Yellow Pages

Autumn is a season when a good selection of yellow moths are around in the garden, here are a few that have come my way over the last couple of weeks.

 Dusky Thorn

Pink-barred Sallow - NFG 29th September, another on 5th October

 Barred Sallow

Sallow - a paler-winged individual

 Brick - this battered and worn moth was a NFG on 21st October

Yellow-line Quaker - first for the year was 2nd October, three weeks or so earlier than normal for me

Brimstone - maintaining the theme I have not blogged one of these before. get them every night through summer and autumn

Vestal Double

Not one but two Vestal around the entrance slot to the trap this morning. One better marked than the other and presumably encouraged by the recent south east to south west warm airflow.

Vestals... new for garden on 4th October

The feature is Orange

Since the start of my mothing, I have always enjoyed the switch to autumn and the arrival of moths of the autumn leaf colour rather than brown mud colour and this year the offering has included a welcome selection as we passed the middle of September including some newbies for the garden.

 Barred Sallow (orange form) - 22nd Sept. Day after garden first when trapped two of the normal form

 Beaded Chestnut - found lurking amongst many of the oranger forms of Lunar Underwing

 Dusky Thorn - NFG 24th September

 Frosted Orange - NFG 20th September

Orange Sallow - two trapped this year, 26th August and 21st September, previous 25/9/11

Tawny-speckled Pug - this one 12th September, average three a year in the garden

Micro interlude - a new species for VC30

I don't "do" micro-moths in the true sense of the word but I have a list of micros which includes a number of photos that have been built up over last couple of years to assess presence in the garden of those that are distinctive enough to be recognisable without a posthumous examination of the nether regions. Once I identified this one though I knew it was significant so will use it to open my account on micros on this blog.

1409a Diaphania perspectalis - Luton 30th August 2013, first for Bedfordshire
With a wingspan close to 40mm this was larger than many macro-moths in the trap

From VC30 Micromoth recorder, David Manning: This is a species first recorded in UK in 2008. It is a pest of Buxus (Box) and is presumed to have arrived via the horticultural trade [from Asia]. Recorded to date in eight counties, the most northerly being Herts, Bucks and Glos.

Two brown newbies to end the summer

The end of August and into September was as expected full of brown moths with limited colour (other than on the underwings) to bring some variety. Two NFG's for me however, one that has been scarce the last few years in this area, and one that is listed as a rare resident.

 Small Square-spot, NFG 29th August, and recorded also 3rd Sept

Hedge Rustic, NFG 30th August - a different darker individual trapped on 3rd Sept

Also of interest, to me at least:

 Orange Swift variant

Tawny-barred Angle - second garden record, previous June 2010

 Feathered Gothic

 Square-spotted Clay - three moths caught on one night (29th Aug) one previous record 11th Sept 2010

Buff Footman 3rd Sept - one previous record July 26th 2010

First part of August

Well one night of trapping in early August actually prior to decamping to Florida for three and a bit weeks, but carrying on where July finished, there were remarkably two more New For Garden species to add to the list as well as a quality migrant

 Rosy Minor - new for garden, 1st August 2013

Brown-line Bright-Eye - new for garden 1st August 2013
An expected addition but not actually found in the garden, rather in the curtains upstairs just as I was closing the windows prior to getting in the car to drive to Heathrow.

Also trapped over the last week before holidays and of interest were:

A female Gem 1st August - previously recorded in the garden (also a female) on 8th November 2011

Garden Dart - third record after two in July 2011

and two thorns, noting the positions in which the wings are held at rest

 Early Thorn - wings closed like a butterfly

Purple Thorn - wings open and raised


and finally, I always like these for a bit of colour

Heralding the end of a great July

The last calendar month has been excellent with a total of 16 new for garden macro species in what is my fourth summer of trapping. It would be rude not to exhibit these NFG here. At some point maybe there will be a chance to catch up the good ones that weren't new but worth looking at, maybe for the next post...

Herald - new for garden 31st July

 Double-lobed - new for garden 30th July

Peach Blossom - new for garden 29th July

 Slender Brindle - new for garden 26th July

Grey Arches - new for garden 26th July

Three Top Ticks

Not sure where to start with last week's headlines as there were three top drawer garden ticks to choose from so I have gone for the one species that no local blogger has already publicised. All three species very notable records for VC30 and continuing a purple patch for the garden

Barred Hook-tip - NFG 23rd July 2013 = first for VC30 since 2009

Tree-lichen Beauty - NFG 25th July 2013 = fourth record for VC30 ?

Royal Mantle - NFG 24th July 2013 = ninth record for VC30 ? and the second time illustrated on this blog after one found in daytime on Galley Hill on 7th June 2011

Good spell continues

With hot dry days and warm dry nights, mothing continues to be good for all and my own personal garden list moves along smoothly though the 250 barrier at last.

 Ghost Moth, female - NFG 19th July began laying eggs during the photo session

 Purple Bar - NFG 17th July had seen better days

 Marbled White Spot - previously recorded here only on 22nd June 2010 so a good "year tick"

 Beautiful Golden Y - 2nd for Garden after first on 18th June this year

Short-cloaked Moth - 3rd record for garden, previously one each in July 2010 and July 2011

Beautiful Hook-tip - first garden record since July 2010

Hotting up

The last few days have been hard work with the trap brimming full of over 200 macros of over 40 species, uncountable micros (though distinctive ones captured for later ID from photo) and the inevitable New For Garden moth or two that a top spell of mothing weather produces. Three from earlier this week illustrated along with a bonus "arty" shot

 Bordered Sallow - NFG 16th July, only 20 or so records in VC30 and first since 2010?

 Gothic - NFG 15th July

Blackneck - NFG 15th July, second different individual 16th July

White Satin - second for garden , 15th July

Broom - not the Gravel Pit

Some moths are on the radar as gaps in the garden list, specifically those that your pals are getting locally right now or at least appear on their lists regularly. There are others that are somewhat forgotten, so when this one appeared in my trap I initially had no idea at all what it was. Obviously not common around these parts.

Broom Moth - NFG 5th July, nice gold and reddish tones along with the distinctive cream line.

A couple of other of the highlights from the same night:

 Blue-bordered Carpet, did not appear here in 2012, I do like this small species

Green Silver-lines, common enough here but I do like a bit of colour !

Freyer's Pug, average two of these each year

Buff Arches, again regular here but always fascinated with the "waxy" finish and intricate markings