Moths at Stibbington

The only decent night for nocturnal insects for ages so traps were out at home and at Stibbington Pits LNR.

0649 Esperia sulphurella, 1
1724 Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia), 1
1725 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe ferrugata), 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria), 1
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata), 1
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi), 1
1997 Sallow Kitten (Furcula furcula), 1
2003 Pebble Prominent (Eligmodonta ziczac), 1
2007 Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula), 6
2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina), 2
2028 Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda), 1
2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda), 3
Black Sexton Beetle (Nicrophorus humator), 1
Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha), 18

Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda), male



Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe ferrugata)


Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia)


Pebble Prominent (Eligmodonta ziczac)


Sallow Kitten (Furcula furcula)


White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda)


Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata


Nikon CP995

The Island, Elton

A favourite walk around Elton along either side of the River Nene just downstream of Elton Bridge. As well as those insects pictured here there were plenty of Nettle-tap moths (Anthophila fabriciana).

Cercopis vulnerata (a Froghopper)


Ephemera vulgata (a Mayfly), male


Adele rufimitrella (a longhorn moth)


Nikon CP995

Pond Life

A couple more scenes from our small garden pond. Click on the pictures for larger images.

Common Frog (Rana temporaria)


Common Frog (Rana temporaria) and Helophilus pendulus (a hoverfly)


Water Measurers (Hydrometra stagnorum?)


Nikon CP995

Helophilus pendulus

All the pictures here are of a female. The important identification features:

• twin, bold yellow stripes on the thorax;
  
• black stripe down the middle of the yellow 'face';
  
• yellow hind margin to tergites 3 and 4 (near abdomen tip);
  
• hind femur third to half pale and hind tibia half or more yellow;
  

Click on the pictures for larger images (about 100kb each).




Nikon CP995

Helophilus key

Cuckoo's Hollow

Tonight was a planned moth night at the Cuckoo's Hollow area of Werrington. Previous sessions have been very successful (see blogs passim) but with a strong northeasterly wind blowing and a low nighttime temperature forecast I was worried we would have nothing to see at all. I needn't have worried.

There was a huge turnout of local wildlife fans, including eight children and we made an early start in the daylight by beating some of the trees and bushes. The most productive area was a patch of Hawthorn that had been in the late afternoon sun and out of the wind. Three Hawthorn Shieldbugs, an Epistrophe elegans (hoverfly) and the only dayflying moth, Incurvaria masculella were the result as well as a number of other insects (mainly weevils) and spiders.

The lights went on at dusk and a steady stream of moths were enough to keep up your interest until we packed up at around 11pm.

0017 Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus), 1
0130 Incurvaria masculella, 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria), 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata), 2
2007 Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula), 1
2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina), 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta), 3
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta), 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica), 1
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens), 1

Two other insects came to light during the evening: a Dark Bush-cricket nymph and the Soldier Beetle Cantharis rustica.

A nocturnal gathering

Another gathering


Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus)


Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)


Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina)


Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula)


Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens)


Incurvaria masculella (female)


Cantharis rustica (a Soldier Beetle)


Dark Bush-cricket nymph (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)



Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata), beaten from Sycamore


Scarce Umber (Agriopis aurantiaria)


Nikon CP995

Woodston Ponds LNR

Another cracking visit to Woodston Ponds LNR. I wish I had allowed longer to linger.

Among the unphotographables: Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), and Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin) singing, Green-veined White (Pieris napi), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), Peacock (Inachis io), Leucozona leucora (a hoverfly), Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans).

Click on most photos for larger images.

Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens), male


Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)
Male

Female


Epiblema scutulana or E. cirsiana


Syrphus ribesii, female


A bee


Nikon CP995

Returning to the scene of the crime

The last time I visited Stonepit Quarry at Old Sulehay the car was broken into. Managed to avoid that this time and have a stunning half hour in the sunshine and increasing temperatures with Weedon's World of Nature.

Among the creatures that refused to sit for photos were a Common Lizard (Lacerta vivipara), a Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris), a species of Pyrausta moth, a Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), a Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi), 2 Speckled Woods (Pararge aegeria), Large Whites (Pieris brassicae) and a Brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni). Others, the stars, are pictured below. Click on the pictures for bigger images.

Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages)


Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae)



Lesser Treble-bar (Aplocera efformata)


Nikon CP995

Take a tip from me

A lot of sunshine today manage to drag the temperature up a bit today, although it still wasn't that warm. Probably something to do with having to start from zero this morning! It was enough to tempt me out to the city oasis that is Broadway Cemetary, where the wildflower display is superb and was attracting a few insects.


Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines)
Click on the pictures for larger images.




Nikon CP995

Grey Day

Jonathan Taylor had a stroke of luck this morning when an adult male Montagu's Harrier cruised past heading north near Dog in a Doublet. I later made a search of the nearby farmland but apart from three male Marsh Harriers, a few Yellow Wagtails and three Grey Partridges I wasn't as lucky.

The Partridges were near Knarr Cross Farm and another "grey" bird was at the Dog in a Doublet, where a juvenile Grey Wagtail still with a rather short tail was evidence of early breeding success there.

Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix)


Digiscoped with Nikon CP995 and Leica APO 77 + 20x eyepiece

Breezy Mothing

A cool and breezy night so I wasn't expecting much to the light traps.
* = year first.

1747 The Streamer (Anticlea derivata), 1
*1819 Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata), 1
*1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata), 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata), 2
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi), 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica), 1
*2450 The Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita), 1

The Spectacle Abrostola tripartita



The Streamer (Anticlea derivata)


Mottled Pug (Eupithecia exiguata)


Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)


Nikon CP995

Garden Tick

The first moth shown here is the 358th lep species for the garden (I think) and the others are the first records this year.

Plutella porrectella



Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi)


Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)


Nikon CP995