More Autumn Moths

A look at more Autumn moths..
So let's start at a look at the last week mothing. A vast decrease in numbers, but good numbers on Wednesday night, with 1 new for garden in the form of a Large Wainscot, and 1 second garden record species, in the form of the Oak Nycteoline.
Another nice species from Wednesday night were 2 Feathered Brindle, which has only two previous records.

Feathered Brindle

The Feathered Brindle is a nationally scarce moth found on the coast in southern counties, and is one of the best marked moths of the autumn. I feel this is my compromise for the lack of any Sallow species (except Barred Sallow, which is a rare autumn moth for me) in the garden.

Next up is an immigrant which I did see while walking the coast path in July, but is an irregular in the garden, and is the Vestal, which, in my opinion, is an odd moth. Claimed to be a geometrid, it rests with it's wings in a tent-like position, and behaves more like a Noctuid than Geometrid (what I mean by this, is that when you put in on a log to photograph, it stays still, and doesn't fly off!)

Vestal

Fairly variable, they can be a fantastic pink in colour, though most are like this one and yellow.

Third moth is a rarity, but spreading, and will soon not be a rarity. I've been lucky enough to manage to toll up the grand total of 3 individuals, 2 this year, and one last year. That moth is the Jersey Mocha. Only recently being recorded in Britain, there have been several more in recent years, and is probably the most boring of the various Mocha species to be honest, but it's nice to get a rarity.

Jersey Mocha - a 'pot shot' because he wouldn't settle down on the log (neither did the other one this year)

And to finish off this batch of 4 Autumn species, I have gone for a Hawk-moth. Now, there are several hawks which are immigrants to Britain, of the ones I've seen, the stunning Oleander, the rather smart Convolvulus, the fantastic Bedstraw, and the impossible-to-photograph-when-active Hummingbird, I've only had two in the garden, Convo and Hummingbird, and only had the Hummingbird recently. Had one in the trap on the 5th September, and one visiting flowers in the morning when checking the traps a few day later. Quite a nice hawk, though much more impressive flying by day, than sleeping moth-trap version.

Autumn Moths..

In my suburban garden, mothing in Autumn is pretty dire. With few species being about, and fewer still in good numbers.
The most common species are species which I see for most of the year, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, and on the micro front, Light Brown Apple Moth.
But there are still some Autumn specialities which others away from the coast probably won't get, but are frequent here.
Let's start with one we all should get in the Autumn though, the Lunar Underwing. Had my first 3 of the Autumn last night, much later than I'd expected, as I was getting them at the start of the month last year. Anyhow, one of the most common Autumn species in the garden, with about 220 recorded in 2011, but considerably less in 2012. Hopefully a fair few this year, despite the late start. Quite a nice little macro, which is very variable, and one of my favourites of the Autumn moths in the garden.

Lunar Underwing - Autumn 2012.

Living on the South coast, I do get a lot of migrants in the Autumn, with one of the most frequent in September being the Dark Sword-grass, which is mildly variable, but you can get some stunning examples. Other migrants in the Autumn are Vestal, White-speck, & Scarce Bordered Straw, but none of them are nearly as frequent as the Dark Sword-grass.

Dark Sword-grass - Autumn 2012.

 

The next two are coastal specialities, and we will start with the plainer one. Almost certainly one of the best marked Wainscots, the L-album Wainscot is a garden species which occurs in some numbers in the Autumn (if weather is good), in far greater numbers than the first (summer) generation. Other wainscots of the Autumn include White-point (almost certainly breeding here now) and Common Wainscot, which is less frequent here.

L-album Wainscot - Autumn 2012.

The next one will one day not just be a Autumn speciality, in my eyes at least. Being recorded in the Summer the last few Autumns (I had one in mid-July this year - within a month than one of this year's Common Quaker!). This species is the most colourful of today's four species, and without a doubt my favourite, and one of my overall favourite moths - The Feathered Ranunculus. This rather fantastic species is variable, but always a fantastic green.

Feathered Ranunculus - July 2013.

 

So, with Autumn full in swing now, it won't be long till Winter arrives, bringing with it cold weather, snow, and my favourite birding season. Bring on the winter birding I say, boy, have I missed you!

So yeah, we've had a fantastic summer for moths, so let's have a good winter for the birds! Cheers to that!!

Autumn.. It be here..

Bit late this week for my post (by this week, I mean last week).

Yeah, this is last week's post, I have had a lot happening in my busy life, but mostly boring lifey stuff.

So yeah, mothing has been dull this week, with a dramatic drop in numbers, with Jersey Mocha being the only moth of note. Some of you will be thinking, "that's a good moth", but yeah, this is my third, and would much rather have other species.

So yeah, Autumn is here now, well and truly, colder weather, a rather miserable wind, and leaves starting to fall. But there is one Autumn thing missing currently, and that is vagrants - I've not heard of any very rare birds, but just the nice regular rarities (which I wouldn't mind seeing!). Wryneck & Ortolan Buntings have been about, but no Rustic Buntings or King Eiders (now that, I would be surprised at!!).

Anyhow, we had a fantastic Summer (for moth numbers (and for some of us, rare moths), but for rare birds, I didn't notice any).

Yeah, a pretty bland week, last week, and until the Autumn migrants appear, and Winter begins, not a lot will be happening..