Humid, overcast conditions with light rain yielded a bumper crop, with around 378 moths - my highest ever count. Species diversity was a less impressive 64 species. Once again, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Vine's Rustic and Shuttle-shaped Dart headed the cast.
Vine's Rustic was one of the more numerous species in the trap during the Spring and early Summer; now back with a vengeance as second-brood individuals emerge.
The ruler-straight leading edge of the forewing is a useful character to separate it from some similar species.
Since recording my first Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing in mid-July, it has been a constant feature of every trapping session, and is currently the most numerous moth in the garden. That said, it is possible that at least some of my records refer to Langmaid's Yellow Underwing. Separating these two species requires examination of the hindwing - something underwings are very reluctant to allow. This one eventually gave itself up after a period of solitary confinement in the cooler.
Sorting through the masses of familiar moths, I managed to record three new species - one micro, Agriphila geniculea, and two macros, Straw Underwing and Fern.
Straw Underwing is described as common in Jersey. A reasonably distinctive Noctuid, this well-marked specimen provided a relatively straightforward identification challenge. A rather tatty second individual was a bit more of a head-scratcher.
The species flies in July and August.
The status of The Fern in Jersey is described as 'occasional records, not common'. The flight season is given as June and July, this one apparently having failed to consult the manual.
The larval food plant is the rather picturesquely-named Traveller's Joy.
Among the more interesting old-timers was this rather nice Burnished Brass, my first since mid-July. The excitingly-knobbly Plusiinae are among my favourite moths, and it's difficult to capture the iridescent forewing in a photograph.
Burnished Brass is described as common in Jersey, but I have only trapped a handful so far this year.
Little Emerald is not a common moth locally, and this was just my third record for the garden.
It is distinguished from other small emeralds by a combination of wing shape, the shape of the white band on the hindwing, and the rather washed-out appearance.
The larval food plants include oak, of which there is no shortage in the garden.
Setaceous Hebrew Character is a familiar moth, being one of the more common Spring and early-Summer species, but the ones I caught tonight were the first for a month. These presumably represent second generation moths.
This one was a particularly dark individual.
| Species | Count |
| Celypha cespitana | 9 |
| Cydia splendana | 5 |
| Eupoecilia angustana | 3 |
| Mother of Pearl | 6 |
| Brimstone | 2 |
| Shuttle-shaped Dart | 33 |
| Black Arches | 3 |
| Maiden's Blush | 1 |
| Agriphila tristella | 8 |
| Dun-bar | 9 |
| Angle Shades | 2 |
| Four-spotted Footman | 1 |
| Buff Ermine | 8 |
| Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing | 70 |
| Nutmeg | 10 |
| Silver Y | 2 |
| Lychnis | 1 |
| Riband Wave | 2 |
| Vine's Rustic | 55 |
| Flame | 2 |
| Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing | 1 |
| Crescent Dart | 7 |
| Cabbage | 9 |
| Red Twin-spot Carpet | 2 |
| Ruby Tiger | 1 |
| Copper Underwing | 3 |
| Dark Sword-grass | 1 |
| Setaceous Hebrew Character | 9 |
| Common Rustic | 9 |
| Flame Shoulder | 36 |
| Square-spot Rustic | 1 |
| Knot Grass | 1 |
| Large Yellow Underwing | 10 |
| Heart and Dart | 1 |
| Burnished Brass | 1 |
| Grey Dagger | 1 |
| Light-brown Apple Moth | 4 |
| Crambus perlella | 1 |
| Least Yellow Underwing | 1 |
| White-point | 7 |
| Bright-line Brown-eye | 1 |
| Buff Arches | 1 |
| Drinker | 1 |
| Peppered Moth | 1 |
| Cloaked Minor | 1 |
| Tree Lichen Beauty | 1 |
| Early Thorn | 1 |
| Pandemis corylana | 2 |
| Bud Moth | 1 |
| White-line Dart | 2 |
| Hoary Footman | 1 |
| Rosy Footman | 5 |
| Straw Underwing | 2 |
| European Corn-borer | 1 |
| Flounced Rustic | 1 |
| Coloptilia alchimiella | 1 |
| Fern | 1 |
| Endothenia marginana | 1 |
| Agriphila geniculea | 1 |
| Eudemis profundana | 1 |
| Portland Ribbon Wave | 1 |
| Acleris forsskaleana | 1 |
| Blastobasis adustella | 10 |
| Little Emerald | 1 |
No comments:
Post a Comment