The catches at the moment are dominated by various species of Yellow Underwing and now that Flounced Rustic has started to appear I suspect that they will be the second most common moth in the trap. August is exciting for me though as I keep an eye out for Hedge Rustic which is very very rare in Warwickshire and the County Recorder has been over the moon that I have trapped a couple in the last few years. So I will be scrutinising every single small brown noctuid very carefully indeed over the next four weeks! In fact, I thought I had trapped one last weekend but it managed to fly off whilst I was trying to pot it :(
Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) The larvae feed on the stems and roots of various grass species.
Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) This species has appeared here very late this year. Larvae feed on Hawthorn, Plum, Privet, Birch, Ivy, Alder Buckthorn, Honeysuckle and Traveller's Joy.
Straw Underwing (Thalpohila matura). Larvae feed on various grass species. The underwing of this moth is very attractive being a creamy colour with a dark border.
Knot Grass (Acronicta rumicis) I find this moth difficult to distinguish from Poplar Grey so hopefully id is correct. Larvae feed on various herbaceous and woody plants e.g. Dock, Common Sorrel, Ribwort Plantain, Hawthorn and Bramble.
Bird-cherry Ermine (Yponomeura evonymella) Larvae feed on Bird Cherry - living together in silken webs and can sometimes cause much damage to the tree.
Common Rustic agg (Mesapamea secalis agg). Common Rustic is very similar to Lesser Common Rustic and Remm's Rustic - the 3 can only be reliably identified by dissection of genitalia! A route I will not be taking!
Copper Underwing Agg (Amphipyra pyramidea agg). Superficially Copper Underwing is very similar to Svennsons - somewhere hidden away in a storage box I do have a sheet which lists ways of telling the two species apart.
Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) Larvae feed on a wide range of herbaceous plants.
Single Dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata) Larvae feed on Cow Parsley, Burnet Saxifrage and Hedge Bedstraw
Some good moths here Caroline, including a number I have never recorded up here in Yorkshire. The Straw Underwing is very nice. whilst as you say the Knot Grass is very similar to Poplar Grey. August mothing is great but trying to separate & ID all the noctuid species can be a bit trying at times. I always have problems with wasps at this time of year as well :-(
ReplyDeleteHope you are well and best wishes to all :-)
Thanks very much David. I seem to get more than my fair share of noctuids!! As you say potting and identifying can be rather trying!! I find the Straw Underwings rather lovely although at times they look a bit like Hedge Rustic to me!!! I've been lucky here, touch wood, and don't get too many wasps.
DeleteFine here thank you - hope you are all well and that progress is being made on your cottage. Best wishes to you and your family :)
Very impressed, as I think I would be passing a few of these moths of as the same one, will make a point of photographing each one and seeing if they are different, well that's the idea ! Trap out on Friday only had five moths in ! the temp did drop. Was saying to David, Makes a difference were I put the trap even in our small garden, seem to have better luck next to the house. Last night would have been better as it was a little warmer, but to shattered to bother.
ReplyDeleteHave e-mailed Plantlife out my plot, see what happens, they might want the data from first visit?
Do you send any records during winter ?
Amanda xx
Too be honest Amanda for many of the noctuids that look so similar especially the smaller ones I rely on photos for id as I can see far more detail that way. Think I need stronger reading glasses! If there are a lot in the trap though I am a bit guilty of assuming id without checking that well so I probably miss a lot of garden ticks!! Sheer laziness means I tend to put the trap closer to the house. I do get better catches here if I put it much further up the garden nearer the wooded and wildflower areas but it means using 2 if not 3 extension reels!!
DeleteI must put mine out tonight - didn't bother over the weekend. Good tip of David's to you under comments on his blog about using tape to seal the sides of the perspex to try and stop them escaping!! I lose loads every night :( Its the one disadvantage I think of the Skinner trap but as mentioned before just can't justify cost of a Robinson :( Plus I am not sure I would have the time to check them all if I did have a better trap!!!
I would think Plantlife would be interested in the data from your first visit. Its such a shame we aren't carrying on as I really did enjoy the initial surveys but with family and other matters it not easy to find the time. I will give up the one allocated and may have a look at other areas locally available and if any look suitable may make a visit and reconsider. But won't commit until I am sure I have the time etc.
Did you mean moth or plant records in your last sentence? If moths I tend to stop trapping when the Garden Moth Scheme ends (beg. Nov) and then start properly when it recommences each year (beg March). Although if its mild in late Jan/Feb sometimes put it out but rarely catch much!! I think some people do trap all year.
Best wishes Caroline
ps if you trap any Copper Underwing gently lift the wings - the copper underwing is beautiful :)
I will keep hold of the data for Plantlife just in case they want it. Yes I meant moth recording during winter, must remember to sign up next March for the garden shceme. Same here it would take to long to go through the moths if I was getting Hundreds but more than five would be nice, just putting the light out to night though, have seen the red underwing of the copper when it was flying round the garden , lovely moth.
DeleteAmanda xx
Yes, they are lovely. Just off now to put mine out. Hope we both get more than five!!!
DeleteI have some information on telling the difference between Copper and Sevennson's Underwing. Its hidden away sadly in a storage box but when I finally get my new bookcases and unpack everything I'll post the tips for telling the two species apart!
Good luck tonight :)
Impressed by your knowledge! I have photos of loads of brownish moths and have given up for the time being with attempting to ID them. For now I'm just going to pick out the interesting looking moths to take photos of as I seem to be taking photos of the same few species but can't always even tell if they are the same (if you know what I mean) because some moths have variations in colours and marking within the same species!! How on earth you ever learn is beyond me.... :-) Mind you, I have managed to ID a few of the drab ones, so I guess that's something! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Mandy :) Don't worry too much about the id - just enjoy it! I don't get many of the larger prettier looking moths so have no choice but to concentrate more on the drab brown noctuids that look so similar!! Believe me I am no expert and even after about 5 years still make howlers!! You are right about there being so many variations within the same species and don't get me started on worn individuals! When I first started and tended not to use the internet just the moth "bible" it would take me hours to id just one moth. It really does get easier and if I can't id one these days I just let it go without worrying too much or put it on Twitter and ask for help (or i-spot).
DeleteOkaaaay, hopefully in 5 years I'll be a bit more clued up!!! :-) I'm glad you told me how long you have been doing it because I don't feel so useless anymore! ;-) Gonna get my trap out again tonight. :-)
DeleteIt was initially a very steep learning curve!! The important thing is to just enjoy and id what you can. If you've got photos of mystery moths you can always spend some time in the winter months having a go at id :) I am struggling on several little brown drab noctuids I trapped last night! Chilling in the fridge for a while so I can get some photos! Have to admit that, despite resolutions every year, I still rarely try and id most micro's - so tiny and many so so similar! Good Luck tonight :)
DeleteThank you so much, Caroline, for your suggestion that my moth might be a Straw Underwing. I checked up on our local Suffolk sites and it seems pretty likely - so have changed my blog accordingly. I'm new to moths, as I mentioned, so failed to measure it. Note to self: have small ruler to hand! What superb moths you have been seeing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Caroline. Don't worry about not measuring it as you can see from the photos above I don't give any idea of scale!!! If you catch a similar moth the Straw Underwings have straw coloured underwings with a dark border which is a good id feature :)
DeleteContinue enjoying the moths - its very easy to become totally addicted :)
Hope you are ok, not been out with the camera properly all week again, and have a weekend of wall papering to come !!.
ReplyDeletePut the light out last night and got three brown ones that need a closer look, if the rain stays of will put the trap out Sunday as it could be quite warm in the evening.
Hope you have a nice weekend...
Amanda xx
Fine here thanks Amanda - like you I haven't been out anywhere or had chance to take photos! I do have a few outstanding ones to do for RRNN - Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens from a few weeks ago and the one I was going to do on plants in walls of IofW but its finding the time!
DeleteJust about to empty my moth trap from last night (first trap for a week) - looks as though it is full of LYU's!!!!! Flying around upsetting all the others!
Good Luck with decorating and enjoy your weekend!!