June round-up

Not much happened during the month until the last week, with the year list steadily progressing with the usual suspects but not much of real note. Thankfully numbers and variety picked up in the last few days of the month. Unfortunately, other than one Dark Sword-grass, a few Diamond-backed Moths and a procession of Silver Y, I did not record any of the migrants that are currently winging their way around the country.  Only one new macro for me, a Tawny Shears.

 Tawny Shears - new for garden on 17th June

Dark Sword-grass - my sixth in five years, 16th June

 All black Peppered Moth impersonating a SR71 Blackbird

 White Ermine - second garden record, first in June 2010

 Toadflax Brocade - well established (four in May and five in June)

Ingrailed Clay - every one seems to be different

Broom Moth - a couple every year

Shark

Shoulder-striped Wainscot - common here but seemingly not for other county trappers

Some mid-June comparisons

For much of mid-June, I have been getting and increasing number of the common brown noctuids and in comparison a lower number of the other families. With this comes the challenge of identifying some individuals that just do not fit the pattern of the book pictures, Included here are a few pairs and comparisons

 Two Broom moths, one showing all the features, the other just the creamy blob

Reddish Light Arches and Light Arches - both equally common in Luton on the chalk soils at this time of year

Presumed Dusky Brocade with some tawny colouration which had me thinking of Small Clouded Brindle

 Greyish looking presumed Large Nutmeg (based on shape), most of mine are fawn/beige

 A Dusky Brocade that (unusually) actually looks like one of the pics in the book

 Clouded Brindle (all the features and well marked)

Presumed Clouded Brindle. Had thoughts of Clouded-bordered Brindle which it closely resembles but I think the visibility of the fine black cross-line in the middle of the rear of the wing gives it away

And how about this Ingrailed Clay which  the same species as the individual in the previous post with the black triangle and square markings. It's the tiny arrowheads on the end of the wings that matters, none of the rest of the colouration is relevant !? Good job moths work on smells not sight in choosing a partner

A bigger wave

Looks like I am getting new moths for the gardens in pairs, firstly the two "pinions" and then to follow last weeks Small White Wave, a NFG Common Wave on 2nd June 2014. Not trapped this species before in the garden though had quite a few of the related Common White Wave. Also a selection of other more interesting pics from the last week including a potential further NFG in Small Clouded Brindle that needs more critical exam.

 Common Wave - NFG 2nd June - not a lot of markings to go on !

 Potential dark variant Small Clouded Brindle 2nd June 2014

 Ingrailed Clay

 Small Square-Spot - was a garden tick in 2013 so a rare catch for me

Comparison pair - Marbled Coronet (top) and Varied Coronet (bottom).
Former much rarer than latter and note the large pale markings near the wing tips

Mid June Brown stuff

A wider variety of brown noctuids have begun to arrive in Wychwood Avenue in the last week but overall numbers of species and individuals are not matching the equivalent period last year. Couple of nice ones though including only my second Ingrailed Clay and one anticipated new for garden in the form of a Brown Rustic.

Ingrailed Clay 19th June - previously caught only on 4th June 2011 and a very different form from that one as well 

(see http://wychwoodmoths.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/first-weekend-of-june.html )

 Flame - very distinctive and common in the garden in June and July when caught most nights

 Shoulder-striped Wainscot - first for year 18th June, caught on five sessions in June 2011

 Rustic Shoulder-Knot - this one with a bit of reddish colouring on

 Brown Rustic - first for garden on 15th June, presumably same individual retrapped on 16th

First weekend of June

A nice selection over the weekend with three NFG (Puss Moth, Shaded Pug and Ingrailed Clay) with a good supporting cast of NFY to go with them, some commoner than others.

Puss Moth - NFG 4th June

Shaded Pug (record photo through the side of glass pot I'm afraid) - uncommon in VC30 and NFG on 2nd June

Freyers Pug

Broken-barred Carpet (local but had a couple last year) - NFY 4th June

Double Square-spot (first for year of a common visitor)

Grass Rivulet (a few of these last year and numerous on the local hills at the moment)

Ingrailed Clay (these seem to be very variable from browsing other images) - NFG 4th June

Shoulder-striped Wainscot (a repeat of last years belated ex-photo discovery)