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The first field trip of September (I wonder how many more now until the weather turns!) Last night I was joined by Roger and Steve at Roughdown Common in Hemel Hempstead. We setup 3 traps, a mix of 125w Mv, 160w MBT and twin 40w Actinic with 26w CFL bulb. We ran them through the Dell, starting at the top of the chalk pit right through the wood towards the edge of the A41. Conditions were absolutely perfect with temperatures at around 19 degrees when lights were switched on as early as 8pm (wow these nights are drawing in fast!). After roughly 4 hours we packed up the traps one by one. We did relatively well and probably caught most species that were to be expected this time of year. Best moth had to be the second record for this site this year of Metalampra italica. Other interesting moths included a White-point, 2 Feathered Gothics, a late(ish) Pretty Chalk Carpet, Juniper Pug and Wax Moth. There was also hoardes of Hawthorn and Forest Shield Bugs in the trap. Other animals included a Roesel's Bush-Cricket, a first for me. We also setup one MV trap up at Gadesprings (or base camp as we call it) We returned at about 1am to see what was in the trap. There wasn't a great deal but we did manage a further 9 species that we didn't trap at Roughdown Common, with the pick of the bunch being an Orange Sallow and no less than 7 Old Lady's. Catch Report - 04/09/14 – Roughdown Common - Hemel Hempstead - 2x 125w MV Robinson Trap, 1x 40w Lucent Suitcase Trap, 1x 160w MBT Robinson Trap & 1x 80w Actinic Suitcase Trap. Macro Moths 2x Angle Shades 3x Barred Hook-tip 2x Black Arches 20x Brimstone Moth 1x Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 8x Centre-barred Sallow 1x Chinese Characte 1x Common Carpet 5x Common Marbled Carpet 2x Common Rustic 3x Common Wainscot 8x Copper Underwing 1x Double-striped Pug 1x Dusky Thorn 5x Feathered Gothic 2x Flame Shoulder 2x Garden Carpet 10x Green Carpet 1x Grey Dagger 1x Iron Prominent 1x Juniper Pug 3x Large Yellow Underwing 4x Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 2x Lesser Yellow Underwing 3x Light Emerald 4x Maiden's Blush 1x Marbled Beauty 4x Mouse Moth 1x Nutmeg 1x Oak Hook-tip 1x Pale Mottled Willow 1x Pretty Chalk Carpet 1x Purple Bar 2x Ruby Tiger 1x Setaceous Hebrew Character 2x Small Square-spot 5x Snout 1x Spectacle 25x Square-spot Rustic 1x Toadflax Pug 2x Vine's Rustic 1x White-point 2x Yellow Shell Micro Moths 1x Metalampra italica 5x Agriphila geniculea 3x Cacoecimorpha pronubana 3x Epinotia ramella 1x Epinotia nisella 4x Plutella xylostella 1x Stenolechia gemmella 1x Bucculatrix ulmella 1x Evergestis forficalis 2x Caloptilia syringella 3x Apotomis betuletana 1x Galleria mellonella 2x Cameraria ohridella 2x Phyllonorycter quercifoliella 2x Pandemis corylana 1x Cydia splendana 4x Rhopobota naevana 2x Blastobasis adustella 1x Hypsopygia costalis 2x Ypsolopha scabrella 1x Hofmannophila pseudospretella 2x Pseudargyrotoza conwagana 1x Endrosis sarcitrella 1x Elachista canapennella 1x Coleophora trifolii 1x Emmelina monodactyla 1x Acleris rhombana 1x Tinea semifulvella 2x Epiphyas postvittana 1x Depressaria daucella 1x Agonopterix arenella 1x Yponomeuta sp 1x Acleris variegana 1x Carcina quercana 2x Argyresthia goedartella Catch Report - 04/09/14 – Gadesprings - Hemel Hempstead - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap Only extra species recorded Macro Moths 1x Common Wave 2x Burnished Brass 1x Six-striped Rustic 7x Old Lady 1x Orange Sallow 1x Red Twin-spot Carpet Micro Moths 2x Clepsis spectrana 2x Celypha lacunana 1x Scythropia crataegella
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Field Trip - Roughdown Common - New to Herts Jersey Mocha! Our last visit of the year to this prolific nature reserve that always springs a surprise on us, and this night was no different. With a warm South-westerly breeze dominating the weather forecast and lows of a comfortable 15 degrees, we once again decided to run traps on the Boxmoor Trusts land. The hope was to turn up something unusual for the site or intercept a migrant (for which there were plenty about). We succeeded on both accounts and star of the show had to go to a worn Maiden's Blush looking moth which Ian Bennell found in the long grass, several feet away from one of my traps. Passing it around to everyone it just didn't look right for this species and the brain thought of other possibilities which were quickly narrowed down to either a worn Maiden's Blush (likely) a Clay Triple-lines (still quite likely) and then the absurd (Jersey Mocha). The moth was retained and dissected the next day and I was literally on the edge of my seat awaiting the results back from Graeme Smith. When he said that it is a Jersey Mocha, that inkling to retain the moth was all worth it! Graeme had to promptly get a cup of coffee to calm down as neither myself or he could believe it, another new to Herts this year! And hat's off to Ian Bennell for spotting it and not just discarding it as a worn Maiden's Blush. Other good species included a pair of Psoricoptera gibbosella (Only my 2nd and 3rd examples in 10 years), Hellinsia carphodactyla (Which was new to me) and Depressria badiella (Which was retained and also dissected by Graeme Smith and a great record for Herts, again NEW TO ME!) What a fantastic night it was and thanks go out to David, Roger and Ian for helping me make the night a success and for being as eagle-eyed as ever. Species counted but numbers not noted. Catch Report - 07/09/16 - Roughdown Common - Hemel Hempstead - 2x 125w MV Robinson Trap 1x 160w MBT Robinson Trap 1x 80w Actinic Briefcase Trap & 1x 40w Actinic/26w BLB Trap Macro Moths - 40 Species Angle Shades Beautiful Hook-tip Brimstone Moth Brindled Green Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Centre-barred Sallow Common Carpet Common Marbled Carpet Common Rustic Common Wainscot Copper Underwing Double-striped Pug Dun-bar Dusky Thorn Feathered Gothic Flame Shoulder Flounced Rustic Garden Carpet Jersey Mocha [NEW!] Large Yellow Underwing Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Lesser Yellow Underwing Light Emerald Lime-speck Pug Maiden's Blush Marbled White-spot Pink-barred Sallow Setaceous Hebrew Character Shuttle-shaped Dart Silver-Y Small Dusty Wave Small Square-spot Square-spot Rustic Snout Spectacle Square-spot Rustic White-point Willow Beauty Yellow-barred Brindle Yellow Shell Micro Moths - 51 Species Acentria ephemerella Acleris rhombana Acleris variegana Acrobasis advenella Agonopterix arenella Agonopterix laterana/comariana Agonopterix nervosa Agriphila geniculea Agriphila tristella Ancylis laetana Archips podana Argyresthia semifusca Blastobasis adustella Cameraria ohridella Caloptilia robustella Caloptilia syringella Celypha lacunana Cochylis dubitana Cydia pomonella Cydia splendana Depressria badiella [NEW!] Ectoedemia decentella Emmelina monodactyla Emmetia marginea Epinotia nisella Epinotia ramella Epiphyas postvittana Eudonia mercurella Eudonia pallida Galleria mellonella Hellinsia carphodactyla [NEW!] Hypatima rhomboidella Metalampra italica Hofmannophila pseudospretella Pandemis cinnamomeana Pandemis corylana Pandemis heparana Phyllonorycter harrisella Pleuroptya ruralis Plutella xylostella Prays fraxinella Psoricoptera gibbosella Pyrausta aurata Rhopobota naevana Stenolechia gemmella Tinea semifulvella Udea ferrugalis Ypsolopha alpella Ypsolopha parenthesella Ypsolopha scabrella Ypsolopha sequella
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Yes it has taken this long to sort the Micro's out...still there are species to confirm but we are 98% there now and with 164 species I now provide a list of the Micro Moth's we caught during our 5 night stay at Las Descargues. Some really unusual moths, some commonly found in our Country and others considered as rare or possible migrants. Again species in red are completely new to me (And there were a few!) Acleris forsskaleana Acleris notana Acleris sparsana Acleris variegana Acompsia cinerella Acompsia tripunctella Acrobasis marmorea Acrobasis sodalella Acrobasis suavella Adaina microdactyla Adela australis Adela croesella Aethes rutilana Agapeta zoegana Agonopterix arenella Agonopterix assimilella Agonopterix kaekeritziana Agrotera nemoralis Aleimma loeflingiana Alucita hexadactyla Anacampsis timidella Anania crocealis Anania hortulata Anania verbascalis Anarsia spartiella Ancylis achatana Ancylis obtusana Aphelia paleana Aphomia sociella Archips crataegana Archips oporana Archips podana Archips rosana Archips xylosteana Argolamprotes micella Argyresthia albistria Argyresthia conjugella Argyresthia pruniella Batia lambdella Batia lunaris Bijugis bombycella Blastobasis glandulella Brachmia blandella Bryotropha affinis Bryotropha domestica Carcina quercana Catoptria falsella Catoptria permutatellus Catoptria verellus Celypha aurofasciana Celypha cespitana Celypha lacunana Celypha striana Chrysocrambus craterella Chrysocrambus linetella Chrysoteuchia culmella Clepsis consimilana Clepsis rurinana Cnephasia sp Coleoptera mayrella Crambus lathoniellus Crambus pascuella Crassa unitella Cydalima perspectalis Cydia fagiglandana Cydia pomonella Cydia splendana Delplanqueia dilutella Depressaria pulcherrimella Dialectia scalariella Diasemia reticularis Dichomeris alacella Dichomeris derasella Dichomeris marginella Dichrorampha petiverella Digitivalva pulicariae Dioryctria abietella Dioryctria sylvestrella Ditula angustiorana Dolicharthria punctalis Elegia similella Elophila nymphaeata Emmetia marginea Endotricha flammealis Epagoge grotiana Ephestia sp Epiblema uddmanniana Epinotia tenerana Eudonia delunella Eudonia lacustrata Eudonia mercurella Euzophora pinguis Gelechia muscosella Glyphipterix thrasonella Gypsonoma dealbana Gypsonoma sociana Harpella forficella Hedya nubiferana Hedya ochroleucana Hofmannophila pseudospretella Hypochalcia ahenella Hypsopygia costalis Hypsopygia glaucinalis Infurcitinea atrifasciella Khorassania compositella Lathronympha strigana Lozotaenia forsterana Lozotaeniodes formosana Mecyna asinalis Metalampra italica Micropterix aglaella Micropterix aruncella Micropterix schaefferi Monopis obviella Morophaga choragella Myelois circumvoluta Nemapogon clematella Oegoconia sp Oncocera semirubella Opostega salaciella Ostrinia nubilalis Pammene fasciana Pandemis cerasana Pandemis heparana Parachronistis albiceps Parahyponomeuta egregiella Paraswammerdamia albicapitella Paratalanta hyalinalis Pediasia contaminella Pelochrista caecimaculana Pempelia formosa Pempelia palumbella Phycita roborella Phycitodes binaevella Pleuroptya ruralis Pleurota pyropella Plutella xylostella Prays fraxinella Pseudotelphusa scalella Ptycholomoides aeriferanus Pyrausta aurata Pyrausta cingulata Pyrausta despicta Pyrausta purpuralis Sciota rhenella Scoparia ambigualis Scoparia basistrigalis Scoparia pyralella Scythris scopolella Scythropia crataegella Spilonota ocellana Syncopacma sp Teleiodes luculella Thisanotia chrysonuchella Tinea pellionella Tinea trinotella Tortrix viridana Triaxomera parasitella Udea ferrugalis Yponomeuta evonymella Yponomeuta irrorella Yponomeuta sedella Ypsolopha parenthesella Zeiraphera isertana
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Roughdown Common - Hemel Hempstead - Field Trip - 17/07/14 I was joined by David and Roger to Roughdown Common on a very favourable evening weatherwise. We had hit 33 degrees earlier on and as we arrived at Roughdown to start setting up, it was still a heady 25 degrees at 9pm! We did know of storms that were expected early morning, I thought we would be packed up and long gone before they turned up. As the evening went on it got very breezy indeed and this did hamper the catch somewhat...luckily we were just packing up the last trap at 2am when a flash of lightning caught our attention coming in on a Southerly from London. With traps all packed up it was a brisk walk back to the car...most of the gear was loaded and then the heavens opened. The moths were represented by most species but in relatively low numbers for the time of year. I was very very nice to see so many Dark Umbers, Brown Scallops and Maple Pugs. Highlight of the night was a new micro for us all, Metalampra italica a possible accidental introduction in 2003 is responsible for this and all previous records as it was only known in the past from Italy! Catch Report - 17/07/14 – Roughdown Common - Hemel Hempstead - 2x 125w MV Robinson Trap, 1x 40w Lucent Suitcase Trap, 1x 160w MBT Robinson Trap & 1x 80w Actinic Suitcase Trap. 96 Macros and 80 Micros (176 species) Macro Moths 1x Beautiful Hook-tip 2x Black Arches 2x Bright-line Brown-eye 4x Brimstone Moth 1x Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 6x Brown Scallop 2x Brown-line Bright-eye 1x Brown-tail 2x Buff Arches 4x Buff Footman 3x Clay 3x Cloaked Minor 5x Clouded Border 1x Clouded Brindle 8x Clouded Silver 3x Common Carpet 2x Common Emerald 5x Common Rustic 2x Common White Wave 10x Coronet 8x Dark Arches 10x Dark Umber 2x Dingy shears 1x Dot Moth 4x Double Square-spot 1x Drinker 2x Dun-bar 1x Dusky Brocade 3x Early Thorn 2x Elephant Hawk-moth 1x Fan-foot 1x Fern 1x Flame 2x Flame Shoulder 2x Ghost Moth 2x Green Pug 1x Grey Dagger 4x Haworth's Pug 1x Heart & Club 4x Heart & Dart 4x July Highflyer 2x Large Yellow Underwing 2x Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1x Lesser Yellow Underwing 1x Light Arches 1x Light Emerald 1x Lime-speck Pug 2x Maple Prominent 10x Maple Pug 2x Marbled Minor 1x Miller 3x Mottled Beauty 2x Nut-tree Tussock 1x Pale Mottled Willow 1x Pale Prominent 2x Peach Blossom 1x Pebble Prominent 3x Peppered Moth 1x Phoenix 1x Pine Hawk-moth 1x Poplar Grey 1x Poplar Hawk-moth 3x Pretty Chalk Carpet 1x Purple Bar 2x Red Twin-spot Carpet 5x Riband Wave 4x Ruby Tiger 1x Rustic 2x Scalloped Oak 1x Scarce Footman 1x Scarce Silver-lines 1x Scorched Carpet 2x Shaded Broad-bar 2x Shuttle-shaped Dart 1x Single-dotted Wave 1x Six-spot Burnet 1x Slender Brindle 1x Small Angle Shades 2x Small Emerald 2x Small Fan-foot 10x Small Fan-footed Wave 4x Small Rivulet 2x Smoky Wainscot 2x Snout 2x Spectacle 5x Swallow-tailed Moth 1x Sycamore 1x Tawny Marbled Minor 1x Tawny Speckled Pug 6x Tree-lichen Beauty 3x Uncertain 1x Vapourer Moth 1x White-spotted Pug 1x Willow Beauty 1x Wormwood Pug 1x Yellow Shell Micro Moths 1x Metalampra italica [NEW!] 6x Blastobasis laticolella 2x Blastobasis adustella 5x Pleuroptya ruralis 3x Agapeta hamana 10+ Agapeta zoegana 2x Coleophora sp 2x Cydia splendana 1x Agonopterix heracliana sp 1x Hypatima rhomboidella 2x Zeiraphera isertana 1x Parornix sp 2x Eudemis profundana 1x Argyrotaenia ljungiana 1x Eurrhypara hortulata 20+ Chrysoteuchia culmella 1x Agonopterix arenella 1x Pandemis cerasana 4x Pandemis heparana 1x Pandemis corylana 1x Homoeosoma sinuella 2x Hofmannophila pseudospretella 2x Phycita roborella 2x Celypha lacunana 1x Archips podana 1x Hedya nubiferana 7x Aleimma loeflingiana 2x Epinotia demarniana 3x Eudonia mercurella 12x Cnephasia sp 2x Coleophora sp 2x Ditula angustiorana 3x Dipleurina lacustrata 10+ Eucosma cana 3x Batia unitella 5x Acleris forsskaleana 2x Argyresthia albistria 20+ Eucosma hohenwartiana 1x Eucosma obumbratana 2x Aspilapteryx tringipennella 2x Bucculatrix nigricomella 1x Rhopobota naevana 1x Epiblema costipunctana 1x Teleiodes vulgella 2x Carcina quercana 1x Pterophorus pentadactyla 4x Catoptria falsella 1x Oncocera semirubella 2x Pseudargyrotoza conwagana 5x Endotricha flammealis 1x Stigmella sp 3x Ancylis badiana 4x Yponomeuta evonymella 1x Phlyctaenia coronata 2x Limnaecia phragmitella 2x Syncopacma sp 2x Plutella xylostella 1x Gypsonoma dealbana 2x Spilonota ocellana 1x Agriphila straminella 2x Crambus perlella 2x Dichomeris marginella 2x Eucosma campoliliana 10x Aethes rubigana 1x Aethes cnicana 2x Batia lunaris 2x Udea prunalis 2x Clepsis consimilana 1x Pammene fasciana 1x Epinotia nisella 2x Acentria ephemerella 1x Recurvaria leucatella 2x Catoptria pinella 2 Epiblema uddmmaniana 1 Cochylimorpha straminea 1x Eudonia pallida 2x Archips xylosteana 10+ Celypha striana 5x Scoparia ambigualis 2x Yponomeuta evonymella
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Dorsal..
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