Three new moths for my life list.

Monday 18th July 2022.

The immigrant moth, Ethmia quadrillella.

I put the moth box out last night, but I did not expect a rain shower for all of 15 minutes around 11pm! I rushed out to put the rain guard on the moth box and quickly got a load of washing that was hanging on the line! This hot weather plus rain showers normally produces some good moths, including immigrant moths, so this morning, I was in for a bit of a treat as there seemed to be a good number again on the white sheet and within the box.

My first Dun-bar moth of the year finally arrived.

Well; 141+ moths of 48 species were eventually counted this morning that included some nice immigrant moths and a couple of ‘Lifer’ micro moths. Kicking off with the ‘Lifers’ (added to my life list), Ethmia quadrillella, Endothenia gentianaeana and Limnacea phragmitella climbed on board, with the Ethmia species being particularly rare for this neck of the woods and most likely a migrant moth. 

The micro moth Endothenia gentianaeana also climbed on board my life list.

Also new for the year was the macro moth Dun-bar and the micro moth, Water Veneer and the attractive Evergestis limbata. Other notable moths included another Least Carpet, Dark Sword-grass and my first Scalloped Oak in my garden (I had one in Andy’s garden recently). Today is going to be very hot although Tuesday is set to break the UK record of being the hottest ever as there is a Red Weather Warning issued by the Met Office! Gulp! 

Above, my second Scalloped Oak of the year. Below, the attractive micro moth Evergestis limbata. 

The following moths were present this morning:

• 4 Willow Beauty
• 1 Dun-bar (NFY)
• 1 Least Carpet
• 11 Riband Wave
• 1 Garden Carpet
• 1 Dark Sword-grass
• 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
• 4 Pale Mottled Willow
• 10 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 2 Small Dusty Wave
• 2 Silver Y
• 5 Brimstone Moth
• 7 Lime-speck Pug
• 2 Lackey
• 7 Double-striped Pug
• 3 Cloaked Minor
• 1 Grey Dagger
• 1 Scalloped Oak
• 2 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 1 Knot Grass
• 1 Heart & Dart
• 2 Dark Arches
• 8 Blastobasis adustella
• 1 Ethmia quadrillella (NFY & Lifer)
• 2 Bird-cherry Ermine
• 1 Yponomeuta irrorella
• 9 Common Plume
• 1 Euzophera pinguis
• 2 Caloptilia sp.
• 1 Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner
• 1 Water Veneer (NFY)
• 12 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Beautiful Plume
• 1 Endothenia gentianaeana (NFY & Lifer)
• 1 Limnaecia phragmitella (NFY & Lifer)
• 3 Udea fulvalis
• 1 Evergestis limbata (NFY)
• 3 Tachystola acroxantha
• 7 Apple Leaf Miner
• 1 Box-tree Moth
• 2 Pyrausta aurata
• 2 Ephestia woodiella
• 3 Endotricha flammealis
• 2 Blastobasis lacticollela
• 1 Crassa unitella
• 2 Blastobasis rebeli
• 2 Clepsis consimilana
• 1 Oegoconia quadripuncta

My third 'lifer' of the day, the micro moth Limnaecia phragmitella. This is a pond loving moth and it has obviously wandered away from any nearby pond, but a welcome addition to my moth box!