Wednesday 30 June 2021

Bulrush Veneer, Yellow Oak Button and White Cloaked Shoot

Common Emerald, Hemithea aestivaria

to view a gallery with more photos, click here

The past 2 days 34 moth species have visited our balcony. A new moth appeared, Bulrush Veneer, a scarce Sussex species -we have bulrushes 1000 metres away in Mewsbrook Park. 2 other micromoths made their first appearance in the moth trap although I have seen them elsewhere: Yellow Oak Button and White Cloaked Shoot. Heart and Darts still dominate, with multiple Buff-tips, Ribald Waves and Brimstone Moths.

The close-up facility on the Olympus TG4 is called 'microscope' for a reason - it focuses up to 1cm and has a tiny depth of field so only gives reasonable results with micromoths. For the rest I am mainly using my phone. I'm exploring the possibility of investing in a new Nikon body to replace the D7100 which is currently at the repair shop awaiting spare parts.

Angle Shades, Phlogophora meticulosa

Bee Moth, Aphomia sociella

Brimstone Moth, Opisthograptis luteolata

Brown House Moth, Hofmannophila pseudospretella

Buff Ermine, Spilosoma lutea

Buff-tip, Phalera bucephala

Bulrush Veneer, Calamotropha paludella


Willow Beauty, Peribatodes rhomboidaria

Dagger species, Acronicta species

Dark Arches, Apamea monoglypha

Diamond-back Moth, Plutella xylostella

False Cacao Moth, Ephestia unicolorella

Garden Carpet, Xanthorhoe fluctuata

Garden Grass-veneer, Chrysoteuchia culmella

Heart and Club, Agrotis clavis

Inlaid Grass-veneer, Crambus pascuella

L-album Wainscot, Mythimna l-album

Light Brown Apple Moth, Epiphyas postvittana

Lime-speck Pug, Eupithecia centaureata

Lobster Moth, Stauropus fagi

Long-legged Tabby, Synaphe punctalis

Marbled Orchard Tortrix, Hedya nubiferana

Peppered Moth, Biston betularia

Peppered Moth antennae

Sallow Kitten, Furcula furcula 

Sallow Kitten
Silver Y, Autographa gamma


Small Dusty Wave, Idaea seriata

Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Deilephila porcellus

Small Elephant Hawk-moth head hairs
Small Magpie, Anania hortulata


Vine's Rustic, Hoplodrina ambigua

White Cloaked Shoot, Gypsonoma sociana

Willow Beauty, Peribatodes rhomboidaria

Yellow Oak Button, Aleimma loeflingiana

Yellow Oak Button

Tuesday 29 June 2021

Small Ranunculus, Lobster Moth, Varied Coronet, Shore and Shoulder-striped Wainscot.

Lobster Moth, Stauropus fagi

to view a gallery with more photos, click here

During the period 21-27 June 36 moth species visited our Littlehampton balcony. These included 5 new species: Small Ranunculus, Lobster Moth, Varied Coronet, Shore and Shoulder-striped Wainscot. A Lime Hawk-moth laid eggs on an egg box!... Also 2 Caddisfly species appeared including a new one, Limnephilus affinis. Every day 40 to 50 Heart and Darts invade the moth trap and the Chafers are increasing in numbers.

Hopefully these are the last of the rubbish photos as I have just bought a new light attachment (called a Light Guide) for my Olympus Tough TG4. This camera and my Galaxy phone will be my photographic tools until Nikon provide the spare parts to my repairer (2022?).

Barred Marble, Celypha striana

Bright-line Brown-eye, Lacanobia oleracea

Brimstone Moth, Opisthograptis luteolata

Brown House Moth, Hofmannophila pseudospretella

Buff Ermine, Spilosoma lutea

Cabbage Moth, Mamestra brassicae

Caddisfly, Limnephilus affinis

Caddisfly, Limnephilus marmoratus

chafer, Amphimallon fallenii

Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata

Common Wainscot, Mythimna pallens

Dark Arches, Apamea monoglypha

Delicate, Mythimna vitellina

Figure of Eighty, Tethea ocularis

Foxgloves, Digitalis purpurea

Garden Carpet, Xanthorhoe fluctuata

Garden Grass-veneer, Chrysoteuchia culmella

Garden Pebble, Evergestis forficalis

view while metal detecting

detecting a field

Heart and Club, Agrotis clavis 

Heart and Darts

Heart and Dart, Agrotis exclamationis

Large Yellow Underwing, Noctua pronuba

Light Brown Apple Moth, Epiphyas postvittana

Lime Hawk-moth eggs

Lime Hawk-moth, Mimas tiliae 

Lime Hawk-moth

Lime-speck Pug, Eupithecia centaureata

Littlehampton sunset

Lobster Moth, Stauropus fagi

Lobster Moth

Marbled Minor agg., Oligia strigilis agg.

Meadow Brown, Maniola jurtina, seen while detecting

Pale Mottled Willow, Caradrina clavipalpis

Pale Prominent, Pterostoma palpina

Peppered Moth, Biston betularia

Poplar Grey, Subacronicta megacephala

Privet Hawk-moth, Sphinx ligustri

Privet Hawk-moth

Privet Hawk-moth

Privet Hawk-moth

Red-legged Shieldbug, final instar nymph, Pentatoma rufipes,
seen while detecting

Riband Wave, Idaea aversata ab remutata

Shore Wainscot, Mythimna litoralis

Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Leucania comma

Silver Y, Autographa gamma

Small Dusty Wave, Idaea seriata

Small Ranunculus, Hecatera dysodea

The Uncertain, Hoplodrina octogenaria

Varied Coronet, Hadena compta

Vine's Rustic, Hoplodrina ambigua