Thursday 14 July 2022

Back to work

Back to work over the last few days, I camped out at Steve's on the North Downs and had the MV out during night temperatures of around 20 C. There were 600-700 moths in the trap on Tuesday night of 131 species, my biggest night this year (I've had 232 species at this site in the last month).  

Plenty of micros. I could really do with remembering the most likely micros I will encounter in July as seems like every July I have to relearn too much. I'll do a separate post that I can refer to 'July micros'.

Here's a few highlights out of the 600+ moths.  

Two days back at 'home' (technically I suppose I'm actually of no fixed abode at the moment with alternating time between London, Bucks and our foreign projects) and then back on the road
Red Umber - can't think of anything else it can be but a bit worn 
Festoon- several of these stunning little jobs 
Barred Umber 
Small Waved Umber
There were a couple of these Cloaked Minor morphs which almost confused me for the small Wainscot species 
I presume a melanic Heart and Dart- stunning looking moth (Could it be a Garden Dart?) 
Small Dotted Buff
Boxtree moth- luckily I still haven't recorded these at the Old Vic. Also had Jersey Tiger , another species I have yet to record at the Old Vic. I think once I get Oak Processionary, Boxtree moth and Jersey Tiger at the Old Vic I will officially declare climate change has reached Bucks :-) Also had a load of adult Horse Chestnut Leaf-miners which have yet to emerge at the Old Vic. 
Acleris laterana- I think this is gen dent job so probably more accurate to say Acleris sp and considering there are no Irecord moth validators for Surrey I'm not sure I'll get any information on the likely sp either. 
Rosy Minor- lots of these Chalk Grassland specialists 
Cherry-fruit Moth 
A Dioryctria sp. maybe simplicella. Update 270722, probably cant be done from photos See here
Phoenix 
Zeriaphera isertana I presume 
Knapweed Conch
Italian Tubic- at least three of these 
Can't beat July 

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