Friday 20 September 2019

A barbarous radiate and Red and Yellow Underwings


barbarous radiate
Obverse: Radiate cuirassed bust of Emperor right
Reverse: Hilaritas standing left holding long branch and cornucopia
On Wednesday I visited Whitehawk Hill, Brighton following Neil Hulme’s great photo of a mating pair of Long-tailed Blues the previous day. Other enthusiasts were also on the prowl, including Katrina and Trevor. One was seen before I arrived, but no photos. I did see a female Wall in the path. I then called in at Southwick opposite the power station and saw a male Clouded Yellow whizzing around.
  Yesterday I attended a Mid Week Searchers dig at Over Wallop, Hants. I found a barbarous radiate (a Roman period copy of coins of the emperors Tetricus I & II, c.AD 270), a flattened love token (worn silver coin with a double bend), a copper finial) and a Victoria farthing.
  Various moths have visited the balcony light again, including another Red Underwing, a Large Yellow Underwing and a Box Tree Moth. We have just two surviving Poplar Hawk-moth larvae, the largest is 19mm long and they are 26 days old.
18-19th C copper finial from a clock or furniture

flattened silver love token

Victoria farthing
Wall female, Lasiommata megera

Box Tree Moth, Cydalima perspectalis

Double-striped Pug, Gymnoscelis rufifasciata

Flounced Rustic, Luperina testacea

Large Yellow Underwing, Noctua pronuba

Large Yellow Underwing

Orange Swift, Triodia sylvina

Pale Mottled Willow, Caradrina clavipalpis

Poplar Hawk-moth larva, Laothoe populi 26  days, 19mm

Red Underwing, Catocala nupta

Red Underwing

Rusty Dot Pearl, Udea ferrugalis

Setaceous Hebrew Character, Xestia c-nigrum

Small Dusty Wave, Idaea seriata

Square-spot Rustic, Xestia xanthographa

Willow Beauty, Peribatodes rhomboidaria

Garden Carpet, Xanthorhoe fluctuata

Wednesday 18 September 2019

Henry III penny, Elizabeth I sixpence, Roman brooch

Henry III (1216-1272) voided long cross penny
Obverse: Narrow face with round eyes and sceptre "HENRICUS REX III"
Reverse: Long voided cross with three pellets in each angle and pellet in centre: 
              "HENRI ON LVNDE" (moneyer Henri of London).

a few other recent metal detecting finds:
part of cut half

Nuremberg jeton

T shaped Roman brooch
buttons with stones

Charles II halfpenny c1670s

coin weight French 'ecu au soleil' 16thC 
similar to PAS Record ID: SOM-EF3CD4 (A Post-Medieval copper alloy coin weight, dating to AD 1577).
Elizabeth I sixpence 1583



HMS Vanguard sweetheart brooch

King's Dragoon Guards button

Tuesday 17 September 2019

Littlehampton moths

Red Underwing, Catocala nupta
We've had many moths visit our balcony since the amazing Clifden Nonpareil on 1st September. New species were a Delicate (Mythimna vitellina), a Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner (Cameraria ohridella) plus Red Underwings on 14th & 17th. I found the rascal eating our geranium leaves - a Cabbage Moth larva. The Poplar Hawk-moth larvae are still growing though diminished in number - I counted just 5 yesterday.
August Thorn, Ennomos quercinaria

Bright-line Brown-eye, Lacanobia oleracea

Cabbage Moth larva, Mamestra brassicae on geranium

Cabbage Moth, Mamestra brassicae

Common Plume, Emmelina monodactyla

Delicate, Mythimna vitellina

Double-striped Pug, Gymnoscelis rufifasciata

Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer, Agriphila geniculea

Flounced Rustic, Luperina testacea

Garden Carpet, Xanthorhoe fluctuata

Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner, Cameraria ohridella

Light Brown Apple Moth, Epiphyas postvittana

Marbled Beauty, Bryophila domestica

Narrow-winged Grey, Eudonia angustea

Pale Mottled Willow, Caradrina clavipalpis

Poplar Hawk-moth larva, Laothoe populi 18 days

Red Underwing, Catocala nupta

Red Underwing underside

Rush Veneer, Nomophila noctuella

Shuttle-Shaped Dart, Agrotis puta

Silver Y, Autographa gamma

Small Dusty Wave, Idaea seriata

Small Dusty Wave ab?
Square-spot Rustic, Xestia xanthographa

The Uncertain, Hoplodrina octogenaria

White-point, Mythimna albipuncta

Willow Beauty, Peribatodes rhomboidaria