Friday, 11 September 2020

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

Wednesday, 2 September 2020

Red Underwing and Spindle Knot-horn

Red Underwing, Catocala nupta
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 

Monday, 24 August 2020

Canary-shouldered Thorn & a Constantine Sarmatia victory coin

Canary-shouldered Thorn, Ennomos alniaria

to view a gallery with more photos, click here

This blog covers moths 18 to 23rd August plus a few metal detecting finds. New moths: Canary-shouldered Thorn and Coxcomb Prominent. On 20th I found a Roman coin which depicts Constantine's victory over the Sarmatians.

Constantine I A.D. 323-4

18x20mm, 1.98gm. obverse: CONSTAN-TINVS AVG; laureate head right. reverse: SARMATIA DEVICTA; Victory advancing right, holding trophy, palm branch, spurning captive seated on ground to right. 18x20mm, 1.98gm. It is similar to https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/victors_imperial_coins/208/product/constantine_i_sarmatia_devicta_from_arles/641730/Default.aspx

flying yellow submarine
Canary-shouldered Thorn, Ennomos alniaria 

Canary-shouldered Thorn, Ennomos alniaria 

Chinese Character, Cilix glaucata


Coxcomb Prominent, Ptilodon capucina

Dark Sword-grass, Agrotis ipsilon

Flounced Rustic, Luperina testacea

Light Brown Apple Moth, Epiphyas postvittana

Orange Swift, Triodia sylvina

Pearl Veneer, Agriphila straminella

Setaceous Hebrew Character, Xestia c-nigrum

The Uncertain, Hoplodrina octogenaria

White-point, Mythimna albipuncta

Willow Beauty, Peribatodes rhomboidaria