Merveille du Jour

 I haven't caught a merv for a few years, but last night's premonition came true.

Truly a marvel!

Abernaint, Ffarmers

Nice mix of migrants this morning including 2 Turnips, 4 Vestals, 3 Palpita vitrealis, 1 Gem (pic) and 9 Small Mottled Willows. Also caught my first (three) Feathered Thorns of the autumn.

Feathered Ranunculus in Burry Port

 A small trap of 33 individuals was composed of 19 species, amongst them some interesting moths. 

This rather battered Vestal is probably my last of the season.

FFY Pink-barred Sallow

Only my second catch of Lunar Underwing - very different individuals.

FFY Large Ranunculus

Star of the show, only my second Feathered Ranunculus.

Abernaint, Ffarmers

Yesterday's trap didn't have much in it but it did produce a new migrant moth for Abernaint - a White-speck.

A thin catch, but not without interest...

 As last night`s weather was forecast with suitable conditions for moth trapping, I could n`t resist a try, with the actinic going up on its usual flat-roof perch.

Best of the bunch was a Kent black arches, augmented by my `first of the year` pink-barred sallow and the typical late season Eudonia - Eudonia angustea, its specific name referring to its slim appearance. The Kent black arches was only the 2nd time here in my garden and it is a species that is certainly consolidating its hold in coastal Carmarthenshire; indeed George Tordoff reported impressive numbers at Pembrey Burrows this summer.

                                                         Above: Kent black arches.

                                                            Above: Pink-barred sallow

                                                          Above: Eudonia angustea

`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.