Thoughts please #teammoth! Is this a large female Turnip or a Pearly Underwing? Dagger markings seem much reduced, and antennae unfeathered.
Ruth Newby
@ruthnewby.bsky.social
Officially moth-obsessed, also easily distracted by birds, butterflies, flies, wasps and spiders. Musically devoted to an (un)holy trinity of Bruce Springsteen, Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen.
Despite rapidly sinking temperatures I managed 18:12, with Green-brindled Crescent (thanks to @marburybirds.bsky.social 😉 ), Blair’s Shoulder-knot & November Moth agg. (earliest garden record) NFY. Also a second Deep-brown Dart. #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social
For the first #mothfacefriday of October, I give you a Merveille du Jour (you can call him Merv for short) resplendent in green, white and black #teammoth
Stigmella tiliae, found on a Lime tree in the Mulberry Walk car park in Mere Green today. #teammoth @vc28nature.bsky.social @pmandrews1973.bsky.social @ecorecord.bsky.social
I remember @vc28nature.bsky.social telling me earlier this year that Stigmella aceris is not found on Sycamore, so am puzzled as to ID of these mines on a small Sycamore sapling. P. geniculella also found on same tree. #teammoth
A couple of mines of Gypsonoma oppressana in fallen leaves of my Lombardy Poplar. One leaf has a mine of Stigmella trimacullela as well. #teammoth
Mild muggy conditions didn’t produce quite the bonanza I was hoping for (36:13) but Brindled Green and Barred Sallow were NFY, plus 2 Black Rustics, Merveille du Jour, Red-Green Carpet (1st of the autumn) and Wax Moth. #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social
A very productive walk to the shops to buy milk: found mines of Phyllonorycter esperella NFY, as well as P. geniculella (new for SK10) & refound Stigmella speciosa (last recorded in SK10 in 2012). @pmandrews1973.bsky.social @vc28nature.bsky.social
Last year I asked #teammoth for records of 2nd generations of normally single-brooded moth species. I compiled a spreadsheet from the data, and thought this might be a good time to post it, especially as after an even hotter & drier summer several species listed in my table have been seen recently.
Expected cloud cover did not materialise overnight resulting in 6:5, but saved by this NFY Merveille du Jour, stunning as always. Not a single LYU (!), Rusty Dot Pearl also notable. #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social
More caterpillar conundrums: I found two of these large noctuid caterpillars (about 3cm long) when I removed a large mat of grass from a crack in our patio. Any ID suggestions gratefully received as I can’t find a match in my field guide. #teammoth @rlewington2.bsky.social
A Black Poplar leaf with a puzzling mine. Perhaps old Phyllocnistis unipunctella mine? @vc28nature.bsky.social
If I was going to convert my Skinner trap to run on an LED bulb, what would people recommend? What’s the closest equivalent to an 80W MV (what I have been using)? #teammoth
Finished this rather fun jigsaw of tropical butterflies and moths with my youngest last night.
A better night in the moth trap last night with Black Rustic and Deep-brown Dart both NFY (the latter only my 2nd garden record). Also Small Mottled Willow & Acleris sparsana. @pmandrews1973.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social #teammoth
I noticed feeding signs on my perennial Geraniums & had a look for caterpillars. Found this: a shed skin or a parasitised individual? Can anyone suggest a species? #teammoth @rlewington2.bsky.social
I was wondering if the red leaves of my ornamental Cherry Plum would be less attractive to leaf-miners, but Stigmella plagicolella at least is not fussy. #teammoth @vc28nature.bsky.social
Mine of what I think is Stigmella crataegella, found on my garden Hawthorn. I wonder if the larva has been parasitised, I’m sure I can see a small cocoon-shaped object next to it? @vc28nature.bsky.social #teammoth
The best thing about last night’s moth trap was this attractive colour form of Lunar Underwing. For a moment I thought it was something more exotic… #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social
Pretty sure I spotted the first Ivy Bee of the year on my garden Ivy just now. Very camera shy unfortunately, this is the best shot I got. @ecorecord.bsky.social
I’ve had glimpses of the Cinnamon Bug (Corizus hyoscyami) the garden before, but this is the first time I’ve managed to get a photo. @ecorecord.bsky.social @britishbugs.bsky.social
A very fresh Red-barred Tortrix from the moth trap yesterday. Don’t think I’ve ever trapped one in September before. #teammoth
@vc28nature.bsky.social Could this be Bucculatrix bechsteinella on Hawthorn? Thanks in advance for your help!
A real stunner of an ichneumon in the moth trap this morning: Opheltes glaucopterus, a parasitoid of Cimbicid sawflies and a new species for my garden. @gavinbroad.bsky.social @jasboparai.bsky.social
Probably just an Oak Hook-tip, but some features seem to point towards Spiny? What does #teammoth think? FW length 15mm
Several mines of Stigmella hybnerella found at Hill Hook LNR this weekend, all vacated, which is slightly frustrating given that I have been keeping an eye out for mines over the past few weeks. Also Stigmella salicis on Goat Willow. #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social @vc28nature.bsky.social
Also in Friday night’s trap, NFG Mompha epilobiella. Had the wait until the afternoon to get some decent pictures that would allow an ID. #teammoth @pmandrews1973.bsky.social
