Monday, August 15, 2011

Golden Ridge Moths

With our Bedfordshire Moth Recorders, Andy & Melissa, encouraging me on Facebook to get the moth trap out, I thought it was about time I gave it a go and so set up the trap in the back garden yesterday evening. There weren't many specimens in the trap this morning, but it did include two Nationally Scarce B moths (recorded from 31-100 of the UKs 10km squares since 1980), though I'm assuming both are pretty common in this area.

This is the Jersey Tiger (I will endeavour to get a better photo in the future). It looks even more dramatic when it flies with its orange-red underwings. It's the 3rd one I've seen over the last few weeks as it frequently flies during the day and is present on the Golden Ridge Country Park. I've seen them in France before, but it's great to see them in the UK.

And this is the micro-moth Madder Pearl (Mecyna asinalis), named after its Wild Madder foodplant.

The other species present were 4 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, a Square-spot Rustic, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, a Rustic, a beautiful Willow Beauty and this one which, being out of practise, has confused me. It looks like one of the Brocades but I'm hoping Melissa will be able to identify it for me:

Update:
Thanks to Melissa, and Bill in the comments section, who have kindly informed me that this is a Cabbage Moth. I've got a feeling that this one has confused me in the past...and I've got a feeling that I'll be needing further help in the future!! :-)

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5 comments:

  1. Billy DykesAugust 15, 2011 at 11:15 AM

    Very nice Jersey Tiger. Your mystery moth is a Cabbage Moth.

    Good mothing

    Bill

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  2. Steve PlummerAugust 15, 2011 at 11:49 AM

    Thanks so much for your help, Bill. It's certainly inspired me to start putting the trap out a bit more often! :-)

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  3. RobAugust 15, 2011 at 3:36 PM

    Hi Steve, Welcome to the Island!
    Out with my son this afternoon we found a lovely Jersey Tiger near Sandown Battery gardens, the lutescens form I think (looking at UK Moths) as it showed golden hind wings in flight. In previous years I've seen the odd one on Brading Down.

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  4. Steve PlummerAugust 15, 2011 at 5:56 PM

    Hi Rob,
    Thanks so much for your welcome - I've really enjoyed reading your blog....you could teach me a thing or two about taking photos! :-)
    We're really enjoying our first few weeks here. I've spent the afternoon meeting people and walking around Afton Marsh SSSI....I'm determined to find the Water Voles here, though it doesn't look like there have been any sightings for a few years....looking forward to seeing my first Red Squirrel, too!!
    Hope to bump in to you sometime,
    Best wishes,
    Steve.

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  5. Steve PlummerAugust 15, 2011 at 5:58 PM

    Forgot to say....congratulations on finding the lutescens form - I was looking at pictures of that earlier and wondering if any might be around!

    ReplyDelete

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