Report of Moth Evening 9 July 2005

Our regular July moth evening was arranged this year to coincide with National Moth Night and was kindly hosted by ROSS BAKER and LYN WHITFIELD at their home in Weybridge.  Although only a handful of our members attended, their neighbours were invited to join us and it was a very pleasant social evening - the generous hospitality from our hosts including almost free-flowing wine! It was a fine, dry evening and their lovely garden, complete with wild flower meadow and pond, was an ideal venue. Our first record, however, was not of a moth but something that might feed on our quarry - a Noctule bat, flying overhead, seen but also picked up by the bat detectors.  Moths, as usual, were mostly flying a bit later, well after dark, but whilst waiting for them we had another bonus, badger-watching in the neighbour's garden.  Several of us were able to observe one or two badgers for a short while from their outhouse, though on this occasion the badgers did not venture into Lyn and Ross's garden.

By now moths were flying and it was the usual pattern of activity, catching and collecting them from the MV trap, and then attempting the identifications.  Few of the micromoths were identifiable with any certainty, as usual in the absence of experts, although we were able to record the common apple-feeding Codlin moth (Tortricidae) and the distinctive Endotricha flammealis (Pyralidae), which sits up appealingly on its front legs.  Most of the larger species were, however, named and recorded. As the evening drew on the moths were more in evidence, and appeared to be in good numbers.  The first capture of the evening was of the Common emerald, a beautiful green moth and quite a large species in contrast to the tiny Least carpet, small but with a distinctive and attractive pattern, which was next recorded. Several specimens of the Rosy footman, a beautiful pink moth whose larvae feed on lichens, were recorded as well as another green species, Green silver-lines, named for its green wings which are crossed by fine white lines.  Some common moths, including the Rustic, Riband wave, Dun bar, and Willow beauty were quite plentiful, and there were also several specimens of the attractive Small blood-vein and of the less-often seen Spectacle.  Though perhaps not as many different moths were seen as might have been hoped, a total of 21 species was recorded.   It was a very enjoyable evening, and sincere thanks are extended to Ross and Lyn for their hospitality.  The list of species recorded follows:

Larger Moths:

Bright-line brown-eye

Common emerald

Common footman

Dot

Dun bar

Flame

Green silver-lines

Least carpet

Lesser yellow-underwing

Light emerald

Riband wave

Rosy footman

Small blood-vein

Smoky wainscot

Spectacle

Rustic Willow beauty

Micromoths:

Codlin moth (Cydia pomonella)

Endotricha flammealis

Mother-of-pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis)

Small magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata)

BRIAN SPOONER