Notable net gains

Have been very lucky with the net during daytime searching of hedgerows and chalk grassland close to home this week with a good range of species added to the year list.

Highlights were two that were new for me, a very pleasant surprise indeed:

Aethes williana


Elachista subocellea


Who needs a light trap eh? (well I do of course, but it's good to use an array of methods as there are many species you'll never see if you restrict your activities).

Dave

Early stages: Coleophora follicularis

Another larval case, this time Coleophora follicularis, found on Hemp-Agrimony (Eupatorium) near Seaton Lakes, East Kent.

Another one that's not too hard to find as the feeding signs are very obvious.


Dave

My mate Geoff Goodwing

Otherwise known as Alabonia geoffrella or perhaps Geoffroy's Goodwing...

I look forward each year to the time when this moth is on the wing, it is just such a stunning moth.



I like the interpretation of the Generic name by Emmet - "good wing", which is written with the caveat that its formulation is so unusual as to cast doubt on this interpretation.  I for one wouldn't disagree that it has good wings!

Dave

Number 1 Moth

Micropterix tunbergella

Well it is #1 going by Bradley and Fletcher at least and it is such a gem that it's high on my favourites list.



Netted this little gem by the house by a patch of Greater Stitchwort yesterday morning, amongst dozens of Cocksfoot Moth (Glypihpterix simpliciella).

Dave

Eriocrania extravaganza

The appearance of many of the Eriocrania leaf mines has been somewhat delayed this year but I finally managed to catch up with several of these over the last couple of days, the first three all on Birch, the last one on Oak:

Eriocrania sangii




Eriocrania cicatricella



Eriocrania salopiella



Eriocrania subpurpurella

Bonsai banzai bonanza

Had an early evening trip to Bonsai Bank and Denge Woods in the Kent Downs yesterday.  A stunning display of Lady Orchids and Twayblades and of course of micro moths (inc. leaf miners).

Denge Woods and Bonsai Bank, sweep netting, 23 May 2012 (5:15 - 7:15 pm)

Pyrausta nigrata - 6


Mompha raschkiella - 1


Micropterix calthella - 45+


Epinotia subocellana




Aethes tesserana




Eucosma aspidiscana


Nematopogon swammerdamella
Eriocrania sangii - 3 mines

E. cicatricella - 3 larva in single mine
E. salopiella

Dave

On the up and up

Had the first warm night in a long time yesterday and whilst micros to the trap were still under-represented the dusking foray yesterday evening had me running around with my net and head torch like a madman.

Dusking, 22/5/12, East Kent

Cocksfoot Moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella) 5




Pseudoswammerdamia combinella



Monopis laevigella - 2



Plutella xylostella - 1
Parsnip Moth
Agonopterix alstromeriana
Elachista rufocinerea - 3
Aphelia paleana (larvae)
Endrosis sarcitrella

Still finding loads of Coleophora cases too:

C. peribenanderi - on creeping thistle
C. paripennella - on creeping thistle and knapweed
C. solitariella - 8
C. lineolea - 14 on one small clump of hedge woundwort, the feeding signs are now really obvious
C. serratella - on hazel

Dave