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| Eco Heath Trap with 25W Black Light |
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| in situ. |
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| Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) |
Showing posts with label moths. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moths. Show all posts
Wednesday, 2 February 2022
Saturday, 19 September 2020
Hawk-moth Emergence
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| Pupae 15th Aug 2020 |
Having found the pupae of a Humming-bird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) lying on the ground behind a piece of wooden plank, I decided to keep it safe in the hope of catching the emergence. Having deposited the pupae carefully on some dry soil, within my spare fish tank - I checked the tank almost daily for just over a month.
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| Pupae in-situ 16th Aug 2020 |
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| The over-thought artificial refuge |
On the 16th Sept, I noted that it had changed colour - a little concerned that it may be in the process of decay, I was relieved to find that it wriggled when I picked it up. I was also captivated by the fact that its eyes were now visible beneath the outer case.
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| the eyes have it |
Two days after the colour change, our neighbours W & J came over to watch the moth trap being opened and sorted. I opened the lid of the tank, and found that we had just missed by moments the emergence of the moth from it's coccoon.
Over the course of the day (19th Sept) I was able to watch the progress of the moth expanding into the full adult shape, before finally witnessing it's first flight.
Wednesday, 5 August 2020
Moth trapping and other wildlife encounters .. Dartmoor pt 2
Prior to our trip, I had checked in with the owners of Widecombe Cottage and confirmed that I could bring the 20W actinic Skinner trap. The garden of the cottage being discreet with any night-lights not affecting the nearby cottages.
On arrival we discovered that Becks and Richard had thoughtfully provided an extension lead from the barn, so that I could have mains power without the need to leave the back door of the cottage ajar overnight.
Over the week we ran four moth trap sessions - the first and the last being the most productive of the quartet.
The first night's trap, was opened and emptied on the morning of the 1st August. R had joined us for the day - so we emptied the trap together, potted everything we could catch, noted the escapes; before heading out for the day, having left the pots stacked carefully for processing on our return.
Our first day's outing comprised a walk along Dr Blackall's Drive between Aish Tor and Mel Tor (return). The short walk was notable for a male redstart - foraging with stonechat and meadow pipit along the low stone walls near Aish Tor.
However, the best birding was to be the fly-past of osprey and hobby - both occurring within minutes of each other. We had been watching the redstart - when I noticed a large bird head over the brow of Aish Tor - against the light, and with nothing to compare its size too - I momentarily mistook it for a large gull, but as it turned into the wind - it jumped out as an osprey. R was able to get some photographs of it as it headed North West following the valley and the River Dart towards Dartmeet.
Moments after the Osprey had gone from sight - the hobby appeared - and it too flew up the valley towards Dartmeet.
As we approached Mel Tor - my memory jogged, and we searched the Tor summit rocks for the natural rock basins caused by the erosion / dissolving action of water and ice on softer granite.
Returning to Aish Tor - we descended the slopes to an area of bracken and bramble criss-crossed with pathways, in the hope of securing a glimpse of high brown fritillary. Unfortunately the weather was against us, overcast and cool - when the sun did briefly appear in a random open sky - at least three fast-flying frits belted past us, but they were way too mobile for a successful identification.
The weather conditions also severely reduced our chances of seeing Eristalis cryptarum - but we checked out the local site just in case of a break, and although unsuccessful - filed the location away for a future Dartmoor trip.
That evening whilst enjoying a couple of pints in the garden of the Rugglestone Inn a peregrine flew over heading south.
Our four moth trap sessions over the week resulted in 151 moths of 47 species, with some being new to A and I - a few of the highlights were as follows:
On arrival we discovered that Becks and Richard had thoughtfully provided an extension lead from the barn, so that I could have mains power without the need to leave the back door of the cottage ajar overnight.
Over the week we ran four moth trap sessions - the first and the last being the most productive of the quartet.
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| Widecombe Cottage, Lower Venton Farm |
The first night's trap, was opened and emptied on the morning of the 1st August. R had joined us for the day - so we emptied the trap together, potted everything we could catch, noted the escapes; before heading out for the day, having left the pots stacked carefully for processing on our return.
Our first day's outing comprised a walk along Dr Blackall's Drive between Aish Tor and Mel Tor (return). The short walk was notable for a male redstart - foraging with stonechat and meadow pipit along the low stone walls near Aish Tor.
However, the best birding was to be the fly-past of osprey and hobby - both occurring within minutes of each other. We had been watching the redstart - when I noticed a large bird head over the brow of Aish Tor - against the light, and with nothing to compare its size too - I momentarily mistook it for a large gull, but as it turned into the wind - it jumped out as an osprey. R was able to get some photographs of it as it headed North West following the valley and the River Dart towards Dartmeet.
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| Osprey courtesy R. |
Moments after the Osprey had gone from sight - the hobby appeared - and it too flew up the valley towards Dartmeet.
As we approached Mel Tor - my memory jogged, and we searched the Tor summit rocks for the natural rock basins caused by the erosion / dissolving action of water and ice on softer granite.
Returning to Aish Tor - we descended the slopes to an area of bracken and bramble criss-crossed with pathways, in the hope of securing a glimpse of high brown fritillary. Unfortunately the weather was against us, overcast and cool - when the sun did briefly appear in a random open sky - at least three fast-flying frits belted past us, but they were way too mobile for a successful identification.
The weather conditions also severely reduced our chances of seeing Eristalis cryptarum - but we checked out the local site just in case of a break, and although unsuccessful - filed the location away for a future Dartmoor trip.
That evening whilst enjoying a couple of pints in the garden of the Rugglestone Inn a peregrine flew over heading south.
Our four moth trap sessions over the week resulted in 151 moths of 47 species, with some being new to A and I - a few of the highlights were as follows:
Friday, 12 June 2020
.. "Well, hurry on sundown .. "
"Well, hurry on sundown
See what tomorrow brings
Hurry on sundown
See what tomorrow brings .."
Brock, D. 1970
With the addition to the wildlife tool-kit of an ALS Mains 20w Compact Skinner Trap purchased from Anglian Lepidopterist Supplies we have been spending some time focusing on the garden's nightlife.
Perhaps unsurprisingly? .. the initial highlights from using a proper moth-trap (compared to the informal use of porch-light, and bathroom light), has been our introduction to the larger moth species in the family Sphingidae - the Hawk-moths.
Previous garden records of hawk-moth are scarce comprising only a handful of sightings of the day-flying Humming-bird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum), nectaring on red valerian (Centranthus ruber), and a dead Privet hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) found lying in a state of advanced decay on the back lawn.
Thrilling then to find two hawk-moth species alive and kicking on our first garden trap run. The two Small elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) were the most obvious, being bright jewels roosting towards the top of the trap. One of them was sufficiently awake to make a hasty escape as the trap was opened - flying to cover beneath the large bindweed (Calystegia silvatica) growing in "Compost Corner".
The Privet hawk-moth also present was initially overlooked as we cleared the egg boxes on one side of the trap, but once spotted at the bottom of the trap - we temporarily abandoned the processing of the other moths to engage with it.
Over this last couple of weeks we have added two more hawk-moth species to the garden list: Poplar hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) and Elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor). The latter arrived on a particularly notable Hawk-night, when the trap contained four Small elephant hawk moth, and two Privet hawk-moth as well.
It would be a missed opportunity not to book-end this piece with an anecdote about Hawkwind when they played at G-Live Guildford on the 25th November 2019.
During the Blackheart Orchestra's opening set - R and I took advantage of a quiet bar to catch up over a couple of draught pints of Beavertown's Neck Oil. We got talking to a member of the venue's security team. The garrulous guard tipped us off about a "secret" Special Guest appearance from a "local celebrity guitarist", who would be playing the event with Hawkwind.
Later, when Dave Brock welcomed Eric Clapton onto the stage, R and I were both - unlike the rest of the audience - completely unsurprised - but like them, absolutely over the moon!
See what tomorrow brings
Hurry on sundown
See what tomorrow brings .."
Brock, D. 1970
With the addition to the wildlife tool-kit of an ALS Mains 20w Compact Skinner Trap purchased from Anglian Lepidopterist Supplies we have been spending some time focusing on the garden's nightlife.
Perhaps unsurprisingly? .. the initial highlights from using a proper moth-trap (compared to the informal use of porch-light, and bathroom light), has been our introduction to the larger moth species in the family Sphingidae - the Hawk-moths.
Previous garden records of hawk-moth are scarce comprising only a handful of sightings of the day-flying Humming-bird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum), nectaring on red valerian (Centranthus ruber), and a dead Privet hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) found lying in a state of advanced decay on the back lawn.
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| Privet hawk-moth (deceased) May 2018 |
Thrilling then to find two hawk-moth species alive and kicking on our first garden trap run. The two Small elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) were the most obvious, being bright jewels roosting towards the top of the trap. One of them was sufficiently awake to make a hasty escape as the trap was opened - flying to cover beneath the large bindweed (Calystegia silvatica) growing in "Compost Corner".
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| Small elephant hawk-moth |
The Privet hawk-moth also present was initially overlooked as we cleared the egg boxes on one side of the trap, but once spotted at the bottom of the trap - we temporarily abandoned the processing of the other moths to engage with it.
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| Privet hawk-moth and Agrotis exclamationis |
Over this last couple of weeks we have added two more hawk-moth species to the garden list: Poplar hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) and Elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor). The latter arrived on a particularly notable Hawk-night, when the trap contained four Small elephant hawk moth, and two Privet hawk-moth as well.
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| Poplar hawk-moth |
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| Elephant hawk-moth (R) Small elephant hawk-moth (L) |
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| i2i with a Privet hawk-moth |
It would be a missed opportunity not to book-end this piece with an anecdote about Hawkwind when they played at G-Live Guildford on the 25th November 2019.
During the Blackheart Orchestra's opening set - R and I took advantage of a quiet bar to catch up over a couple of draught pints of Beavertown's Neck Oil. We got talking to a member of the venue's security team. The garrulous guard tipped us off about a "secret" Special Guest appearance from a "local celebrity guitarist", who would be playing the event with Hawkwind.
Later, when Dave Brock welcomed Eric Clapton onto the stage, R and I were both - unlike the rest of the audience - completely unsurprised - but like them, absolutely over the moon!
Friday, 22 July 2016
Widewater Lagoon
A few of the plants and animals associated with the vegetated shingle at Widewater Lagoon, Lancing.
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