A Good Crop

7 different micros last night:

Small Magpie,

1293 - Garden Grass Veneer,

1338 - Dipleurina lacustrata,

1348 - Ringed China Mark,

1063 - Celypha striana,

647 - Brown House Moth and

1067 Celypha cespitana which is pictured and the only one new for the year.

Bird Dropping Tortrix Moth

This is micro 966 the Black Headed Conch aka cochylis atricapitana fresh from the moth trap today.
A number of micros come under the broad heading of bird dropping moths - no prizes for the reason why!
They are quite similar - the small size doesn't help - so a little book has been published "Bird-dropping Moths of the British Isles" available from Anglian Lepidoptera Supplies - one day when I'm feeling flush I might just get it.

Timothy Tortrix

A somewhat plain moth with few distinguishing features other than the yellowish look - still in evidence in this picture but fading.
At 20mm he's a good size for a micro.

Just 5 records in the 2008 report and 0 in 2009.

aka 989 aphelia paleana

1063

Very quiet again last night - a combination of the chill and gusty wind no doubt.
Still this little fellow found his way into the trap - it most closely resembles 1063 calypha striana aka the Barred Marble.

That Really is Micro

Some moths I don't attempt to photograph - today it was No.5 aka Micropterix calthella - at 9mm and no distinguishing features I gave it a miss.
An attractve little moth I really did want to photograph was 1175 the Bramble Shoot Moth - he did shoot but another day....

The Thistle Ermine (1458) was more obliging and here he is.

Also had Small Magpie, Mother of Pearl, Bee Moth, 1392 Udea Olivalis and 1338 Dipleurina Lacustrata - (pictured left).

Not a bad haul.

1293 + 648

Just 2 micros that waited for me to pot them.

1293 the Garden Grass Veneer - I tried to show his blue eyes but failed miserably - still at least a picure so that's an improvement on last time.

The other was 648 the White Shouldered House Moth which, true to form, was actually found indoors.

 

These little chaps are proving somewhat hard to photo but I will persevere!

3 days in a row!



Gound-moss Grey



Buff-tipped Marble

Three days in a row we've managed to add pictures- a record!
Left is 1340 Eudonia truncicoletta and right is 1084 Hedya ochroleucana - there are a number of micros that look very similar to this one which makes id somewhat tricky!
We also had a Bee Moth which declined to be photographed. Its no. is 1428 and is aka Aphomia sociella. As the name suggests the moth enjoys the nests of bees and wasps and feeds on honeycombs.

Heath trap

Used the Heath trap with an actinic tube last night and for the first time this year.
We had one of these yesterday but he escaped - today he didn't.
This is 1392 udea olivalis - aka Olive Pearl.
A common micro and distinctive enough  to be easily recognisable.

That's a lot better

This attractive little micro has a number 1338 -and a name - dipleurina lacustrata.

The number is definitely easier!

The moth at the right is Ringed China Mark - a male.

We also had a female last night - much prettier but sadly she didn't survive.

Another common micro from last night is the Small Magpie below - it is quite a good size but though similar in appearance is, of course, small compared to its macro cousin the Large Magpie.

He's got blue eyes!

No pictures but 2 micros last night:
Light Brown Apple Moth - Epiphyas postvittana - get quite a few of these.
Garden Grass Veneer - Chrysotenchia culmella - he's the one with the blue eyes.
Look closely and they can be seen but more readily so in a photo.