May 2011

Every year I retain a number of the more difficult micros for my county recorder to identify by dissection. The results for this year include 8 new species for the garden and another dozen or so that haven't been recorded here for several years. Photos of all these follow under the moth they were originally trapped. The total number of species trapped in 2011 now stands at 490 and the garden list moves up to 738 species.

I thought this might be a female Incurvaria pectinea but it proved to be my first Lampronia morosa and only the 5th county record:

Lampronia morosa:

11th October 2011

A beautifully marked female Feathered Thorn was new for the year in a trap with ever decreasing numbers of moths despite the prolonged spell of warm nights. The non-moth interest was a Birch Shield-bug which hasn't shown up in the trap before.

4th October 2011

I was briefly very excited by this moth-like insect found in the trap this morning. A closer look revealed the wings to be semi-transparent and once it moved a very unmoth-like head and neck appeared. It is a Brown Lacewing - Drepanepteryx phalaenoides.

2nd October 2011

Another warm but clear night and once more the hoped for migrants stayed away. Compensation this time came in the form of a stunning Merveille du Jour - just the third record for the garden and the first since 2009.


I couldn't resist adding a picture of this amazing bug, the weevil Curculio nucum:

1st October 2011

A rather dull result in the moth traps was livened up a bit with the presence of a House Cricket and a Dak Bush-cricket, both females.

30th September 2011

Several successive nights of warm weather have had me hoping for a migrant or two in the trap but so far no luck. Just the 4th Choreutis pariana (Apple Leaf Skeletonizer) for the county that appeared tonight made up for previous disappointment.

8th September 2011

After several nights of cold, windy, very autumnal weather things calmed down and warmed up. Three species were new for the year: a surprisingly worn Black Rustic, Frosted Orange and a very welcome Small Mottled Willow, the first here since 2006.