`The Boot beats the Bulbs`....

 As the night was quite warm, cloudy and with only a light wind, I put out two garden traps on Tuesday night (22/9), hoping for something interesting, whether in terms of migrant moths or wandering individuals from more local habitats. I was up in the dark at 4.00am, as rain was forecast for c.5.00am-7.00am (it duly arrived) to check the moths and to put the traps away in the dry, even though both had rain-proof covers. The results were disappointing with a low mix of resident moths with some common migrants included, though a Palpita vitrealis was among the latter. The previous night - Monday - had a particularly attractive vestal though, again, within an indifferent catch.

The traps were put away and I went back to bed for an hour or so after a disappointing catch . Later that morning I had to do some food shopping (with some quick visits to nearby `brownfield` sites), so I also took my field bag with its containers and camera etc. As I opened the car boot, I immediately noticed a moth that had been resting under the rim of the `hatchback` and it was a moth that was recognisable - a Clancy`s rustic! Rather than risking trying to take a photo and possibly sending it off into flight (`don`t be chancy with my Clancy`, I thought), it was immediately potted up with no difficulty. I suspect that it had been attracted by the street lamp next to my car before sheltering by my car boot. Had I not decided to go shopping, it might well have stayed there, undiscovered, before flying off the next evening. Such are the vagaries of moth recording. My car boot had indeed been more productive than the bulbs of my actinic and MV lights! As it happens, I had the 1st vcr of this moth, back on 5th October 2023 (then a 2nd Welsh record, being just beaten by a record from the Cardiff area). A bit of `jammy` good luck.

                                                    Above: Monday night`s vestal.

                                            Above & below: Tuesday night`s Clancy`s rustic.

                          Below: the same moth but with the photo taken in a `different light`.

Abernaint, Ffarmers - recent highlights

13th September - migrants included 17 Small Mottled Willows, 3 Vestals, 3 Palpita vitrealis, 1 Scarce Bordered Staw and my second Mugwort Pearl of the autumn. New micros for Abernaint trapped on this date were Dichrorampha acuminatana, Psoricoptera gibbosella and Caloptilia betulicola. 15th September - migrants included 15 Small Mottled Willows, 3 Palpita vitrealis, 2 Scarce Bordered Straws, 2 Vestals and 1 Turnip. I also trapped my second Clifden Nonpareil of the autumn.

Rewards in the rain at Graig

 Stephen Ruttle once more produced a bumper catch at Graig Farm near Llandovery on Saturday 12/9, with c.650 moths of of 66 spp. Stephen has n`t been able to trap regularly at Graig this year due to other commitments but his catch from two MV traps, aided by an actinic, was impressive, particularly as it took place in `pouring rain` with `rivers running past one of the traps on concrete`. Among the magnificent haul were several noteworthy migrants including 3 Clifden nonpareils (possibly resident), striped hawk-moth, delicate, bordered straw, scarce bordered straw, Palpita vitrealis and some more frequent migrants. It is quite possible that the Clifden nonpareils are resident in north Carmarthenshire, with Arfon Williams and Jane Hand achieving repeat catches. Well done again, Stephen. Left click on the photo below to enlarge.

A damp gathering...

 As Sam has frequently advised us, trapping in the rain can be profitable and, after learning of Stephen Ruttle`s large diverse catch at Graig farm (near Llandovery) and Jane Hand`s success at nearby Rhandirmwyn, I set up my actinic last night in my west Llanelli garden.

The first photo shows (clockwise from top left): large ranunculus, hummingbird hawk-moth (in the trap), and three Palpita vitrealis. The 2nd photos shows two box moths (two colour forms shown - it was the most numerous moth in my trap with 36 compared to the most frequent -large yellow underwings with 40) and finally (3rd photo) a close-up of the large ranunculus, an annual resident moth in my trap. Left-click on photos to enlarge on your screen.

I`ll post Stephen Ruttle`s photos and details of his impressive catch later tomorrow...

A trap full of caddis-flies…..

Two mornings ago I found my trap heaving with caddis-flies and LYUs, hundreds and hundreds of them. But amongst the catch was a first for me, a L-album Wainscot and also present was a beautifully coloured Vestal. The `icing on the cake` was a stunning Clifden Nonpariel, resting near my `trapping chair`.

Abernaint, Ffarmers

Highlight of this morning's trap (on the wall behind the trap) was a Mugwort Pearl (Loxostege sticticalis). Can't find any prevous records in the 2016 Carms Moth list, however Pyralid and Crambid Moths states its been recorded in Carms in 2019.

Another new county record from Rhandirmwyn!

 A moth that I`ve certainly been waiting for (it still is the case) is the tree-lichen beauty. Jane Hand at Rhandirmwyn had one in her trap last night (6/9) and it was new to Carmarthenshire. It`s a variable species but one we all should be on the look out for. Well done, Jane!