Lindfield Moth Diary - April ’08

e-mail: moths@littlesnails.com

Wednesday 30 April 2008

Too cold wet and windy for there to have been any point in putting the trap out.

Tuesday 29 April 2008

Weather: Cool, overcast, heavy rain around dawn, fairly windy.

Day 286… Inspired as I was by the SMG AGM last night I hoped the moths would feel the same and turn up in their droves. No such luck. The catch was as follows:

Geometridae

1 Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata Steph.

Noctuidae

1 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
4 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.

Monday 28 April 2008

Weather: Mild, mostly overcast, occasional light showers, windy.

Day 285… "Better than yesterday" is about the best that can be said of today’s catch. 10 species represents a fairly reasonable variety but the numbers are still pathetically low. A very small and pallid Chestnut caused a momentary diversion, not immediately knowing what it was and a Diamond-back Moth, probably representing the first immigrant of the year, was about the extent of the interest. The catch was as follows:

Yponomeutidae

1 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella Curt.

Pterophoridae

1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Linn.

Geometridae

1 Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata Steph.
1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata Linn.

Notodontidae

1 Lunar Marbled Brown Drymonia ruficornis Hufn.

Noctuidae

1 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta Hb.
4 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
3 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
1 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.
1 The Chestnut Conistra vaccinii Linn.

Sunday 27 April 2008

Weather: Mild, overcast, very light wind.

Day 284… High hopes for a really good catch this morning, the conditions seemed perfect, yesterday was the warmest day of the year so far and everything seemed set fair. What went wrong? The only consolation was the first pyralid of the year, a Small Grey, probably (I tried getting a photo of the beast for absolute confirmation but because of equipment limitations (yeah, I know) the result was unreproducibly bad). The catch was as follows:

Pyralidae

1 Small Grey Eudonia mercurella Linn.

Pterophoridae

1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Linn.

Noctuidae

1 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
3 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
3 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Saturday 26 April 2008

Weather: Mild, mostly clear, light wind.

Day 283… Surprisingly few moths given the conditions but what did bother showing up represented a half decent selection I suppose. One new one for the list: an Early Purple, well at least I think that’s what it is, hold on… isn’t that an orchid? There was also a very large and dark (and maybe a little early) Common Marbled Carpet which threw me somewhat and also, belatedly, our first Prominent of the year, a Lesser Swallow. The catch was as follows:

Eriocraniidae

1 Early Purple Eriocrania semipurpurella Steph.

Pterophoridae

1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Linn.

Geometridae

1 Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata Hufn.
1 Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata Steph.

Notodontidae

1 Lesser Swallow Prominent Pheosia gnoma Fabr.

Noctuidae

1 Pine Beauty Panolis flammea D. & S.
1 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
1 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
4 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Early Purple

Friday 25 April 2008

Weather: Mild, overcast, showery, breezy.

Day 282… Definitely better conditions produced a better catch, if a little curious (10 Common Plumes). Some good stuff too, our first Water Carpet and also the first Powdered Quaker of the year (at last!), and this time I remembered to take a photo - they rather slipped through the net last year. The catch was as follows:

Pterophoridae

10 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Linn.

Geometridae

1 Water Carpet Lampropteryx suffumata D. & S.

Noctuidae

1 Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis D. & S.
2 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
1 Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta Hufn.
4 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
4 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Water Carpet
Orthosia gracilis

Powdered Quaker

Thursday 24 April 2008

Weather: Cool, occasional very thin cloud, breezy.

Day 281… Not a great night’s catch, unsurprising given the weather. At leat I’ve got a nice bright Orange-tip photo to cheer things up a bit, it seems to have been quite an encouraging year for Orange-tips - Brimstones too, we’ve seen lots in the garden, but I guess they would have had a good season last year, April being the only month with any real summery weather. Later emerging species (as news reports are suggesting) took a hammering, it’ll be interesting (in a worrying sort of way) to see how they fare. The catch was as follows:

Pterophoridae

3 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Linn.

Geometridae

1 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata Linn.

Noctuidae

4 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
2 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Orange-tip

Wednesday 23 April 2008

Weather: Mild, partly overcast becoming murky and damp by dawn, still.

Day 280… Another slight increase in numbers of moths and of species (it was the first time in nearly three weeks that the latter has been in double figures). Two more firsts for the year too; a Pine Beauty (only the second one we’ve seen and it didn’t evade being photographed this time!) and a Brimstone Moth. It’s interesting to see that The Streamers that are still showing up have lost their lovely purple coloration which has faded to a dull brown. The catch was as follows:

Pterophoridae

2 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Linn.

Geometridae

2 The Streamer Anticlea derivata D. & S.
1 Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata Steph.
1 Brimstone MothOpisthograptis luteolata Linn.

Noctuidae

1 Pine Beauty Panolis flammea D. & S.
1 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda D. & S.
2 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
1 Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta Hufn.
5 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
10 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Pine Beauty

Tuesday 22 April 2008

Weather: Cool, very thin cloud cover, light wind.

Day 279… A little cooler than the past couple of nights but that didn't have too adverse an effect on numbers, which continued to increase (slightly). It was good to see the first Lunar Marbled Brown of the year, first member of its family too. Still waiting to see a Powdered Quaker though. The catch was as follows:

Pterophoridae

2 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Linn.

Geometridae

3 The Streamer Anticlea derivata D. & S.
1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.

Notodontidae

1 Lunar Marbled Brown Drymonia ruficornis Hufn.

Noctuidae

1 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda D. & S.
8 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
5 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
2 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Lunar Marbled Brown

Monday 21 April 2008

Weather: Mild, overcast, heavy rain before dawn, windy.

Day 278… Another slight improvement in numbers, a bit like last night’s haul with a few more of the regulars showing up. With the forecast set reasonably fair for the next few days I can feel a sense of optimism for what’s in store… The catch was as follows:

Pterophoridae

1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Linn.

Geometridae

3 The Streamer Anticlea derivata D. & S.
1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.

Noctuidae

2 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda D. & S.
9 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
1 Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta Hufn.
2 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
2 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Sunday 20 April 2008

Weather: Mild, overcast, occasional rain at first, windy.

Day 277… Ah, now this is more like it, a marked upturn in conditions and, might I say a vastly improved (by recent standards) selection of moths. The night’s highlight being two Streamers. The catch was as follows:

Tortricidae

1 Light-brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker

Pterophoridae

1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Linn.

Geometridae

2 The Streamer Anticlea derivata D. & S.
1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.

Noctuidae

5 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
1 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
3 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

The Streamer

Saturday 19 April 2008

Weather: Cold, overcast light rain before dawn, very windy.

Day 276… I tried to put the trap somewhere out of the wind but it was so gusty and coming from just the wrong direction it proved impossible. Needless to say it was another meagre catch (only two moths) but at least they were slightly unusual. The catch was as follows.

Noctuidae

1 Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta Hufn.
1 The Satellite Eupsilia transversa Hufn.

Friday 18 April 2008

Weather: Cold, clear at first thin cloud later, very windy.

Day 275… Still no frost but the much strengthened easterly wind and the bright gibbous moon conspired to create more far from perfect conditions. It really comes to something when a Hebrew Character sets the pulse racing! The catch was as follows.

Noctuidae

1 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
1 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Thursday 17 April 2008

Weather: Cold, clear, fairly windy.

Day 274… Another cold but frost free night (thanks to the easterly wind). This time last year the catch was about 60 moths of 23 different species - how times have changed, mind you, April was what counted for summer last year and daytime temperatures were hovering around 25° C. Last night’s catch was as follows.

Noctuidae

4 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Wednesday 16 April 2008

Weather: Cold, clear at first light rain after midnight, light wind.

Day 273… The daytime temperature is steadfastly refusing to rise above about 12° C and consequently, I presume, the moths are refusing to fly. Yet again it was another disappointing catch.

Noctuidae

1 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
2 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Tuesday 15 April 2008

Weather: Cold, rain at first clear and frosty by morning, light wind.

Day 272… No sign of things picking up while we were away, the nights remain cold and the moths are refusing to come out. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t have guessed the two moths we did catch last night:

Geometridae

1 Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria Cl.

Noctuidae

1 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Saturday 12 - Monday 14 April 2008

We were away for the weekend and I didn’t take the trap with me.

Friday 11 April 2008

Weather: Cold, mostly clear frosty by morning, light wind.

Day 271… Another cracking night’s catch:

Noctuidae

1 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda D. & S.
1 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.

Thursday 10 April 2008

Weather: Cold, mostly clear, light wind.

Day 270… Desperation rather than common sense lead me to put the trap out last night. My low expectations for the catch shielded me from any disappointment with regard to this morning’s less than impressive catch, which was as was as follows:

Noctuidae

1 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda D. & S.

Monday 07 - Wednesday 09 April 2008

Sunday’s snow heralded a spell of cold sunny days and very frosty nights so there would have been little point in putting the trap out.

Sunday 06 April 2008

Weather: Cold, overcast, windy.

Day 269… The only memorable thing about this mornings otherwise entirely humdrum catch was having to examine it while standing in a blizzard! The catch was as follows:

Noctuidae

5 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda D. & S.
2 Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti Fabr.
8 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
6 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
1 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Saturday 05 April 2008

Weather: Cool, partial cloud, windy.

Day 268… Not particularly great conditions, so consequently I was mildly surprised by the showing this morning, a half decent selection of the seasonal usuals. Is it possible that the age of the Small Quaker is passing, and the Common Quakers are taking over? (The Sallow Button was the same as yesterday’s - probably the same individual.) The catch was as follows:

Tortricidae

1 Sallow Button Acleris hastiana (?) Linn.
1 Light-brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker

Pterophoridae

1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Linn.

Geometridae

2 Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata Steph.

Noctuidae

8 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda D. & S.
3 Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti Fabr.
13 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
5 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
1 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Friday 04 April 2008

Weather: Warm and overcast, clear and cool later, still.

Day 267… How frustrating, just as I was thinking what a cracking night it was going to be the skies cleared and the temperature plummeted. Unsurprisingly there wasn’t anything to write home about in the trap this morning. There was a tortricid of some sort - I think a Sallow Button (Acleris hastiana) - though I haven’t managed to establish its identity for sure. I thought it was going to be straight forward with its distinctive pale leading edges and stripy appearance but there wasn’t anything on UKmoths that seemed to quite fit the bill. (Not only that, but the flight time is apparently wrong too, mind you, I did catch what I’m convinced was one back on 07 March and I’m beginning to suspect that some tortricids aren’t particularly fussy about when they fly.) The catch was as follows:

Tortricidae

1 Sallow Button Acleris hastiana (?) Linn.

Noctuidae

19 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda D. & S.
1 Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti Fabr.
6 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
6 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
3 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Sallow Button (?)

Thursday 03 April 2008

Weather: Mild, overcast, occasional light drizzle, light winds.

Day 266… Ideal conditions for a good night of mothing, cloud and damp - lovely. And so it proved, twelve species in the trap this morning, including two Red Chestnuts which we haven’t seen before. The catch was as follows:

Pterophoridae

1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Linn.

Geometridae

1 Shoulder-stripe Anticlea badiata D. & S.
1 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.
1 Oak Beauty Biston strataria Hufn.

Noctuidae

2 Red Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa D. & S.
16 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda D. & S.
2 Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti Fabr.
14 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
1 Twin-spotted Quaker Orthosia munda D. & S.
6 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
2 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.
2 The Chestnut Conistra vaccinii Linn.

Red Chestnut

Wednesday 02 April 2008

Weather: Mild, overcast, fairly windy at first, becoming calm.

Day 265… Yesterday was what seemed to be our first truly spring-like day and was duly followed by a fine night (if a little too windy at first) which all served to bring about a pretty good catch in the trap this morning. Nothing new, but we did get two, what I at first thought were different, Pugs. After closer examination they turned out to be the same: Double-striped Pugs, it’s just that one was very worn and a bit frayed around the edges and the other was as fresh as the proverbial daisy - see photo. I was also at first, not sure what they were as they were both somewhat larger than those seen last year, an observation confirmed by Waring, that the earlier ones are larger than later generations - we didn’t see this species until June in ’07. I have to say I was pleased with the photo, It’s always good to get a decent shot of the tiny ones.

By the way, thanks to Professor Bayley for confirming the Lead-coloured Drab, handy because we had another (or maybe the same) one this morning, I just love that name, whoever it was that gave it that name I reckon, must have been in a really grumpy mood that day, "this moth is not just drab, it’s as drab as the drabbest substance I can think of", they presumably thought. The catch was as follows:

Pterophoridae

3 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Linn.

Geometridae

2 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Haw.
2 Oak Beauty Biston strataria Hufn.

Noctuidae

17 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda D. & S.
1 Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti Fabr.
5 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi D. & S.
3 Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta Hufn.
5 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
4 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.

Double-striped Pug

Tuesday 01 April 2008

Weather: Cool, clear to start, rain later, windy.

Day 264… Not the most perfect conditions with which to start a new month, a bit too windy. There was a little more variety in the trap this morning, including the year’s first Angle Shades, a particularly fresh and richly coloured specimen nothing new to report though. The catch was as follows:

Geometridae

1 Oak Beauty Biston strataria Hufn.

Noctuidae

8 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda D. & S.
7 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Linn.
2 Early Grey Xylocampa areola Esp.
1 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa Linn.