Things the past wouldn't give me..

Had a decent night last night, 19 species was all that occurred, but one new for garden, and an additional rarity.

The new for garden was a Flame Brocade, which, if you haven't seen one, if the most well behaved moth there is, none of the flapping about nonsense, it just sits there, you put it in a pot, it just falls over, upside down! It isn't dead, honest, a quick wiggling of the legs told me that, before it gave up and stayed upside down, as I tilted the pot to right the moth,

The second rarity was another immigrant moth, which there were 2 of, Clancy's Rustic, which, rather dull they may be, has only been seen by me once before, in the garden in 2011, when one turned up in the trap.

The Triplets (would call it 'Threesome' but fear that would attract the wrong kind of people..)

Now, mothing has changed a lot in recent years, or at least I'm told that. As I've only been mothing for 3 years now, anything pre-2011 I know nothing about, and go to far back, and I'm not there at all (damn my youthfulness!).
Anyhow, I hear people talk of the "good ol' days", in which there were a lot of moths about, and not just the small numbers we get now.
But I like to think of the positives, 10 years back, to get a Flame Brocade and a Clancy's Rustic on the same night - same week even - would be like winning the lottery, but it has happened, to a lucky few of us, and now I am one of those lucky few.
Not just migrants becoming more regular, there are various Jersey thingy-me-jibs which 10 years ago we very rare, or not at all. The first mainland Jersey Mocha was recorded in 2003, 10 years later, it is no doubt breeding locally to me, as well as elsewhere in the country. Jersey Tigers have spread amazingly, my most common tiger species, and then you get some people (up North) who've never seen it, but, it won't be long till it comes, it very common down 'ere in cider loving Dorset!

And it's not just the moths, Actinic bulbs are, as far as I'm aware, a fairly recent advancement, but how long till there is a low energy, not very bright bulb which is far more attractive to moths on the market?? Not long I think, then we can go mothing the countryside unknown to passer-bys, netting and spilling moth sugar-beer on ourselves (wrecked a pair of perfectly good new jeans by doing that!), without the outside (or should that be inside) world knowing about it

I must admit, I look forward to the days when I'll be saying, "I remember when Bloxworth Snout was a rare moth", as I stare down to a trap full of them, with their accompanying species of Patton's Tigers, Ringed Borders, and Jersey Black Arches, with the occasional Setina ramosa thrown in for good measure (go on, look that one up, how hard can it be!?)

Footy Anyone??

You will be pleased to know that this post isn't about football or last night's match (unless, of course, you are fed up with moths, and want to talk about sports), but the Arctiids - the Footmen and Tigers.

These are a fantastic group of moths, with 32 or so species, and I've managed to total 25 in the last three years, and here goes.

Round-winged Muslin - a local species, and one of the few I've yet to see. A moth of bogs in Dorset, so maybe a target species for next year?

Dew Moth - the second of the several I've not see. Extinct in Dorset, and quite rare in England as a whole.

Rosy Footman - Right, one I've seen (hurrah!). In my first year mothing, this colourful footman was only seen once on my only out 'n about trip in '11, but in the past 2 years, I've seen a total of 66, in a mix of garden & out 'n about.

 



 

Muslin Footman - This one was a new one for this year, when one turned up in the garden, looking rather unalive by the morning, but still a garden and me tick, so I wasn't going to complain. A rather smart looking moth, being semi-transparent. The second turned up while walking the coast path in S Devon during July, attracted to a good ol' campsite toilet.

Red-necked Footman - On 2 occasions I have seen this fantastic footman, my second favourite of all the ones I've seen. It first turned up in '11, when I didn't realise that is was quite scarce where I was, almost certainty an immigrant, and then a further few attracted to light at Morden Bog in July this year.

Four-dotted Footman - Another which I saw for the first time this year - on the same night as the above species. So yeah, only seen this one on one occasion, at Morden Bog in July, but there are no records for Weymouth at all, so..

Dotted Footman - One of the rarest I've seen, being Red Data Book species in the UK, but an immigrant where I am. From the garden trap in August, where it was the 5th Dorset Record, which I was pleased with. Not the most exciting moth unfortunately, but hey, can't win them all. Where it isn't a migrant, it is restricted to the fens on Norfolk (or something like that)

Small Dotted Footman - Not seen this one, restricted to fens in Norfolk (or something like that (again..))

Orange Footman - Local spring moth, which I had no records in 2011, 2 or so in the garden in 2012, and then none again this year. Fairly smart looking moth.

Dingy Footman - the second most common Footman for me, having seen both forms, with good numbers every year. Despite being common, no decent photos of it!

Hoary Footman - one record of this one for me, one by day this year while walking the coast path in July. Overcast day, and was completely surprised it was there, just out in the open.

Pigmy Footman - The last of the Lithosiinae footmen I haven't seen. A red data book species restricted to a small patch of coast.

Scarce Footman - First seen in '12, then again on several occasions in '13. Might of had it in '11, but probably overlooked it as Common Footman, so yeah. Also seen it elsewhere (e.g. Morden Bog & Alners Gorse)

Buff Footman - Several during each year, mildly fairly common..

Common Footman - My most common footman, but, oddly, never taken a good shot of one.. so have a shot of a Common Footman Caterpillar..

Four-spotted Footman - This one I had once in the garden in '11, as an immigrant, and a male. Then, in '12 had another male in the garden, and 11 or so males at Broadmayne, and this year, had  4 or 5 males in the garden (still probably immigrants), and the 20 or so at Broadmayne, of which, 2 were females (hurrah!)

Feathered Footman - right, we're off the Lithosiinae, and onto Arctiidae, of which there are 3 Footman, and several tiger/ermines. The Feathered Footman is a dodgy one for Britain, with several mid-something records, which may or may not be of good quality - even if they are, they've not been in the UK for a while..

Specked Footman - This one is another to be a target species next year (maybe), as it is resident in some Dorset heaths, but is rare.

Crimson Speckled - my favourite of the footmen, this is a lovely coloured species, which was wafted in my direction this October. A rare immigrant to our shore.

Wood Tiger - Onto the tigers. Seen this one, in early July last year, by day, when several were seen.

Garden Tiger - I always am happy to see one of these in the trap, as they are fantastic moths, and not too common in my garden.

Cream-spot Tiger - Even better than the Garden Tiger, I've seen the adult of this species on 2 occasions, and a cat on one occasion. Very smart moth.

Patton's Tiger - a rare immigrant which I doubt I'll see, unless Portland gets one and I go to see it.

Clouded Buff - a rather nice moth, which several males were attracted to light when I trapped at Morden Bog.

White Ermine - I don't get this one that often, oddly, with none in '11, and small numbers in the last two years, but I do like them, smart moths.

Buff Ermine - Of the entire family, this is the most common for me, and always nice to get, bringing colour to the trap.

Water Ermine - The last British one I've not seen!

Muslin Moth - I get 3 or 4 each year in the trap, though still not seen a female (which don't fly at night..). My favourite of the entire family, these guys have great faces! :-)

Ruby Tiger - Always proves popular with events, this species is fairly irregular in the garden, but quite common elsewhere when I trap.

Jersey Tiger - By far my most common tiger, with over 50 turning up each year, including several yellow hindwing forms, which are always nice. Have found it breeding in the garden. If you need to see one, come to Weymouth in August, and you have a good chance of seeing one!

Scarlet Tiger - I thought this species only flew by day, I have seen them several times at Radipole Lake flying, but this was proved wrong when 2 turned up in the garden trap, much to my happy surprise. A very nice moth, too.

And last but not least..

Cinnabar - I think this chap is taken for granted, you always see their caterpillars munching on the hated Ragwort, but when you're walking the coast, and catch a glimpse of red flit past you, it's a moment to cherish. Seen the cats on several occasions at Chesil Beach amongst other places, and the adults turn up in the garden traps irregularly, as well as dayflyers on Portland, Chesil Beach, and various heaths..

So that's that.. A lot of pics, and not much reading (though it took me ages to write, and I'm a fast typer)

Just be grateful I didn't do the Noctuids, that's over 400 species..

 

 



Overcompensation..?

I skipped a night. A night mothing that is. Being social, for a friends party, so I went out drinking instead of running the garden trap.
It was very unfortunate that that night was one of the best nights for immigrants this year, with several good moths turning up all over the place. So, I had to make up for it. Best way to make up for it, was to visit Portland Bill.
They had had some good moths there, and while they still had the Egyptian Bollworm there from a few days previous, they had some other life-ticks for me.

In their fridge they had various species which were new for me, Cosmopolitan, Flame Brocade, Dusky-lemon Sallow (an immigrant down my way), as well as 3 or so Beautiful Gothics, and micros included Uresiphita gilvata & Antigastra catalaunalis, both rare immigrants.
Other rarities which I have had occasionally in the garden which were present included the White-speck, which I had once last year, as well as several Delicate & a Convolvulus Hawk.

Beautiful Gothic - A Red Data Book species restricted to the southern coasts.

Flame Brocade - a rare immigrant to our shores.

So I had managed one Red Data Book species this week, didn't think I'd manage another one, but I was wrong.
So yeah, got invited out, and went to a known site for a second Red Data Book species, the Blair's Wainscot. The cold, cloudless sky blared down at us, while my misty breath spread into the beam of my head torch, rendering me temporarily blind. I did manage to net one myself in the end, though there was very little on the wing, and we managed to find a total of about 6, including a fantasticly fresh female, which we decided to leave so she could find a mate.

Blair's Wainscot - Red Data Book species No. 2

 

 

The third and final Red Data Book species of the week came as a surprise to me. I don't know why it was a surprise, but hey, won't complain. It was a Bloxworth Snout, in my garden trap, but it shouldn't surprise me, as they are breeding in the garden, and I've had them every year (about 6 this year!), but it was nice.

The final highlight of the week, the icing on the cake, as it were, was given to me by a friend. It was the utterly amazing Arctiid that is the Crimson Speckled. Another rare immigrant to us, I have been walking the coast a fair old amount these last few weeks trying to kick one up, but to no avail, so I was very happy to be given this one.

Crimson Speckled - Just wow..

 

And now, the weather has turned for the worst - with rain, wind and coldness spreading across the coast.. I can start picking my moth highlights of the year now.. With over 600 moths to choose from, it will be a hard choice..

Angles and Demons

My favourite moth? I use to be certain I knew this one! In my first year, it was probably one of the hawks, either a Death's-head or Oleander, (when I say first year, I mean first year mothing, not in my first year of life! I wasn't a little toddler stating how I love to see the famed Atropos!) but I decided I had to have seen it for it to be a fav, so that quickly had to change.
So that's when my favourite moth was decided, it was a Shuttle-shaped Dart. Common and often - almost always- never looked at properly, but these are fantastic little moths, which you can rely on! They are about for most of the year - I've seen them in November!

But it was short-lived (about one and a half year), the honour of being my favourite moth has been moved to another common and regular moth - which this year has been in great numbers the last few weeks! For those who can guess from the name, it is the Angle Shades, not just because it's a fantastic looking moth, but because it is the most chilled out moth there is! I've seen 3 the last few days away from the trap, just sitting in the open! I say one on the edge of a wall, sat right in the open, I've seen them in the middle of a field, and they are often in numbers of the side of walls, just sat there.
They are so confident with their "I'm a leaf" act, they do not bother to find shelter, and it's that confidence which gives them character. (or just a way to survive, if you think like that...)

Angle Shades

Anyhow, now I need to think of a "demon" to write about (I had to go for Angles and Demons, from the Dan Brown book, which I recently read).

The most obvious moth-related demon is either clothes moths, which are a pain, or wasps, which are a more literal pain. So yeah, wasps have become a bigger nuisance with the trap in recent weeks, and while it is starting to die down, there are still killing my moths!
I have always wondered about wasps, whether they learn the moths go into the traps, and learn this fact, and visit the traps to get to the mothy meals within, only to get stuck, or whether they are too attracted to light.
I'd always hoped it was the first, so they could be the Moriarty to my Sherlock, but now, as it's still dark when I get up, I notice that there is a wasp or two blindly slamming into the trap, so they are not criminal masterminds, but rather, enjoy the same fate as the moths.

Some wasps having a group meeting.

But, I totally understand that wasps are very useful in keeping pests down, so I can't really call them demons, it's just that everyone seems  to hate them, and they eat my moths - sooo.. put two and two together..

I would have posted this yesterday, but yeah, didn't in the end, as immigration could have been good last night. Nothing of great note in the garden, some common migrants, Dark Sword-grass, Silver Y, Rush Veneer, Rusty-dot Pearl, Diamond-back and a Feathered Brindle, in addition to 2 Vestals the day before, but over at Portland was a Egyptian Bollworm, along with an Antigastra catalaunalis (both I went to see). I must admit, I am quite upset, in the last patches of immigration this year, I managed a decent moth (Paracorsia repandalis in June, and Dotted Footman in August), but nothing of my own yet of great note this September.