Mull Moths

True Lover's Knot Lycophotia porphyrea


Coxcomb Prominent Ptilodon capucina dark form


Pod Lover Hadena perplexa capsophila


Buff-tip Phalera bucephala


Fox Moth Macrothylacia rubi, female


Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila elpenor


Peppered Moth Biston betularia typical form


Lesser Swallow Prominent Pheosia gnoma


Broom Moth Ceramica pisi


Marbled Coronet Hadena confusa


Clouded Buff Diacrisia sannio




Brown Silver-line Petrophora chlorosata


Map-winged Swift Hepialus fusconebulosa


Poplar Hawk-moth Laothoe populi


Grey Scalloped Bar Dyscia fagaria


Glaucous Shears Papestra biren



Lunar Thorn Selenia lunularia


Pebble Prominent Eligmodonta ziczac


Green Silver-lines Pseudoips prasinana


White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda


Scalloped Hazel Odontopera bidentata


Algedonia terrealis


Eulia ministrana


Ruddy Highflyer Hydriomena ruberata


Aethes hartmanniana


Broken-barred Carpet Electrophaes corylata


Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli


Purple Bar Cosmorhoe ocellata


The Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae



List of all species recorded during the week with max and total numbers:
Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella),1,1
Coleophora albicosta,1,1
Agonopterix arenella,1,2
Blastobasis lacticolella,4,5
Aethes hartmanniana,1,1
Syndemis musculana,1,1
Eulia ministrana,1,1
Epiblema scutulana/cirsiana,1,2
Lathronympha strigana,1,1
Algedonia terrealis,1,1
Chequered Skipper (Pyrgus malvae),8,8
Green-veined White (Pieris napi),6,6
Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines),3,3
Marsh Fritillary (Euphrydryas aurinia),6,6
Fox Moth (Macroglossum rubi),1,2
Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata),3,6
Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe ferrugata),1,1
Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata),1,1
Purple Bar (Cosmorhoe ocellata),1,1
Striped Twin-spot Carpet (Nebula salicata),1,1
Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata),1,1
Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica),2,5
Broken-barred Carpet (Electrophaes corylata),5,6
Ruddy Highflyer (Hydriomena ruberata),2,3
Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata),1,4
Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata),3,4
Narrow-winged Pug (Eupithecia nanata),2,2
Peacock Moth (Semiothisa notata),1,3
Brown Silver-line (Petrophora chlorosata),13,28
Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata),2,4
Lunar Thorn (Selenia lunularia),2,5
Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata),2,3
Peppered Moth (Biston betularia),2,6
The Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata),2,3
Common White Wave (Cabera pusaria),1,1
Common Wave (Cabera exanthemata),1,1
Grey Scalloped Bar (Dyscia fagaria),2,4
Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi),3,6
Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor),1,1
Buff-tip (Phalera bucephala),3,11
Sallow Kitten (Furcula furcula),1,1
Pebble Prominent (Eligmodonta ziczac),3,6
Lesser Swallow Prominent (Pheosia gnoma),1,2
Coxcomb Prominent (Ptilodon capucina),1,1
Clouded Buff (Diacrisia sannio),1,3
White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda),14,35
Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda),1,1
Ruby Tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa),1,1
The Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae),1,1
Heart & Dart (Agrotis exclamationis),1,1
Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta),2,5
Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba),1,2
True Lover's Knot (Lycophotia porphyrea),1,2
The Shears (Hada plebeja),2,2
Pale-shouldered Brocade (Lacanobia thalassina),2,6
Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea),1,2
Glaucous Shears (Papestra biren),2,4
Broom Moth (Melanchra pisi),5,12
Pod Lover (Hadena perplexa capsophila),1,1
Marbled Coronet (Hadena confusa),1,2
Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi),1,1
Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta),1,1
The Shark (Cucullia umbratica),2,2
Early Grey (Xylocampa areola),1,1
Knot Grass (Acronicta rumicis),2,4
Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea),3,7
Green Silver-lines (Pseudoips prasinana),1,1
Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli),1,1
The Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita),2,2

Butterflies

At last some decent weather when passing this area in spring meant we could call in on the way to Mull and see the Chequered Skippers at Ariundle where the burying beetle was trying to feast on a long-dead slow worm.

A day trip to Duart Castle provided excellent views of a number of Marsh Fritillaries.

Chequered Skipper Carterocephalus palaemon


Marsh Fritillary Eurodryas aurinia



Nicrophorus vespilloides


Canon Powershot A640

Cocksfoot Moth

A tiny moth, only 3-4mm long, in numbers at Bainton GP. They seemed to be displaying to each other and were doing the characteristic wing-pumping action.

Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpliciella

Canon Powershot A640

Pied Shieldbug

Among a large range of insects at Bassenhally Pits.

Pied Shieldbug Sehirus bicolor

Canon Powershot A640

Little Gull

Fairly uneventful morning until this appeared feeding with Black-headed Gulls on the washout pit south of the cut at Etton.

Little Gull Larus minutus

Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77 x32

Dragons

The northwest corner of the King's Dyke complex had a few sunny areas rich in nettles and protected from the wind where Azure Damselflies were swarming in numbers. Also one Variable, a couple of Common blue and a Blue-tailed Damselfly here plus two Four-spotted Chasers and a Hairy Dragonfly. Other insects included plenty of Orange-tips, Nettle-tap moth and the hoverflies Baccha elongata and Rhingia campestris.

Hairy Dragonfly Brachytron pratense


Fout-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata


Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77 x20

More Maxey Action

Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii





Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius


Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77 x32

Chocolate-tip

Getting a few moths now with the warm weather. Only a handful of precious records of Chocolate-tip for the garden.

Chocolate-tip Clostera curtula

Canon Powershot A640

Hills and Holes

Hot day at Barnack with Common Lizards and many insects about including quite a few moths flying in the day (I see more normally nocturnal moths in the day here than anywhere): Common Carpet and Green Carpet at least. Day flying leps included Common Heath, Peacock, Brimstone and plenty of Green Hairstreaks. Single Hairy Dragonfly and Large Red Damselfly.

Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi


Pasque Flowers Anemone patens


Early-purple Orchid Orchis mascula


Canon Powershot A640