Oak Hook-tip, Orange Swift and Box Tree Moths

Oak Hook-tip, Watsonalla binaria

to view a gallery with more photos, click here

During the period 2-14 September we've had 36 moth species on the balcony and in the trap. Yesterday I had 15 Box Tree Moths. 12 were the common bordered form, 2 were the first dark forms I've had.

Later note: What I thought was a white form of the Box Tree Moth turns out to be a new one for us, an Olive-tree Pearl. My misidentification was corrected by a Corfiat friend, Anne Sordinas, who is extremely knowledgeable about the Lepidoptera in Corfu and does a lot of original research into the life cycles of butterflies there. The UK members of the Corfu Butterfly Conservation group I belong to was supposed to be going to Corfu in October, but Covid-19 has caused us to  postpone our plans.

 

Orange Swift, Triodia sylvina 

Angle Shades, Phlogophora meticulosa 

Olive-tree Pearl, Palpita vitrealis

Box Tree Moth bordered form, Cydalima perspectalis

Box Tree Moth, dark form, Cydalima perspectalis

Brimstone Moth, Opisthograptis luteolata

Caddisfly, Glyphotaelius pellucidus 

Centre-barred Sallow, Atethmia centrago

Common Wainscot, Mythimna pallens

Cypress Pug, Eupithecia phoeniceata

Delicate, Mythimna vitellina

Double-striped Pug, Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 

Dusky Thorn, Ennomos fuscantaria 

Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer, Agriphila geniculea

Flounced Rustic, Luperina testacea

Knot Grass, Acronicta rumicis 

L-album Wainscot, Mythimna l-album

Large Yellow Underwing, Noctua pronuba 

Least Carpet, Idaea rusticata 

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Noctua janthe 

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Noctua janthe

Lesser Yellow Underwing, Noctua comes 

Light Emerald, Campaea margaritaria 

Lime-speck Pug, Eupithecia centaureata 

Marbled Beauty, Bryophila domestica 

Marbled Green, Nyctobrya muralis

Pale Mottled Willow, Caradrina clavipalpis 

Ruddy Streak, Tachystola acroxantha 

Rusty Dot Pearl, Udea ferrugalis 

Scarce Bordered Straw, Helicoverpa armigera 

Setaceous Hebrew Character, Xestia c-nigrum

Shuttle-shaped Dart, Agrotis puta 

Silver Y, Autographa gamma

Small Dusty Wave, Idaea seriata

Square-spot Rustic, Xestia xanthographa 

Straw-barred Pearl, Pyrausta despicata 

Swallow-tailed Moth, Ourapteryx sambucaria 

Vine's Rustic, Hoplodrina ambigua

Willow Beauty, Peribatodes rhomboidaria 

Long-tailed Blues at Whitehawk Hill

Long-tailed Blues mating, Lampides boeticus

to view a gallery with more photos, click here

On Wednesday I headed to Whitehawk Hill, Brighton to see the Long-tailed Blues which have been reported there most days recently. It was good to meet up with fellow enthusiasts Neil, Ben, Katrina, Max and Wayne. There were plenty flying but they mostly didn't settle for more than a few seconds in the sunny conditions. Sometimes they stayed for longer while nectaring on the everlasting pea (their food plant) or sunning themselves on a grass stalk. They were mostly worn, with a few exceptions. Max called us over to a mating pair he had spotted in a sheltered area. The mating male and female were constantly turning round in circles, possibly because the female was not keen, having already mated. I also saw a Small Heath and a Wall Brown.

Long-tailed Blue, Lampides boeticus

Long-tailed Blues mating, Lampides boeticus

Small Heath, Coenonympha pamphilus

Red Underwing and Spindle Knot-horn

Red Underwing, Catocala nupta

to view a gallery  with more photos, click here

Among about 30 moth species on the balcony August 24 to September 1 were: Dusky Thorn, Barred Marble, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Cypress Pug, Dark Ash Bud Moth, Large Yellow Underwing, Red Underwing, Small Blood-vein, Spindle Knot-horn (a new one), Straw Underwing and Vapourer. Also a pair of mating flies in the moth trap and 2 caddisfly species. I spotted a larva on the geraniums which I believe is a Beautiful Plume larva (6mm long). I was about to deadhead a flower when I saw it crawling down the flower stalk.

Dusky Thorn, Ennomos fuscantaria

Dusky Thorn, Ennomos fuscantaria

Dusky Thorn, Ennomos fuscantaria

Dusky Thorn, Ennomos fuscantaria

Barred Marble, Celypha striana

Beautiful Plume larva 6mm, Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 

Blastobasis species

Brown House Moth, Hofmannophila pseudospretella

unidentified caddisfly

Caddisfly, Glyphotaelius pellucidus 

Canary-shouldered Thorn, Ennomos alniaria 

Common Grass-veneer, Agriphila tristella

Common Plume, Emmelina monodactyla 

Cypress Pug, Eupithecia phoeniceata 

Dark Ash Bud Moth, Prays ruficeps

Double-striped Pug, Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 

Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer, Agriphila geniculea

Flounced Rustic, Luperina testacea

unidentified flies mating

Large Yellow Underwing, Noctua pronuba

Large Yellow Underwing, Noctua pronuba

Light Brown Apple Moth, Epiphyas postvittana

Ox-tongue Conch, Cochylis molliculana 

Rosy Tabby, Endotricha flammealis

Setaceous Hebrew Character, Xestia c-nigrum

Silver Y, Autographa gamma 

Small Blood-vein, Scopula imitaria

Spindle Knot-horn, Nephopterix angustella 

Square-spot Rustic, Xestia xanthographa 

Straw Underwing, Thalpophila matura

Vapourer, Orgyia antiqua