Tuesday 7 July 2015

Last Night's Moths


Meal Moth - a 'micro' that rests with its abdomen curled up. The larvae feed on stored grain.
 
When I've got a bit more time in the mornings I'll properly record numbers of species trapped like I always used to. For now however it's a case of going through the trap quickly before work and potting the species that I want to photograph or photographing them as they rest near the trap. Last night produced a variety of species and good numbers that included, from memory, Buff-tip, Poplar Hawk, about a dozen Elephant Hawks, 3 White Satin, 4 Buff Arches, 1 Silver Y, 1 Dark Sword-grass, 1 Rosy Footman, 2 Angle Shades, 2 Common Footman, 1 Grey Pug, 1 Least Carpet, 2 Clouded Silver, 1 Meal Moth, 1 White Plume, 1 Bee Moth, 1 Light Arches, 1 Scalloped Oak, 1+ Minor Agg, 1+ Willow Beauty, a few Bright-line Brown-eye, 1 Clay, 1 Spectacle, 1 Snout, 1 Fan-foot, several Common Emerald, Small Magpie, Heart and Dart, Heart and Club, Riband Wave and Dark Arches, 1 Small Dusty Wave, 2 Common Wave, Large Yellow Underwing, 1 Swallow-tailed Moth, several Uncertain, 1 Smoky Wainscot, 1 L-album Wainscot, 2 Peppered Moth and at least 1 Pale Mottled Willow.
 

Poplar Hawkmoth - always a joy to see.


Elephant Hawkmoth


Angle Shades - one of two trapped last night.


Grey or Dark Dagger - the two are only safely separable by examining the genitalia.


Smoky Wainscot


Least Carpet - probably the best of last night's catch. I'm not sure of the status of this moth in Devon at the moment. When I trapped my first, nine years ago, it was considered a bit of a scarcity but moth populations can change so rapidly it might be a lot more common now. Anybody know?


Dark Sword-grass - only two immigrant species last night - this and a Silver Y


White Plume Moth - 'Dulux' white and feathery! The caterpillars feed on bindweed - something we've got plenty of out the back.


Peppered Moth

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