Slight returns

Having been away on holiday for a couple of (largely moth-free) weeks, and busy catching up with work since my return, I have gone nearly a month without running the moth trap. So despite the unpromising cold weather, I tried my luck last night. I had low expectations and this lack on confidence was justified when the trap was completely empty this morning, and I quickly got back inside to the warmth of the house.

I had, of course, committed a schoolboy error. Not every moth makes it into the trap, and particularly in the winter you may find more moths resting on surfaces close to the trap than actually in it. It was down to Jo to find this moth resting on wall close to the where the moth trap had been.

November Moth agg.

This is one of the tricky November-type moths, which I have previously written about on here. I suspect that this is actually a November Moth, rather than the other closely related species. I will be interested in Graham's thoughts on it.

So a largely unsuccessful session, but with temperatures due to creep up over the next few nights then I am hopeful of more success.

Potty training!

One of the unwritten rules for moth'ers is never to go out without a pot in your pocket. By pot, we mean a small, clear glass or plastic container, in which you can put a moth or a larva whenever you come accross them.

So, during the week, in the garden, I managed to pop one small moth and several larvae into pots, and one of the reasons why I am so late in putting up this post is that I have been struggling to identify the larvae.  I will wait until I get positive IDs before I show them on here.

The moth however was easy to find in the superb, new "Micro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland" (Sterling and Parsons). It was a pretty little tortrix moth called Acleris hyemana, its larva feeding on heather - and completely new to me. The moth was a little damaged, but managed to fly off on release.



Acleris hyemana

Had the trap on on Wednesday night and, like Mike the night before, got my first Epirrita of the year. I believe them both to be November Moth on the basis of wing markings on relatively plain wings.

November Moth

I had my first Feathered Thorn of the year and my first Red-line Quaker, "neighbour" of the Yellow-line, featured in a previous post. In total, only 20 moths of 11 species.

Red-line Quaker