An indifferent catch of around 140 moths of 66 species, not helped by a towel malfunction allowing a lot of moths to escape before I could go through them.
Probably the most interesting moth was a very worn Pine-tree Lappet - perhaps the same individual I caught 10 days previously, when it was in much better condition.
 |
| Pine-tree Lappet |
First recorded in Jersey in 2005, Pine-tree Lappet is probably now resident in the island. Although a common Continental species, it remains an extreme vagrant in the UK, other than a small, local and probably introduced population in Scotland.
The species can be a serious pest in conifer plantations.
 |
Hawkmoths are always a welcome sight in the trap. The diminutive Small Elephant Hawkmoth is one of five hawkmoth species so far recorded in my garden, and is one of the commoner Sphingidae in the island. More typically a heathland species, I caught my last one just over a month ago.
In my previous posting, I included a photograph of Svensson's Copper Underwing. The two British species of copper underwing are very similar and require careful separation. Although not a diagnostic feature, the shape of the second cross-line on the upper-wing on this specimen is indicative of Copper Underwing.
An apparently reliable feature separating the two species is the colour of the palps. Svensson's Copper Underwing has dark palps with pale tips, whereas Copper Underwing has entirely pale palps as illustrated in the photo above. Svensson's is considered the less common of the two species locally, but the comparative abundance of the two species is probably not fully understood.
After struggling with look-alike pugs during the early Summer, it has been something of a relief to catch more distinctive species during the last couple of sessions.
Both White-spotted Pug (top) and the rather striking Narrow-winged Pug (bottom) were new ones for me.
White-spotted Pug is listed as common in the island, whereas Narrow-winged Pug is described as being 'not common'.
More pug excitement was to be had in the form of a few Lime-speck Pugs, V-Pugs and Bordered Pugs.
The only other new species for me was this rather inert Pebble Prominent, a common species locally.
Orache was first recorded in Jersey in 1987 as an adventive migrant. Still a rarity in the UK, it is now a well-established and common resident in the island, and I typically trap a couple most nights.
Quite a variable species, this specimen was particularly well-marked.
| Species | Count |
| Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet | 1 |
| Mother of Pearl | 3 |
| Phycita roborella | 5 |
| Hoary Footman | 1 |
| Buff-tip | 2 |
| Bud Moth | 3 |
| Dingy Footman | 3 |
| Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing | 7 |
| Common Footman | 1 |
| Peppered Moth | 1 |
| Uncertain | 7 |
| Vine's Rustic | 1 |
| Common Rustic | 13 |
| Orache | 4 |
| Nutmeg | 2 |
| Shuttle-shaped Dart | 5 |
| Pearly Underwing | 4 |
| Lesser Yellow Underwing | 2 |
| Scarce Footman | 2 |
| Dun-bar | 5 |
| Endotricha flammealis | 3 |
| White-line Dart | 4 |
| Flame Shoulder | 1 |
| Brussels Lace | 1 |
| Cydia splendana | 3 |
| Pine-tree Lappet | 1 |
| Bird Wing | 1 |
| Saltern Ear | 1 |
| Straw Dot | 1 |
| Zeiraphera isertana | 2 |
| Cloaked Minor | 1 |
| Buff Footman | 4 |
| Copper Underwing | 1 |
| Bright-line Brown-eye | 1 |
| Rosy Footman | 2 |
| Diamond-back Moth | 4 |
| Pebble Prominent | 1 |
| Riband Wave | 2 |
| Least Carpet | 3 |
| Teleoides luculella | 1 |
| Small Elephant Hawkmoth | 1 |
| Angle Shades | 1 |
| Four-spot Footman | 1 |
| Buff Ermine | 1 |
| Chinese-character | 1 |
| Carcina quercana | 1 |
| Lime-speck Pug | 2 |
| Maiden's Blush | 1 |
| Ypsolopha ustella | 1 |
| Elegia similella | 1 |
| Trachycerca adventella | 1 |
| Pandemis corylana | 1 |
| Catoptria pinella | 1 |
| Acrocercops brongniardella | 1 |
| Agriphila tristella | 1 |
| Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner | 1 |
| Acrobasis adventella | 1 |
| Small Fan-footed Wave | 1 |
| V-Pug | 2 |
| Fan-foot | 1 |
| Swallow Prominent | 1 |
| Snout | 1 |
| Willow Beauty | 1 |
| Blastobasis adustella | 1 |
| Drinker | 1 |
| Bordered Pug | 2 |
No comments:
Post a Comment