Moths from weekend 12-13.7.13 (pt 2)

Donacaula forficella (female) or is it Chilo phragmitella?

Donacaula forficella (male)

Double-striped Pug

Heart and Club

Peppered Moth

Privet Hawkmoth

Red-barred Tortrix

Short-cloaked Moth

Small Blood-vein

Small Fanfoot

Small Ranunculus

Buff Arches, new for the garden

Moths from weekend 12-13.7.13 (pt 1)

Argyresthia goedartella

Blue-bordered Carpet

Bordered Sallows

Cherry Bark Moth

Cherry Fruit Moth

Crescent Plume Moths Marasmarcha lunaedactyla

Some recent moths (5-6.7.13)

Leopard Moth (new for garden)

Scorched Wing (new for garden)

Small Elephant Hawkmoth (new for garden)

Small Elephant Hawkmoth (new for garden)

Elephant Hawkmoth & Small Elephant Hawkmoth

Swallowtailed Moth

Aleimma loeflingiana

Beautiful Hooktip

Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

Burnished Brasses Snout

Chilo phragmitella, probably (new for garden)

Hedya salicella (a micro moth)

Eidophasia messingiella (scarce in VC32)

When I saw this moth in the MV Skinner trap (after night of 6.7.13), I knew it was something distinctive and new for me. Unfortunately, as soon as I lifted the perspex sheet 'roof' of the trap, it flew off. Fortunately, though, it soon landed on the grass and I was able to get these record shots, which allowd me to identify it. It turns out, there have only been two previous records in VC32 (Northants and Peterborough), both in the 1990s.

Common Blue Damselflies 'in-wheel'

Scarce Chaser (male), and friend

Tree Bee

We have a colony of this attractive bumblebee species in a Blue Tit nestbox at the woody back of our garden in Peterborough. Yesterday, I finally got an acceptable photo of one perched. Note the distinctive orange furred thorax, black in the middle and white tail end.

Toadflax Brocade: fourth year running

This little beauty is perhaps my favourite moth, the Toadflax Brocade. Back in August 2010, I found the first for VC32 (Northamptonshire and Peterborough), as well as the first for 'new' Cambridgeshire, in our garden in Peterborough. This moth I caught on 29.6.13, and it is the fourth year running I've recorded it. Durign this time, as far as I know, no one else has recorded it in Peterborough until this year, when TBs have been recorded at two other sites in the city. So, perhaps these lovelies are becoming a bit more established here.