Puss Moth

The first week of April and the mothing has finally started to improve. I have not seen a huge increase in the numbers but with slightly warmer nights the variety is improving and I am no longer concerned about coming down to an empty trap in the mornings. 

There have been a few new garden ticks, the most impressive being this Puss Moth. I have to confess that I didn't find it. I had the trap out but it was Sue, out in the garden on a Vine Weevil hunt, that spotted it. It was on the trunk of a small cordyline about ten metres from the trap and I would have missed it if she had not been there.

It also posed a problem in that I did not have a pot big enough to put it into. I estimate about 70mm wingspan and 40mm length. Quite an impressive looking moth.

Puss Moth - Cerura vinula

A Blair's Mocha. This now seems to be established and breeding on the south coast and is a regular in the garden throughout the year. This particular moth being more heavily marked than most specimens I see.

Blair's Mocha - Cyclophora puppillaria

A Brimstone Moth, very common in the garden and although it's great to see the bright colours they are joining the list of moths that I would prefer to see less of. However, not yet quite as bad as the Light Brown Apple Moth.

Brimstone - Opisthograptis luteolata

Another new one for the garden, a Chocolate-tip. A beautiful little moth.

Chocolate-tip - Clostera curtula

Chocolate-tip - Clostera curtula

A Flame Shoulder, a common enough moth but I have to check them all just in case I get another Radford's Flame Shoulder.

Flame Shoulder

Least Black Arches, only my second specimen.

Least Black Arches - Nola confusalis

Light Brocade, it's not an uncommon moth but again it is a first for the garden.

Light Brocade - Lacanobia w-latinum

Another regular, the Pale Mottled Willow.

Pale Mottle Willow - Paradrina clavipalps

The Shuttle-shaped Dart, another common moth. This one seemed to be an odd colour but I cannot make it anything else.

Shuttle-shaped Dart - Agrotis puta

Spectacle, so called for obvious reasons. Again, only my second in the garden.

Spectacle - Abrostola tripartita 

Spectacle - Abrostola tripartita

And my favourite of the Noctuidae moths, the Toadflax Brocade. Not a particularly common moth but there must be a breeding population close by as I see them regularly through out the year.

Toadflax Brocade - Calophasia lunula

I still have problems with the Rustic and Uncurtains. You think you can tell them apart but the doubts always creep in. This one I am calling an Uncertain.

 

Uncertain - Hoplodrina alsines

An occasional visitor but always good to see, the Waved Umber.

Waved Umber - Menophra abruptaria

Another new one for me but this time spotted whilst out walking, the Small Purple-barred. Unfortunately it was too fast for me and this is the best picture I could get.

Small Purple-barred - Phytometra viridaria

The warmer nights are also bringing out some micros. These gave me three new garden ticks, the Yarrow Conch, Bird's Nest Moth and Violet Cosmet plus three of the regulars.

Yarrow Conch - Aethes smeathmanniana

Yarrow Conch - Aethes smeathmanniana

Bird's Nest Moth - Tinea trinotella

 

Violet Cosmet - Pancalia leuwenhoekella

Garden Pebble - Evergestist forficalis

Narrow-winged Grey - Eudonia angustea

Rusty-dot Pearl - Udea ferrrugalia

It's great to be getting some interesting materials through the trap once again. Just a pity the garden stops delivering from mid November to Mid April each year.