Monday 17 August 2009

Nature update: moths, beetles and wasp

The first moth reports are in our back garden, near trees, wild areas and grassland. * means new for here
Various other moths still need to be identified from these nights.
Will add photos at some point.

1 August 2009 overnight
Yellow underwings, Muslin footman, 2 x ?wainscot*, 2x Map-winged swift, Gold spot, Burnished brass, Clay, Common plume, Antler, Twin-spot carpet*, Riband wave*, Scalloped Oak*

5 August 2009 late evening
Brimstone, Antler, Yellow underwings, Dark arches, Silver Y, Muslin footman, Snout, Flame carpet, Common footman, Riband wave

7 August 2009 overnight
Sexton beetle (Nicrophorous investigator)*
Yellow underwings, 3 x Antler, Dark arches, Burnished brass, Common footman, Barred straw, Muslin footman, Barred red*, Rosy minor*, Tawny speckled pug*, Twin-spot carpet*

16 August 2009 briefly late evening
Sexton beetle
Large yellow underwing, Silver Y, Flame carpet, 4 x Common carpet, micro: possibly Eudonia mercurella*

Tarn Hows moth evening, 12 August 2009 late evening
At the Butterfly Conservation Society event at the National Trust visitor centre car park at Tarn Hows, quite a few carpets were identified, including (provisionally?) the rare Yellow-ringed carpet. Also nice Phoenix and Small phoenix, Square spot rustic, Green carpet, Common carpet, Flame carpet, Snout and Dark marbled carpet. Unfortunately we didn't see the rare Netted carpet which might have been nearby.

Burnbanks, 12 August 2009
We saw a digger wasp in a picnic table, carrying in paralysed flies. The only one that we could find listed that digs in wood is Ectemnis cavifran.