Sunday 27 July 2014

26 July 2014 - Cliffe Marshes RSPB

Had a fantastic catch at Cliffe Marshes RSPB with around 180+ species being recorded - a further 4x Starwort, adding to yesterday's 2. Pride of place, I think, goes to this slightly battered Oak Processionary Moth - hopefully just one of the several migrants caught.

Oak Processionary
Oak Processionary
Dog's Tooth
Dog's Tooth
Marbled Green
Marbled Beauty (left) and Marbled Green (right)



Small Dotted Buff (female)


Silky Wainscot

Bulrush Wainscot

Slender Pug
 

Friday 25 July 2014

25 July 2014 - Cliffe Marshes RSPB, Kent

Visited Cliffe Marshes RSPB to see what was on the wing. Star attraction were two Starworts which appeared in exactly the same trap site as last year - a Shark in the next trap was a delightful comparative species.Antler and a whacky micro were both new to the site, for me.

Starworts
Starworts (left & middle) and Shark (right)
Sallow Kitten
Turnip Moth
Antler Moth
White-line Dart
Calamotropha paludella
Fen Wainscot - one of my favourites
Campion (I think) rather than Tawny Shears??
Faded, runt, Common Emerald - to be honest, when I caught this, I thought it was something special.
Now I realise it ain't all that special...

Saturday 19 July 2014

19 July 2014 - Orlestone Forest

Visited Orlestone Forest to try out a new sugar solution recipe I found in a book - a wizzed-up blend of: three ripe bananas (in their skins), third of a tin of stout, two tablespoons of black treacle and a dash of Jamaican white rum (I still can't the latter as it reminds me of the night of the Great Storm when, as a student, I got so trollied on rum I missed the storm completely!). I applied my sugar to a few trees and returned an hour or so later. The best tree had 20 Copper Underwings, 5 Dark Arches and a few Lesser/Common Rustics. Other moths attracted were Herald (1) and three Old Lady. Total Copper Underwings exceeded 40 - a much better performance than any previous sugar solution I've tried. But.... moth of the night turned out to be netted whilst I caught things in the torch beam as I walked to the sugared trees - a very tatty Olive Crescent!

Olive Crescent

White-spotted Pug (I t hink)

Thursday 17 July 2014

17 July 2014 - St Margaret's at Cliffe, Kent

Having kindly been granted permission to moth trap in South Foreland Vallay (our regular birding ringing site), John and I ventured out for some noctural investigations.

Although the wind conditions weren't great it was, as ever, exciting to be at a new site - and at one within sight of France... The Four-spotted Footman was a treat - huge great beasts! The (presumed) Bisigna procerella looks to be a nice find for a first trip to a site.


Four-spotted Footman - female
Bisigna procerella
Reddish Light Arches
Small Dotted Buff
Rosy Minor
Blackneck
White-line Dart
Small Purple-barred
Sycamore
Ear Moth agg.
Wormwood Pug
Pug 1
Green Pug
Green Pug
Green Pug poss
Morophaga choragella

Tuesday 15 July 2014

15 July 2014 - Cliffe Marshes RSPB, Kent

A great visit to survey the moths on this RSPB reserve. Lappet (4) is always a highlight, though enough other interesting stuff to keep me busy...

Lappet
Lappet
Leopard Moth
Shark
Shark
Shark
Tree-lichen Beauty
Buff Footman - male
Dingy Footman
Drinker - male
Drinker - male
Synaphe punctalis
Fen Wainscot
Acleris comoriana (Strawberry Tortrix) or Acleris laterana
Kent Black Arches
Bordered Pug
Slender Pug
White-spotted Pug