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Annual Review - 2000 Moth Report This is the report from the West Midlands Moth Group from 2000. The report has been compiled from information gathered during our moth night-time and day-time trapping events, which have been well attended. The generator that we use to power our light traps, supplied by English Nature, has again proved to be very successful and most of the work could not have been done without it, for which we are still very grateful. The West Midlands Moth Group continues to go from strength to strength. We trapped 211 species of macro- and 88 species of micro-moth at the 15 events in Worcestershire and Herefordshire. Unfortunately the cold and wet weather was against us for many events this year. Some nights were cancelled while others were only for the brave and weather-hardened "mothers" – and moths. A few nights were memorable for the wrong reasons; we were literally washed out of Shrawley Wood and Haugh Wood, the latter during a fierce overhead thunderstorm. However, despite the elements, some notable species were discovered as highlighted below. In Shrawley Wood, Pauper Pug, was discovered. This Small-leaved Lime feeder, a RDB3 species, is a first for the county and only found elsewhere in the UK in Norfolk and the Wye Valley. Buff Footman, Red-necked Footman, Pammene albuginana and Dichomeris ustralella were also discovered in Shrawley Wood. The Red-necked Footman was 2nd UK site record. A Blomer’s Rivulet was also found on Crew’s Hill. Regular trappings at Wyre Forest also produced some interesting records, including Alder Kitten, Satin Lutestring, Bilberry Pug, Lead-coloured Pug, Great Oak Beauty, Angle-barred Sallow (all Wyre Forest specialities), Buff Footman, Pammene albuginana, Incurvaria praelatella (second county record), Triaxomera fulvimitrella (last recorded in Wyre Forest in 1929) and Elachista luticomella (last records in 1800s). In Herefordshire, there was a new county record of Capperia brittannodactyla in Queen’s Wood. Haugh Wood had its first records of Lesser Treble-bar and Marbled Brown and 2nd record for the Tissue. At High Vinnalls the rare Pandemis cinnemanniana and Blastobasis lignea which is new to the site. A combined event at Roundhill Wood, a privately owned wood in Worcestershire, caught 29 species including the startling Red Underwing. These were mostly new records for the site due to under recording. St. Wulstans Local Nature Reserve in Welland, Malvern also produced 34 species. Our first daytime event (on Castlemorton Common) proved successful, with several fast flying female Emperor Moths which are of note within the region. Over 40 separate events have been organised for 2001. We have various aims in mind, namely sustaining recording on BC’s own reserves (this year also including Monkwood) as well as regular monitoring in the Wyre Forest and the coppiced areas within Haugh Wood. However, perhaps our main aim this year is to maximise on the growing interest in moths and broaden the area covered by events. We have joined forces with Dave Grundy’s Walsall moth group as well as Pete Boardman’s newly-formed moth group in Shropshire. Following successful partnerships with the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, we will also join forces with other organisations such as the National Trust and the British Entomological Society. The National Moth Night, organised by Atropos, will be taking place in August, with separate events in each county open to the public. It is all very well and good to enjoy the moth recording nights. However, we are beginning to feel that our knowledge needs to be furthered and our horizons broadened. This year we aim to incorporate a wider range of recording methods, such as beating for larvae, treacling. We have also enlisted the help of our expert County Recorders, Tony Simpson and Michael Harper, for some ‘educative’ practical sessions. These, along with some other events will be held during the daytime to encourage those Butterfly Conservation members who shrink at the thought of meeting after dark deep in a wood far from civilisation (that’s part of the fun – honest!). Neil and Corinna Gregory Moth Officer and Secretary, West Midlands Branch of Butterfly Conservation
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