Shelterbelt insects

Some insects seen while searching (unsuccessfully) for Hornet Moths in the Poplars along the Fletton Parkway shelter belt this week.

Xanthogramma pedisequum


Syrphus ribesii



Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus



Tabanus autumnalis (a large Horse Fly)




Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella


Nikon Coolpix P4

Tornado

They do say (and I have no reason to doubt them, whoever they are) that Britain gets more tornados than any other country. You don't see them like this very often though. Hope it didn't cause any damage or injury.

Marbled White & Purple Hairstreak

A couple of surprises among the lepidoptera at Jones' Covert this lunchtime. Also Comma, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Large Skipper, Red Admiral, Burnet Companion and Silver Y.

Marbled White Melannargia galathea



Purple Hairstreak Neozephyrus quercus


Nikon Coolpix P4

Oedemera nobilis

Another insect attracted to the Wild Parsnip along the path NE of Serpentine BP. The males have distinctively swollen hind legs. Most are metallic green but this one shows a strong bronze tinge.

Oedemera nobilis


Nikon Coolpix P4

Chrysotoxum verralli

Found today along the parkway shelter belt at the NW corner of Serpentine BP feeding on Wild Parsnip.

Chrysotoxum verralli

Roesel's Bush-cricket Nymph

Near adult nymph showing well at Serpentine BP this morning.

Roesel's Bush-cricket Metrioptera roeseli, nymph

Nikon Coolpix P4

Moon Venus Conjunction

The Moon and Venus get it together. Wonder what the astrologers make of it?

The Miller

Boy did it rain last night. I very nearly got up at 1am to rescue the trap but left it on and took it in at 4:30. Despite about an inch of water in the bottom (the drain hole had blocked) there were very few casualties among the moths. Four Privet Hawk-moths was the highest number I've had in the garden in one night. The Dioryctria will be a first once the ID is confirmed.

The Miller Acronicta leporina


0970 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis cerasana) 1
0977 Large Fruit-tree Tortrix (Archips podana) 1
1010 Red-barred Tortrix (Ditula angustiorana) 1
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 4
1376 Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) 2
1392 Udea olivalis 6
1455 Dioryctria simplicella 1 (TBC)
1669 Common Emerald (Hemithea aestivaria) 1
1682 Blood-vein (Timandra comae) 1
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 2
1817 Foxglove Pug (Eupithecia pulchellata) 1
1860 Green Pug (Chloroclystis rectangulata) 2
1976 Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) 4
2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina) 1
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 2
2069 The Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae) 1
2089 Heart & Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 42
2098 The Flame (Axylia putris) 2
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 7
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2160 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) 1
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 6
2280 The Miller (Acronicta leporina) f. grisea 1
2302 Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea) 2
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 7
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 1
2337x Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 10
2381 The Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines) 3
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2434 Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) f. juncta 2
2450 The Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 2
2489 The Fan-foot (Herminia tarsipennalis) 1

Elton Water Meadows

Lots of moths around in the daytime today in the increasingly attractive water meadows. In addition to these there were Silver Y, Common Swift, Small Magpie, Udea olivalis, Garden Grass Veneer, Silver-ground Carpet, Straw Dot, Painted Lady, Small Totoiseshell and Large Skipper.

Beautiful China-Mark Nymphula stagnata

(Digiscoped)

Middle-barred Minor Oligia fasciuncula
(a bit of a surprise feedng on umbellifers in the middle of the day)


Blood-vein Timandra comae


Burnet Companion Euclidia glyphica


Mother Shipton Callistege mi


Look closely and this fella's eating what looks like a smaller damselfly just emerging from the nymph.

Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens



Couldn't resist another go at this species when this one was so obliging. The two seen today were both well away from the river in the long grass meadows.

White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes

Blotched Emerald

The garden firsts still trickle in. This was among a fairly small catch for the time of year, reflecting the indecisive weather at the moment.

Blotched Emerald Comibaena bajularia


0647 Brown House-moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0925 Phtheochroa rugosana 1
1076 Celypha lacunana 3
1082 Plum Tortrix (Hedya pruniana) 1
1133 Epinotia bilunana 1
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 1
1392 Udea olivalis 3
1458 Thistle Ermine (Myelois circumvoluta) 1
1474 Ephestia parasitella 1
1654 Figure of Eighty (Tethea ocularis) 1
1667 Blotched Emerald (Comibaena bajularia) 1
1819 Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata) 1
1860 Green Pug (Chloroclystis rectangulata) 1
1931 Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) typical 1
2050 Common Footman (Eilema lurideola) 1
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 1
2089 Heart & Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 20
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 6
2337x Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 4
2434 Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) f. juncta 1

Broad-barred White

A first for the garden in last night's trap.

Broad-barred White Hecatera bicolorata



0017 Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus) 1
0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 1
0724x Metzneria sp. 2
0977 Large Fruit-tree Tortrix (Archips podana) 1
1010 Red-barred Tortrix (Ditula angustiorana) 1
1076 Celypha lacunana 3
1082 Plum Tortrix (Hedya pruniana) 2
1115 Ancylis achatana 1
1392 Udea olivalis 1
1473 Cacao Moth (Ephestia elutella) 2
1860 Green Pug (Chloroclystis rectangulata) 2
1931 Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) typical 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
1991 Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) 1
1992 Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) 2
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 3
2069 The Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae) 1
2089 Heart & Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 33
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 2
2160 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) 1
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 2
2302 Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea) 1
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 2
2333 Large Nutmeg (Apamea anceps) 2
2337x Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 7
2340 Middle-barred Minor (Oligia fasciuncula) 2
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2387 Mottled Rustic (Caradrina morpheus) 2
2474 Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) 3
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Variable Damselfly, Woodston Ponds

Not sure if this has been recorded from here before. If you know please contact me. The insects were mostly along the boardwalk in an area of dense nettle with greater burdock under the willows by the Nene.

Variable Damselfly Coenagrion pulchellum, Male


Id features include 'wine glass' mark at top of abdomen, broken 'exclamation mark' antehumeral stripes and thin post-ocular bar.


Pyrochroa serraticornis


Celypha lacunana


Nikon Coolpix P4

Small Elephant Hawk-moth

Fourth for the garden.

Small Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila porcellus



The full trap list:
0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 1
1076 Celypha lacunana 3
1082 Plum Tortrix (Hedya pruniana) 4
1356 Garden Pebble (Evergestis forficalis) 1
1376 Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) 1
1392 Udea olivalis 2
1711 Treble Brown Spot (Idaea trigeminata) 3
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1765 Barred Yellow (Cidaria fulvata) 1
1860 Green Pug (Chloroclystis rectangulata) 2
1931 Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) typical 1
1992 Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) 1
2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 1
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 3
2089 Heart & Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 27
2098 The Flame (Axylia putris) 1
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 1
2170 Varied Coronet (Hadena compta) 1
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 1
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 2
2302 Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea) 2
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 1
2333 Large Nutmeg (Apamea anceps) 3
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 1
2337x Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 8
2340 Middle-barred Minor (Oligia fasciuncula) 1
2380 Treble Lines (Charanyca trigrammica) 1
2474 Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) 6
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Merodon equestris

Another new hover for the garden.

Merodon equestris




Nikon Coolpix P4

Firethorn Leaf Miner, etc.

Last night's catch plus a new addition to the garden list: a day-flying Firethorn Leaf Miner, aptly on Pyracantha. Oh, and Cream Wave was a garden first too.

0925 Phtheochroa rugosana 1
1082 Plum Tortrix (Hedya pruniana) 1
1421 Large Tabby (Aglossa pinguinalis) 1
1693 Cream Wave Scopula floslactata 1
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) ab. remutata 1
1765 Barred Yellow (Cidaria fulvata) 1
1931 Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) typical 1
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 1
2089 Heart & Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 26
2098 The Flame (Axylia putris) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2160 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) 2
2199 Common Wainscot (Mythimna pallens) 1
2302 Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea) 1
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 1
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 1
2337x Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 6
2422 Green Silver-lines (Pseudoips prasinana) 1
2434 Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) f. juncta 2

Green Silver-lines Pseudoips prasinana


Burnished Brass Diachrysia chrysitis f. juncta


Cream Wave Scopula floslactata


Firethorn Leaf Miner Phyllonorycter leucographella

Elton Odonata

Cracking cast of odonata along the Nene south of Elton Lock today:
Banded Demoiselle, abundant
Large Red-eyed Damselfly, many
Blue-tailed Damselfly, many
Common Blue Damselfly, one pair in cop
White-legged Damselfy, 6, at least with 2 pairs ovipositing on floating vegetation
Hairy Dragonfly, 2
Emperor, 2
Scarce Chaser, 2
Black-tailed Skimmer, 6

White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes



Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum


Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans


female, rufescens form


One of a few day-flying moths seen today:
Pyrausta aurata