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.

Adding to the list.

More than one list, actually. The site at Ffairfach can now boast 147 species so far in the year that we have been here, while I am pleased to report that there have been some very nice firsts for me as well. Numbers of moths caught have been dismal, but I have plans to improve chances next year. I've been getting to grips with some interesting micros that were unseen up the hill.

Last night's (Thursday 16th July) tally seems typical:

The Gelechid Bryotropha terrella - common, but new to me.

Scallop Shell - the first one for 8 years!

Ffairfach 12 July.

Although there were only 42 moths of 25 species in the trap at 04:00 this morning, thirteen were new species for the site. And one, shown below, was a first for me:

Eucosma hohenwartiana

Gypsonoma dealbana

Following Adam's recent post I thought that I should post my own photographic effort of the moth I caught last night (6/07/20).

A feeble 46 moths of 20 species were found in or around the trap this morning, but at least they are mostly new to the site (following my move down from the mountain).

Ffairfach 23 June 2020

Just 26 species last night, but as there were two that were new to me, I could not complain too much!

Single-dotted Wave

Ringed China-mark (female)

Have I missed something?

The 22 watt actinic in the Robinson trap does not attract too many moths - just 38 in total, but as this comprised 28 species, I was not totally disheartened. I am, however, in something of a quandary, for I have found a moth that looks easy to identify, but that is not listed in the Carms_summary_2016 and furthermore, is not shown for the County in the recently published Atlas of Britain and Ireland's Larger Moths. I would be most grateful for comments - particularly as to the ID of the moth:

I have to say that this looks rather like Dotted Rustic to me. An excellent picture of this species is to be found in Chris Manley's British Moths second edition.

A much more common moth, but a first for me, was the Cork Moth (Nemapogon cloacella) - three of which were flying about the kitchen, and others were outside.

Never seen that beforeI

In the trap last night (Tuesday 26 May) there were two moths that I don't recall seeing together before, or is this just old age and a crumbling brain talking. The two moths were a Hebrew Character and a Setaceous Hebrew Character. Just one of each.

Be that as it may, among the 21 species found this morning was a beauty that is new to me:

Broad-barred White

And just to keep it company, I offer this common but beautiful moth:

Pale-shouldered Brocade

On the 22nd May I found a micromoth on the kitchen window. It was of a species that I saw frequently in Kentish broad leaved woodlands, although that was rather a long time ago and I have never seen one since. I'm sorry to say that the moth was rather battered, but I do have a photo if needed. The moth was Nematopogon swammerdamella.

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

Best Wishes to all Carmarthenshire Bloggers - here's a Merry Christmas Twenty-plume found today (Tuesday 17 December) at Ffairfach. Almost certainly the last moth of the year here.

Acleris schalleriana?

Found today at Ffairfach on my rain jacket. I don't know whether in had been hibernating in there, or was picked up during an outdoor task today. Comments as to identification will be much appreciated.

A 'ornet sat in a 'oller tree, a nasty, spiteful, twud were he!

This handsome creature, along with an unmentionably derisory number of moths, turned up in the Robinson MV trap at its rebirth in Ffairfach last night (Friday 20 September 2019). Poor results were  caused by a minor miscalculation on my part relating to the power of the mercury vapour lamp in the Robinson trap.I had boxed in the trap at the back of the garden shed and thus had ensured that neighbours would not have the light shining directly into their windows. The light was, however, still able to attract moths from the nearby woodland. All began well and I soon caught the Hornet shown above. By 22.30, however, it all began to go horribly wrong, for the power of the lamp was brightly illuminating the entire face of the woodland as far as the eye could see! I determined that it would be somewhat churlish towards the neighbours to leave the beast running until dawn, so, somewhat reluctantly, I switched off at 23.00. A swift trip back to the drawing board is now needed (!) and is likely to include the purchase of a new actinic trap of a vastly better specification than the one I used to carry up the mountain. Watch this space, if you are so minded!

My memory, such as it is these days, suggests that the last time I saw a Hornet may have been as long as half a century ago, so I was delighted with that.

P.S.: I have named the Hornet Hebe, after the Greek godess of youth, so, Hebe is a Shebee!

Another window-moth @ Ffairfach

19 September 2019: Common Plume.

Making a start at SN6220: Maerdy, Ffairfach

The MV trap should be up and running soon, but heres one found on a window today; and it's a first for me!

Pale Mottled Willow

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

The MV trap will shine no more at Cwmllwyd. Almost fatal injuries sustained by the wife, along with some heart stopping moments (quite literally) for me, have persuaded us that we must come off the mountain to somewhere that has better access to necessary amenities, down in the valley. The move is imminent - 12th August - and we are now so busy that there will be no more trapping anywhere for a while. I have, however, been able to negotiate occasional access to a site close to Cwmllwyd, albeit just across the border in SN71. Such usage will be highly valued, but is likely to be infrequent.

There have been some great moth-moments here during the last six years, but without doubt, the most important of all was the discovery of the Carmarthenshire Moth and Butterfly Group. I cannot thank everyone in the Group highly enough for their collective expertise, their willingness to help newcomers and novices and for sharing their experiences on this blog.

May I now indulge in sharing some moments with you from Cwmllwyd and Y Mynydd Du?

I was fortunate to be the 1st to offer a photo of Autumn Green Carpet to the group, for there had been many earlier records and there have been several more since! This is a later shot, for the 1st was not very good!

This was the 1st accepted shot of Haworth's Minor in the county - rather a battered moth and not too well photographed, I think.

 The first moth that I trapped on The Black Mountain was this Light Knot Grass.

Five of these Grey Scalloped Bar moths in two sessions on the mountain, 10 nights apart caused a minor sensation as they were 1st for the county.

This Barred Sallow was another 1st for the county and another moth rather the worse for wear.

Rather inappropriately named, I think: Northern Drab.

On the mountain, my favourite micro - Pleurota bicostella.

So that's my last post for a while: but be warned, I shall be watching this space and may be commenting and I hope to be trapping again soon - somewhere.

Addendum.

My previous post regarding trapping at Cwmllwyd on the 24th July would have been a wee bit excessive with more pictures, so I thought I would post them today. Among all the other species there were several Footmen (Footmans ?) and I crave your indulgence while I share them.

Common Footman (x2)

Dingy Footman (x9) - all the others were the more usual pale form

Buff Footman (x2)

Scarce Footman (also x2)

And a favourite of mine, Rosy Footman (x3).

High and Low; Home and Abroad.

There were well over 300 (perhaps as many as 400) moths in the MV trap at Cwmllwyd this morning 25 July 2019. I gave up counting common macros after a while and also ignored several dozen grass moths and other micros as other commitments during the day were essential. There were, nevertheless, some interesting counts: 36 Elephant Hawk-moths and 64 Large Yellow Underwings, for example.

There were some goodies, too, including these visitors from the mountain:

 Northern Rustic

Narrow-winged Pug

The lowlands were represented by:

 Small Rufous

Acrobasis advenella

With just this one from overseas:

Dark Sword-grass

Sunday was good.

Any night that includes a visit by one of these has got to be good:

Oak Eggar

Just one of the 72 species in or around the Robinson MV trap in the "garden" at Cwmllwyd this morning. A first for the year; there were a dozen FFYs in fact - here are a few of the others:

Beautiful Snout

Rosy Footman

Bird-cherry Ermine

Willow Tortrix

And last, but by no means least and a first ever for me, Blomer's Rivulet!

Cwmlwyd 9th July 2019

Just a few pix from last night's collection - Dot Moth is the odd one out, for I found one at the end of June, too, but it's not a common moth here. All the others are firsts for 2019.

 Catoptria margaritella - quite common up here

 Minor Shoulder-knot

 Single-dotted Wave

 Dot Moth

 Anania (Phlyctaenia) stachydalis

Burnished Brass

Other FFYs worth a mention were Swallow-tailed Moth, Fan-foot and Epiblema rosaecolana.

Dare I follow Adam's excellent efforts of the last two days?

Well, actually he has stolen a march on me, as you can see below, for amongst the plethora of moths in the picture below, there's a first for me, which I'm sure he will recognise:

Lime Hawkmoth.

I have been slightly unwell today, so I had to cut down the amount of time that should have been spent listing and counting all the moths trapped - my final total of 309 moths included many common species that were recorded once, when it was obvious that there were several more in and around the trap. I believe that there must have been well to the north of 400 moths overall. It took until early afternoon for trapped moths to have settled sufficiently to open the trap. There were 68 species, of which 23 were FFY.

Among the 68 species, there were 42 Elephant Hawkmoths, but more notable, I think, were 7 Small E.H. First sightings this year included: Lilac Beauty, Scarlet Tiger, Dot Moth, Lobster Moth and Four-dotted Footman, along with:

Square Spot 

Female Ghost Moth.

 Small Seraphim

While among the micros were:

 Anania stachydalis

Yarrow Plume Gillmeria pallidactyla.