Invasive pest reaches Burry Port

 Box-tree Moth, sometimes called Box-worm Moth.

Perhaps in revenge for yesterday's Maiden's Blush someone has sent this moth to my garden trap. I suspect the origin is western Llanelli. Although I have trapped it elsewhere in Britain it is new for my garden, so thank you Ian!

Maiden's Blush in Burry Port

 Whilst emptying my trap this morning I noticed an unfamiliar wave resting on the shed behind the trap. I quickly potted it and after a bit of research, and the usual resort to AI assistance, I decided it was my first Maiden's Blush.

The blotches confused me as well as the pale colour - but I'm sure the identification is correct.

I also found this handsome micro in the trap - it's Apodia martinii in the book and Apodia bifractella on the sheet, but I understand they are in fact the same species. Also new for the garden.
 

(just) over the border

 I'm not sure how exciting a record this is but it's a new species for me - a Cream-bordered Green Pea. 

In my garden trap having just moved to Garnswllt - I'm technically in Swansea County but the river at the bottom of my garden is the border with Carmarthenshire so it could have been pulled in from there (the trees are all on the Carms bank...). I'm afraid Swansea gets my trap records though.

EDIT: apparently here are 95 records from Wales on Aderyn, mainly in the South, but it looks like this is the first in 'my' 10km square

Tawny-barred Angle in Burry Port

 A moderate trap of 58 individuals was reasonably diverse with 28 species present. Best of the bunch was only my second Tawny-barred Angle.

Third Time Lucky.... I get my stripes!

 The weather forecast for last night was not favourable, with gusty winds forecast (for Llanelli at least) for much of the night. Later in the early evening the forecast changed, with the winds predicted to abate by c 11.30pm or so. I therefore decided to put out the roof-top actinic, which was duly done. About 9.00pm or so, I re-checked the forecast and it had reverted to rather strong westerlies again (and more rain - which did n`t actually transpire!), but I could not be bothered to take the trap down from its lofty `perch`, so it was switched on and left to the elements.

This morning, at c 4.30 or so, I checked the contents and I could immediately see there were hardly any moths. I went through the catch and there were about 10 species in very small numbers. These I did n`t even bother to jot down as they were all repeats of the previous night. Even small mottled willow - the bumper moth of 2026 - was down to only one.

All in all, a waste of time and electricity - except - there was a very placid striped hawk-moth under one of the egg cartons. This is the 3rd that I`ve recorded in this good year for this species but the first time I`d been able to photograph it. You may recall that my first one (some weeks ago) was settled outside my trap (late in the evening after about an hour`s darkness) but was spooked and flew off when I ascended the ladder to inspect the trap. It flew off around the side of the house (and out of sight) only to return about a minute later to circle the trap but then fly off again! I expected it to return overnight, but it did n`t.  The 2nd individual was only a few nights` ago and actually in the trap - but with its wings already buzzing for `take off`, which it did in the few seconds when I turned around to get a large enough container. More cursing!

Whatever, last night`s `stripey` was a `good boy` - hence the photos below.

Catch up - 12th August

Sorry, I had rather forgotten about the Blog. As Ian has been adding some catch up posts, I thought I would post one with some photos for 12/8 at Cnwc y Llwyn Brechfa. Highlights among >100 species were Cydia amplana new for VC44, Little Thorn new for Cnwc, Coleophora discordella, and a Lesser Earwig (!).

European Corn-borer

 Reading elsewhere regarding a very recent record by Geoff Busby of his capture of an European corn-borer at Carmel, it occurred to me that I had not put an earlier record of mine on the blog. It was caught in my garden trap on 14/7. Photo below:

Postscript: I`ve just noticed that I`d already posted this photo on another `catch up` blog of mine on 25/7!