Small Ranunculus

After a poor spring, both for numbers and for variety of moths, June has offered some better nights with more interesting catches.

Where better to start than a Small Ranunculus. A species that was thought to have gone extinct in the UK in the early part of the 20th Century but now making a come back. However, numbers are still low and this is the first one I have seen. The shape of the wings look a bit odd, possibly a new emergence where the wings have not fully opened yet.

Small Ranunculus - Hecatera dysodea 

The next a Large Yellow Underwing, a common enough moth but one where I am used to seeing worn examples, meaning I had to check it against the book to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

Large Yellow Underwing - Noctua pronuba

A Lime Hawkmoth. These show variable marking and colouring but are easily recognised. A green background and markings is the most common with brown markings often seen in the females. This dark red/brown colour looks a little unusual.

Lime Hawkmoth - Mimas tiliae

 

Willow Beauty, another common moth. I see them most nights but this one was in pristine condition and really something to be seen. The picture does not do it justice.

Willow Beauty - Peribatodes rhomboidaria

Looking a bit tatty but still good to see in the trap, a Burnished Brass. I will be hoping for a better specimen somewhere amongst the future catches.

Burnished Brass - Diachrysia chrysitis

The Flame Carpet was a new species for me but unfortunately seen whilst staying up in Bromley. I would have liked it on the garden list.

Flame Carpet - Xanthorhoe designata

A more docile species, the Pale Prominent. A regular in the trap and quiet happy to pose sitting on your finger as in my last mothing blog.

Pale Prominent - Pterostoma palpina

Lackey, it's not rare but it's also one I don't see in the garden very often. I always think it looks like a child's toy that would be nice to stroke.

Lackey - Malacosoma neustria

A few Micro Moths. Nothing special but the Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix and Variegated Golden Tortrix were new for me although again caught up in Bromley rather than in the garden.

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix - Pandemis cerasana

Common Rose Bell - Notocelia rosaecolana

Marbled Orchard Tortrix - Hedya nubiferana

Variegated Golden Tortrix - Archips xylosteana

Privet Twist - Clepsis consimilana

Four more from the Bromley catch. All but the Shears would have been additions for the garden list.

Shears - Hada plebeja

Common White Wave - Cabera pusaria

Maple Prominent - Ptilodon cucullina

Dog's Tooth - Lacanobia suasa

Finally, a few actually caught in the garden. The best being the Long-legged Tabby, the only one new for the garden list, although I had seen one a couple of years ago in Suffolk.

Dwarf Cream Wave - Idaea fuscovenosa

Elephant Hawk-moth - Deilephila elpenor

Privet Hawk-moth - Sphinx ligustri

Long-legged Tabby - Synaphe punctalis

So a couple of good nights but the winds on the coast have been too strong most nights to make it worth putting the trap out. July Forecasts don't look much better.