MOTHS COLLECTED NIGHT OF 14TH/15TH JULY
Whilst few in number we had a very interesting and hands on evening
with the moths which surrounded Burlinson House.
Bryan had left the moth trap out the day before in the side garden and the
ultraviolet light had attracted in the region of some 30 moths.
The moth trap consisted of a black basin (about 12 depth) containing
egg boxes (for the moths to nestle in comfortably) with a plastic cover so
they couldnt escape once they had entered. The cover with a large hole
in the middle allowed an ultraviolet light to be placed in it and on top
of this was a square plastic roof about 8 square to shield
the contents of the basin from rain.
The covered petri dishes were numbered and a corresponding sheet was on the
table together with books and photos of moths of various shapes, sizes and
colours. They were all very beautiful in their own way. Some were iridescent,
others had really interesting patterns and shapes of wings and would sit
very still on your hands. As soon as they were identified, we let them go
so as not to cause too much stress. All in all, we identified 9 various types
but there many more which we couldnt find in the books available to
us.
It certainly gave us an incentive to set up some moth traps of our own to
catch and identify these papillons de nuit!
Over 50 moths collected as well as other insects and arachnids
Butterfly and
Moth ID
Name |
Latin |
|
Poplar Hawk |
Laothoe populi |
About 6 specimens captured. L: 28mm WS: 70mm. Grey-brown sculptured wings.
Diagnostic red patches on hind wings. |
Peppered |
Biston insularia |
2 specimens captured. L: 20mm WS: 42mm. Intermediate form identified. |
Buff Ermine (F) |
Spilosoma lutea |
About 5 specimenns captured. L: 16mm WS: 40mm. Males have more feathery
antennae than females. |
Yellow Underwing |
Noctua pronuba |
About 5 specimens captured. L: 25mm WS: 57mm. Front wings dark brown
- male. (Female front wings - light brown) Diagnostic yellow hind wings with
black bar along edge. |
Mother of Pearl |
Pleuroptya ruralis |
One specimen. L: 20mm WS: 40mm. Rests with hind wings displayed. Common
wherever nettles grow. |
Grass Veneer |
Agriphila tristella |
One specimen. L: 14mm WS: 28mm |
Buff Arches |
Habrosyne pyritoides |
One specimen. L: 16mm WS: 40mm. Edge of front wings marked with bold
buff/orange "arches" |
Silver Y (?) |
Autographia gamma |
One specimen. L: 17mm WS: 42mm. Front wings contain distinctive Y-shaped
white mark. |
Common Wainscot |
Mythimna pallens |
One specimen. L: 15mm WS: 35mm. Plain streaky front wings. Pale hind
wings. |
Buff Tailed Bumble Bee |
Bombus terrestis |
One specimen. L: 25mm WS: 42mm. Queen. Hairy black body with two dull
yellow bands around body and dull yellow "tail" |
Daddy Long Legs Spider |
Pholeus phalangiodes |
One specimen. L: 10mm. Very long legs compared to body length. |
|