Marbled Minor agg. Oligia strigilis agg.

Also attracted to the MV was 1 Common Cockchafer Melolontha melolontha.

Yellow-barred Brindle Acasis viretata, 28 May 2017

Orange Footman Eilema sororcula, 28 May 2017

Freyer's Pug Eupithecia intricata, 28 May 2017

Male Pale Oak Beauty Hypomecis punctinalis, 28 May 2017

Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 28 May 2017

Common Marble Celypha lacunana, 28 May 2017

Moth trapping at home: April 2017

Last month I started using the new MV light for the first time. Fortunately our garden is not overlooked and I think I have found a couple of places where the light doesn't disturb the neighbours too much. So how does the MV rate against the actinic? No contest!

After a warm March, winds switched round to northerlies for much of April and temperatures plummeted, especially for last week where nighttime temperatures dropped to just above freezing! Very few moths turned up at the light, but as I don't usually start trapping until later in the year and so nine species were new for the garden list.

Many thanks to Douglas Boyes, Billy Dykes, Steve Gale‏, Richard Lewington, Alan Martin and Stewart Sexton for help with the identification of some of these.

1 April
1 Frosted Green Polyploca ridens (first garden record)

7 April
1 Oak-tree Pug Eupithecia dodoneata (first garden record)

13 April
1 The Seraphim Lobophora halterata (first garden record)
1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata
1 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta
1f Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana

15 April
1 Oak Nycteoline Nycteola revayana (first garden record)
1 Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea

20 April
1 Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli (first garden record)
3 Least Black Arches Nola confusalis (first garden record)
1 Narrow-winged Pug Eupithecia nanata (first garden record)
1 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata (amazingly, the first garden record)
1 Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana (first garden record)
3 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata
1 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta
2 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana

Frosted Green Polyploca ridens, Worcester Park, 2 April 2017

The Seraphim Lobophora halterata, Worcester Park, 14 April 2017. Usually flying in May and June, it seems a few species are flying
a few weeks earlier than usual this year.

Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli, Worcester Park, 21 April 2017 - the first record for the garden

Least Black Arches Nola confusalis, Worcester Park, 21 Aprl 2017 - the first record for the garden

Narrow-winged Pug Eupithecia nanata. Worcester Park, 21 April 2017 - a heathland and moorland species, so what it's doing in
Worcester Park is anyone's guess?

Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata, Worecester Park, 21 April 2017. Note the tiny discal spot, weak cross-lines with a double angle in the
post median band, the slight ochreous ground colour, white tornal spot and white sub-terminal line, that all together distinguish from
White-spotted Pug Eupithecia tripunctaria.

Oak-tree Pug Eupithecia dodoneata, Worcester Park, 14 April 2017 - slowly getting my head around the tricky identification of Oak-tree
and Brindled Pugs - not easy!

Oak-tree Pug Eupithecia dodoneata, Worcester Park, 21 April 2017 - fairly worn but note the prominent discal spot and pale area
immediately behind.

Common Birch Bell Epinotia immundana, Worcester Park, 21 April 2017

Female Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, Worcester Park, 14 April 2017 - the patterning on the females is very varied

Red Mason Bees in the garden

Plenty of Red Mason Bee Osmia rufa action in the garden over the last week or so. A single female is nesting in our homemade bee hotel and it has been fascinating watching her building the cells and bringing in pollen for the larvae. Several males are also kicking about and frequently rest on the bee hotel waiting for females to appear. Witnessed one trying to mate with the female by grabbing her when she emerged from the nest cavity and forcing her to crash to the ground. But females only mate once and he was quickly seen off. So far only three nest cavities have been completed. However, the temperature has dropped by several degrees over the last few days which has no doubt slowed egg-laying.

All photos below taken with a Samsung Note 4 smartphone. It looks like Google have changed the image compression applied to images uploaded to Blogger and therefore photos on Blogger now look utter shite.

Female Red Mason Bee Osmia rufa after exiting her nest cavity, Worcester Park, 16 April 2017. Note the dusting of pollen - like all
solitary bees, Red Mason Bees do not have pollen baskets like Honey Bees do.

Red Mason Bee Osmia rufa, Worcester Park, 16 April 2017. The males have whitish hair on the face (blackish on females) and much
longer antenna.

Female Red Mason Bee Osmia rufa guarding her nest cavity, Worcester Park, 16 April 2017

Red Mason Bee nest cavity - penultimate cell sealed with mud (left), mud seal after last cell completed (right)

Our homemade bee hotel made from a salvaged piece of felled willow - took hours to drill the holes

Some excellent information about Red Mason Bees here.

Narrow-winged Grey: 24 October

Found this Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, a late flying species, at the porch light last night. More common on the coast where it is found in sand dunes, this is the first record for the garden. Does it warrant its own post? Of course it doesn't, but there's bugger all else wildlife-wise going on in this neck of the woods this autumn so I'll take what I can get!

Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Worcester Park, 24 October 2016

Staines Moor: 24 September

Another dull as hell day trudging around the moor seeing very few birds - birding in Surrey is so exciting! 'Highlights' were: 1 Whinchat (NW corner), 3+m Stonechat (1 NW corner, 2 east side), 2 (1m, 1f) Yellow Wagtail (NW corner), 14 Meadow Pipit, 2 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff (inc. 6 Bonehead Woodland), 5 Common Snipe, 1 Goldcrest (Bonehead Woodland), 5 Skylark, 1-2 Little Egret, 1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Kestrel and 2H Cetti's Warbler. Passage overhead amounted to 83 House Martin SW and 21 Barn Swallow (mainly S). Also 1 Red Kite and 3 more Common Buzzard were seen at distance over Wraysbury Reservoir.

First Parasol Mushroom Macrolepiota procera of the autumn noted today and a few Snowy Inkcap Coprinopsis nivea, and only 7 Red Admirals were seen on Staines Moor today - an amazing 530+ were present just 16 days ago!

Snowy Inkcap Coprinopsis nivea, on dung, Staines Moor, 24 September 2016 - a few of these tiny delicate mushrooms today

Parasol Mushroom Macrolepiota procera, Staines Moor, 24 September 2016

A Speckled Wood in the garden on the 14th was one of very few records for the garden.

Red Admiral invasion at Staines Moor: 3 September

My first visit to the patch this afternoon since May. A few migrants noted. A trickle of hirundines heading south-southwest amounted to 51 House Martin, 24 Sand Martin and 51 Barn Swallow, and 1 Whinchat around the swamp and a Northern Wheatear along the Colne were probably bought down by the persistent rain from mid afternoon. 1-2 Hobby, 1-2 Common Buzzard (including nice views of 1 perched on a snag along Bonehead Ditch), 33 (1H) Linnet, 3 Kestrel (including 1m and 1f), 1 Skylark, 7+ Meadow Pipit and 1 Little Egret along the Colne were the best of the other birds noted. 2 imm. Mallard and an imm. Moorhen on the Colne are noteworthy as signs of successful breeding.

Highlight of the day came in the form of an incredible number of Red Admiral butterflies present on site. Despite the windy and overcast conditions and rain setting in from mid afternoon, I counted a minimum of 196 in the NW corner alone, most feeding on blackberries. Most looked very fresh so presumably these are broods from this year's migrants? At one point I took shelter from the wind and rain next to a hawthorn and 20+ shot out at once! I estimate there must have been at least double this number at Staines Moor today.

Other inverts noted on Staines Moor include 2 Small Heath, 3 Meadow Brown, 1 Comma, 2 Green-veined White, and 3 (2m, 1f) Banded Demoiselle. No grassland fungi fruiting yet - probably too dry.

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta, Staines Moor, 3 September 2016 - 1 of at least 196 on site today

Red Admirals Vanessa atalanta, Staines Moor, 3 September 2016 - 8 feeding on blackberries in this pic (click to enlarge)

At home this morning, found a White Point Mythimna albipuncta in the house - a long overdue addition to the garden moth list.

White-point Mythimna albipuncta, Worcester Park, 3 September 2016 - an immigrant species found mainly in coastal counties in
south-east England but spreading northwards

Still quiet for moths: 30/31 August

Still very quiet for moths at home in Worcester Park despite the weather remaining warm, humid and calm. Last night there was a southerly wind so I put the moth light on, but the temperature dropped rapidly. No immigrants but a few nice common species though:

1 Small Blood-vein Scopula imitaria
1 Old Lady Mormo maura - very worn
1 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta
2 Yellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata
2 Pale Mottled Willow Caradrina clavipalpis
4 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua fimbriata - very worn
3 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria
1 Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana

Small Blood-vein Scopula imitaria, Worcester Park, 31 August 2016

Bramble Shoot Moth Notocelia uddmanniana, Worcester Park, 31 August 2016

REGUA meet up at the London Wetland Centre: 29 August

Rachel and I met up with our good friends Nicholas and Raquel Locke of REGUA at the London Wetland Centre yesterday, to see how some of the wetland habitats and infrastructure created at this excellent reserve might be adapted for the REGUA wetland in Brazil.

This was the first time Nicholas and Raquel had been to the London Wetland Centre but in just a few hours we managed to sketch out several ideas for REGUA, including a new air-conditioned viewing tower, a new hide, boardwalks, islands with muddy edges for rails and waders, new reedbeds and maybe even creating some wet grassland at REGUA.

We also managed to squeeze in a little birding. Avian highlights were 1 Hobby hunting over the Grazing Marsh, 2 Common Sandpiper on the Wader Scrape, several Sand Martin, and good numbers of Common Teal, Northern Shoveler and Northern Lapwing. A fantastic female Wasp Spider near the Peacock Tower was my first ever sighting of this Continental species - first recorded in England in the 1920’s and spreading across southern England.

Female Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi, London Wetland Centre, 29 August 2016

Got home late evening after a four hour meal, where we were joined by another good friend Andrew Proudfoot, to find a superb Vestal Rhodometra sacraria in the living room (photographed this afternoon) - fantastic!

The Vestal Rhodometra sacraria, Worcester Park, 30 August 2016 - the first record for the garden of this immigrant species

Late summer moths at home: 25/26 August

With warm temperatures and high humidity over the last few days I decided to put the moth light on at home last night. Had some good species but overall things were quiet:

1m Oak Processionary Thaumetopoea processionea - the first record for the garden. Males are strong fliers and so this could be either an immigrant or originate from the introduced population around west London. According to the Forestry Commission website, adult moths are not required to be reported. The caterpillars have tiny hairs that can cause skin and eye irritations, sore throats and breathing difficulties in humans and animals. In Britain it is illegal to knowingly keep, store or sell this species.
1 Waved Black Parascotia fuliginaria
1 July Highflyer Hydriomena furcata
4 Silver Y Autographa gamma (including 1 in the garden today)
1 Jersey Tiger Euplagia quadripunctaria
1 Dun-bar Cosmia trapezina
1 Marbled Beauty Bryophila domestica
1 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba
1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua janthe
2m Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria
2 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata
2 Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata
1 Pale Mottled Willow Caradrina clavipalpis
1 Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis
1 Mint Moth Pyrausta aurata
10 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana
1 Ruddy Streak Tachystola acroxantha
1 Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella
1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla
1 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella
Several Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella

Male Oak Processionary Thaumetopoea processionea, 26 August 2016

A worn Waved Black Parascotia fuliginaria, 26 August 2016 - a Nationally Scarce B species with adults flying between June and August

July Highflyer Hydriomena furcata, 26 August 2016 - adults fly from July to August

Marbled Beauty Bryophila domestica, 26 August 2015

Weather conditions for immigrant moths are looking good over the next few days, with high pressure systems over western continental Europe bringing south-easterly winds on Saturday. Might be worth another mothing session.

Mothing at home: 23/24 July

Had the moth light on at home last night, but despite the very warm temperature and seemingly every other moth trap in the country overflowing with moths, the haul in Worcester Park was pitiful to say the least:

1 Silver Y Autographa gamma
1 Least Carpet Idaea rusticata
2m Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria
1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata
3 Riband Wave Idaea aversata, 1 typical form and 2 ab. remutata
1m Gypsy Moth Lymantria dispar
1 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella
1 Apple Leaf Miner Lyonetia clerkella
1 Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata
1 Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis
5 Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis
1 Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella
1 Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella
1 Blastobasis adustella
Lots of Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella

Silver Y Autographa gamma, Worcester Park, 24 July 2016

Red Underwing caterpillar: 30 June

A short notebook entry. Found a fantastic Red Underwing Catocala nupta caterpillar on the willow in the garden today. Check out the defence pose and spots on the underside. What a beast!

Poplar Kitten: 4/5 June

A few moths at the light at home last night:

1 Poplar Kitten Furcula bifida - first record for home of this beautiful species.
1 Cypress Carpet Thera cupressata
1 Light Emerald Campaea margaritaria
2 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata
2 Common Wave Cabera exanthemata
1 Riband Wave Idaea aversata (ab. remutata)
6 Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata
1 Marbled Minor agg. Oligia strigilis agg.
109 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella
1 Many-plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla
1 Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana
1 Ruddy Streak Tachystola acroxantha
1 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana

Poplar Kitten Furcula bifida, Worcester Park, 5 June 2016 - note the broad black border to the outer edge of the central cross-band
and less wavy edge compared to Sallow Kitten.

Also attracted to the light was a Vine Weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus.

Vine Weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus, Worcester Park, 5 June 2016

Diamond-back Moth influx: 1-2 June

The last few days have seen a huge influx of Diamond-back Moths Plutella xylostella into Britain, as well as further north in Europe. Large counts were made on the east and south coasts yesterday, including 790 in a small area at Filey, 383 in four traps at Portland Bill Bird Observatory (where only 4 were caught on 27 May) with millions were estimated to be present on the island, and 100 were counted around the observatory and the Moat at Dungeness. Counts of over a hundred were also made at some inland sites.

With the weather being cold for several weeks now, I've not bothered with the moth light. But despite the weather last night remaining cold with a moderate NE wind, I thought I'd fire up the Blacklight last night (1 June) and see if any Diamond-backs had made their way to this area of Surrey. Species diversity was unsurprisingly very low but I wasn't disappointed with the number of Diamond-backs!

Night totals:
48 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella - by far the largest total I've recorded at home in one night.
1 Blackthorn Argent Argyresthia spinosella - first record for the garden.
1 Pale Mottled Willow Caradrina clavipalpis
1 Vine's Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua
2 Heart & Dart Agrotis exclamationis

Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, dark form, Worcester Park, 2 June 2016

Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, light form, Worcester Park, 2 June 2016

Blackthorn Argent Argyresthia spinosella, Worcester Park, 2 June 2016

Also, the pair of Magpies nesting in a Scot's Pine in a neighbour's front garden have successfully bred, with 5 fledged young and the 2 adults kicking about the back gardens from our living room this afternoon.

St Georges Mushroom: 19 April

Found a few fruitbodies of St Georges Mushroom Calocybe gambosa growing in the grass and moss beneath the cherry tree in our front garden this afternoon - the first mushroom species I've recorded in the garden. This species is edible and one of the earliest white mushrooms to fruit in the year.

St Georges Mushroom Calocybe gambosa, Worcester Park, 19 April 2016

Mild winter moths

Had the moth trap on at home over the last few weeks hoping to attract some of the very unseasonal migrant moths that have been appearing in southern Britain during this record mild spell. The trap attracted a total of zero moths. Zero! The porch light however pulled in a Winter Moth on 11 December 2015 and a Double-striped Pug on 28 December 2015 (the later usually flying between April and August). I might put up a white sheet behind the porch light and sell the trap.

Winter Moth Operophtera brumata, 11 December 2015, Worcester Park

Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata, 28 December 2015, Worcester Park

A trickle of migrants overhead: 24 October

A few very quiet hours at Staines Moor today with a just a little vis mig overhead. 2 Golden Plover over W and 1f Brambling WSW then dropping down into the willows along the Colne (by the northern footbridge) were the highlights. Also noted overhead were 1 Water Pipit N, 8 Fieldfare WSW (the first of the winter, dropping down briefly in the hawthorns in the NW corner), 1 redpoll sp. W, 14 Chaffinch SW, 1 Linnet S, 1 Greenfinch N, 1 Goldfinch W, 1 Pied Wagtail W, 3 Mistle Thrush S and 1 Song Thrush S.

Rubbish pic of one of two Golden Plover over west today

Female Brambling heading WSW before dropping down into willows by the Colne where it stayed for about 15 minutes

On the ground, 1(H) Redwing, 10 Stonechat (7m, 3f), 4 Goldcrest, 2f/imm. Reed Bunting, 32 Meadow Pipit (east side), 1m Kingfisher (Colne), 1+ Little Egret (Colne), 1+m Pied Wagtail, c100 Goldfinch (mainly around the thistles at the south end), another 5 Greenfinch, 2 Kestrel and 2-3 Egyptian Goose (2W, 1E). A Red Fox (on the northern footbridge) and lots of huge Parasol Mushrooms Macrolepiota procera (on the west side) today.

Stanwell Moor added a Common Buzzard.

A good show of Parasol Mushrooms Macrolepiota procera on Staines Moor this year - many are huge!

Potted a Feathered Thorn on the kitchen window last night - photographed this morning.

Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria, Worcester Park, 24 October

Wasp vs. spider: 6 September

Witnessed a Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris attempt to steal the web-wrapped prey of a Garden Spider Araneus diadematus in the garden this afternoon. The spider didn't try and catch the wasp (though they are more than capable of doing so) but resorted to prodding the invader and raising its front legs in an aggressive display, until after a few minutes the wasp gave up and flew off. Pics below taken with the trusty Samsung Galaxy Note 4 smartphone.

Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris attemptng to steal the meal of a Garden Spider Araneus diadematus, Worcester Park,
6 September 2015

The Garden Spider Araneus diadematus relieved after saving its meal, Worcester Park, 6 September 2015