AWG Moth Trapping at Branton... 02/07/16.

As part of a mixed Bioblitz, several of us spent the night and early morning catching moths at Branton Gravel Pits near Powburn.

We used 5 traps on a clear and cool breezy evening, but we still managed a reasonable total of 362 moths of 75 species.

The following species were recorded including Coronet only the 5th for VC68 and the first since 1997. Mr Fairclough added to the moth trapping list with a few colephoras etc.

Taxa
Coleophora species (Coleophora sp.) 1
Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 4
02.001 a moth (Dyseriocrania subpurpurella) 4
03.003 Map-winged Swift (Korscheltellus fusconebulosa) 1
03.005 Ghost Moth (Hepialus humuli) 1
35.040 a moth (Bryotropha terrella) 1
37.006 a moth (Coleophora gryphipennella) 1
41.002 a moth (Blastobasis adustella) 1
41.003 a moth (Blastobasis lacticolella) 3
49.025 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis cerasana) 2
49.026 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis heparana) 1
49.031 Timothy Tortrix (Aphelia paleana) 10
49.091 a moth (Pseudargyrotoza conwagana) 7
49.156 Marbled Orchard Tortrix (Hedya nubiferana) 4
49.157 Plum Tortrix (Hedya pruniana) 1
49.166 a moth (Celypha lacunana) 4
49.292 a moth (Notocelia cynosbatella) 2
49.298 a moth (Notocelia trimaculana) 6
63.037 a moth (Udea olivalis) 1
63.064 a moth (Scoparia ambigualis) 7
63.066 a moth (Scoparia pyralella) 10
63.067 a moth (Eudonia lacustrata) 4
63.080 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 4
63.093 a moth (Agriphila straminella) 5
65.010 Figure of Eighty (Tethea ocularis) 1
69.003 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) 10
69.016 Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) 3
70.054 Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) 45
70.059 Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata) 2
70.061 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 5
70.068 Beautiful Carpet (Mesoleuca albicillata) 1
70.093 Barred Straw (Gandaritis pyraliata) 10
70.100 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 6
70.176 Freyer's Pug (Eupithecia intricata arceuthata) 1
70.183 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 1
70.190 Grey Pug (Eupithecia subfuscata) 2
70.207 Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata) 22
70.226 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 10
70.252 Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) 2
70.265 Mottled Beauty (Alcis repandata) 7
70.277 Common White Wave (Cabera pusaria) 4
70.278 Common Wave (Cabera exanthemata) 7
70.283 Light Emerald (Campaea margaritaria) 17
71.021 Coxcomb Prominent (Ptilodon capucina) 4
72.002 Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) 2
72.003 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 3
72.019 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lutea) 2
72.020 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 1
72.026 Garden Tiger (Arctia caja) 1
73.001 Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 1
73.016 Beautiful Golden Y (Autographa pulchrina) 14
73.047 Coronet (Craniophora ligustri) 1
73.102 Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea) 10
73.114 Small Angle Shades (Euplexia lucipara) 2
73.147 Small Dotted Buff (Photedes minima) 2
73.154 Dusky Brocade (Apamea remissa) 5
73.156 Clouded-bordered Brindle (Apamea crenata) 5
73.156 Clouded-bordered Brindle [melanic form] (Apamea crenata ab. combusta) 1
73.159 Small Clouded Brindle (Apamea unanimis) 1
73.162 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 2
73.176 Middle-barred Minor (Oligia fasciuncula) 3
73.264 Pale-shouldered Brocade (Lacanobia thalassina) 4
73.267 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) 5
73.281 Lychnis (Hadena bicruris) 1
73.298 Clay (Mythimna ferrago) 1
73.317 Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 3
73.328 Flame (Axylia putris) 5
73.329 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 8
73.332 Purple Clay (Diarsia brunnea) 10
73.342 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 9
73.343 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 1
73.351 Double Dart (Graphiphora augur) 4
73.353 Dotted Clay (Xestia baja) 1
73.361 Double Square-spot (Xestia triangulum) 16
73.368 Gothic (Naenia typica) 1

Above - Two views from Corby Crags on route to Branton in dramatic evening light.

The Coronet

Double Dart

The trapping site.

Nocturnal activities

On a warm, dry evening with a light breeze we headed off to Holburn Moss, once we had settled down in shelter of the trees with good views across the moss we picked up the yaffling call of Green Woodpecker amongst the screeching calls of gulls on the wetter area. As the midges began to build we finally picked up the distinctive churring call of a Nightjar on the fenceline , this was then joined by the calls of another bird nearer the middle of the Moss. After a brief search we picked it out sitting on the top of a small tree,  a few minutes later it decided to fly and we were able to see its long narrow wings and it's distinctive flight.The time was 11.00pm so we headed home and spent a further 2 hours moth trapping, which we had set up earlier, this too was productive, catching a good number of moths including a Small Magpie and our second Elephant Hawk Moth of the year.

Elephant....

Small Magpie...

Moth Night - The Event.

The line of traps into the distance...

Moth Night is not strictly correct, as last nights session was two-part event.

On Saturday night, Alan Fairclough, John Rutter and myself set up 2x 125w MV Robinsons, 1x 160w blended Skinner and a 15w actinic Skinner trap, in a line along the western edge of Howick Village Green. The weather was good, dull and mild with little breeze and hopes were high. On the night a total of 19 guests attended from 9pm - midnight, then on Sunday 23 guests attended from 8.30am until the moths were done.

My partner, Jane, played a blinder providing apple cake, chocolate cream cake, and teas, coffees and hot chocolate for all attendees. In the morning, they were treated to freshly cooked cheese scones for brekkie!

Every one seemed to enjoy the event, more so the beginners who have not seen a moth trap in operation before. I hope some might be inspired to have a go.

Many thanks to all who participated in making it such an enjoyable event.

The final tally is as follows -

Taxa
Coleophora species (Coleophora sp.) 1
0216 Cork Moth (Nemapogon cloacella) 1
0246 Tinea semifulvella 1

Cherry Fruit Moth

0420 Cherry Fruit Moth (Argyresthia pruniella) 1
0424 Bird-cherry Ermine (Yponomeuta evonymella) 5
0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 22
0644 Borkhausenia fuscescens 1
0658 Carcina quercana 2
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1

Agonopterix angelicella

0713 Agonopterix angelicella 2
0792 Mirificarma mulinella 1
0873 Blastobasis adustella 16
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 1
0886 Mompha ochraceella 2

Limnaecia phragmitella

0898 Limnaecia phragmitella 2
0937 Agapeta hamana 1
0970 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis cerasana) 1
0972 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis heparana) 1
1021 Flax Tortrix (Cnephasia asseclana) 4
1076 Celypha lacunana 2
1126 Ancylis badiana 12
1205 Bud Moth (Spilonota ocellana) 1
1304 Agriphila straminella 3
1305 Agriphila tristella 24
1316 Catoptria falsella 3
1334 Scoparia ambigualis 6
1388 Udea lutealis 45
1390 Udea prunalis 1
1405 Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) 12
1454 Dioryctria abietella 1
1551 Green-veined White (Pieris napi) 2
1653 Buff Arches (Habrosyne pyritoides) 1
1702 Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata) 14
1713 Riband Wave [non-banded form] (Idaea aversata ab. remutata) 3
1722 Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata) 1
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 1
1732 Shaded Broad-bar (Scotopteryx chenopodiata) 7
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 1
1759 Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata) 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 3
1765 Barred Yellow (Cidaria fulvata) 2
1777 July Highflyer (Hydriomena furcata) 6
1802 Rivulet (Perizoma affinitata) 6
1803 Small Rivulet (Perizoma alchemillata) 5

Barred Rivulet

1804 Barred Rivulet (Perizoma bifaciata) 1
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 1
1837 Grey Pug (Eupithecia subfuscata) 1
1838 Tawny Speckled Pug (Eupithecia icterata) 3
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 2
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 2
1962 Barred Red (Hylaea fasciaria) 2
2007 Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula) 1

Buff Footman

2049 Buff Footman (Eilema depressa) 1
2050 Common Footman (Eilema lurideola) 2
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 155
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 7
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) 2
2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe) 57
2112 Least Yellow Underwing (Noctua interjecta) 11
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 1
2128 Double Square-spot (Xestia triangulum) 5
2130 Dotted Clay (Xestia baja) 18
2133 Six-striped Rustic (Xestia sexstrigata) 14
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 11
2136 Gothic (Naenia typica) 1
2176 Antler Moth (Cerapteryx graminis) 2
2193 Clay (Mythimna ferrago) 1
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 16

Sallow

2274 Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1
2318 Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina) 2
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 22
2335 Slender Brindle (Apamea scolopacina) 4
2337x Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 1
2342 Rosy Minor (Mesoligia literosa) 6
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 27
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 7
2360x Ear Moth agg. (Amphipoea oculea agg.) 3
2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 5
2434 Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 7
2443 Plain Golden Y (Autographa jota) 2
2477 Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 2
2489 Fan-foot (Zanclognatha tarsipennalis) 2

639 Moths of 82 species.

Slainsfield Moor

On Saturday night a few of us went up on the moor mothing, a trip arranged by Richard with Lord Joicey the land owner, as part of a general survey of the wildlife on this little visited piece of land.

We ended a short session from 9.30pm - midnight with 548 moths of 74 species. The warm humid overcast night plus an excellent light set up from Fiona and Maurice Aungier boosted the catch...

With that amount of light we couldnt fail.

We also ran 2x 125w MV Robinson traps not far away.

Included in a great selection of species were -

0728 Monochroa cytisella. 2 caught were the 2nd and 3rd records for Northumberland. 

 

1147 Willow Tortrix, the first in the county since 1994.

18x Antler Moths

65x True Lover's Knot

2x Ear Moth sp ( 4 sp impossible to separate by eye)

Dark Spinach

10x Purple Bar

The icing on the cake though was a fantastic Long eared Owl watched down to 10 yards for 5 mins sat infront of the car headlights on a gate post!

A fantastic night out...Thanks all.