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Saturday 20 October 2018

Dark Chestnuts

I wonder if anyone else is finding a relative abundance of Dark Chestnuts this year.  I was very surprised to discover that, prior to this year, I have only recorded the species three times in eight years.  Four have turned up this month, including one last night.  These are two of them:

                    9-10-2018                                       19-10-2018

I know that id-ing DC can be tricky so I hope that I've got these right!  Maybe I've been over-cautious in the past and this is responsible for the low counts.

Last night was not good, mostly clear and moonlit, no moths entered the 6w actinic trap but the 22w actinic fared a little better, apart from the DC it contained 2 Green-brindled Crescents, 2 Red-line Quakers, and 1 Yellow-line Quaker.  Fantastic!
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2 comments:

  1. Steve Clarke20 October 2018 at 07:25

    Conistra sp. data from Cwmllwyd for the last three years:

    2018 C. vaccinii 12 recorded (Chestnut)
    C. ligula 3 (Dark Chestnut)
    2017 C. vaccinii 12
    C. ligula 5
    2016 C. vaccinii 7
    C. ligula 2

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  2. Chris Handoll21 October 2018 at 07:08

    Thank you Steve, I note from the 2016 list that the ratio of Carms records is 20:1 in favour of vaccini, which on the face of it makes ligula unusually abundant in your area. Similarly in mine, if this morning's result is anything to go by! - see today's blog.

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