Thursday 26 June 2014

Cullaloe 25/06/2014

Heath trap left overnight between 22:00 and 5:00. Night fairly mild and dry. Slight breeze, but trap site is sheltered.

First sight to greet me was a Clouded Border sitting on a plant near the trap, and the trap itself was decorated lavishly with them -7  in all. Also evident around the trap was Common Wave and Light Emerald. I love these green moths. In a back garden flashback there was a Marbled Beauty, which I swear occupied exactly the same spot as the same species occupied at home. The only other species encountered 'outside' the trap was Brown Rustic, of which there were 2.

Inside the trap things started to get a bit more interesting - did I say I liked green moths? The first thing that struck me was the Large Emerald which was inside. What a fantastic beast! Also inside were a Coxcomb Prominent (I think), which resolutely refused to stand up s it pretended to be a leaf and a Straw Dot, which I had first encountered flying in daylight a couple of days previous (actually it was yesterday - sleep deprivation!).

Four new species for the year list and probably for the reserve although I haven't checked that yet. There was also a little Crambid which refused to leave the trap and ended up in a pot. Whether I can do anything with that or not is anybody's guess, but it was one of two present.

Count
Large Emerald (1)
Light Emerald (2)
Clouded Border (7)
Brown Rustic (2)
Common Wave (1)
Straw Dot (1)
Marbled Beauty (1)
Double Dart (1)
Unknown crambid (2)

Photos

Clouded collection

Marbled Beauty

One inside

... and one outside. Light Emerald

Coxcomb Prominent

Common Wave

Straw Dot

Large Emerald

Double Dart

Double Dart

The "known unknowns"

Cryptographic Crambid

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