Two more micros added to life list.

Thursday 11th August 2022.

The micro moth Aethes cnicana, another moth added to my life list.

A clear cool start to the morning with a little light breeze to check the moth box out and though nothing exciting among the macro moths, there were another two new species to my life list present this morning. Both Aethes cnicana and Clepsis rurinana were identified using the Obsidentify App and also the micro moth Acleris laterana/comariana was identified. This particular species is too difficult to identify by just looking at it and requires a dissection  to be sure. Still, a smart little moth anyway.

This Clepsis rurinana was also added to my life list. Reminiscent of a small Light Brown Apple Moth, I had to look closely at this moth and let Obidentify App do its thing!

There were 91 moths of 38 species this morning and again, nothing new among the macro moths this morning, but I am sure something of note will turn up soon. It's been a cracking week for moths so far and with the temperature rising into the 90’s over the weekend, I wonder if anything very rare will arrive in my box again. Other insects within the moth box, for it always attracts something odd, included two Birch Shieldbugs, 2 Harlequin Ladybirds and a small Bug called Lygus maritimus.

Birch Shieldbug. There were at least two of these small insects within my moth box.

While checking the moth box, the local House Sparrows gave off their alarm call and sure enough, the female Sparrowhawk was on the hunt again and came bombing through the gardens. I didn't see if she was successful at all, but all the birds scattered.  

The micro moth Clepsis laterana/comariana.

The following moths were present this morning:  

• 8 Double-striped Pug
• 2 Lime-speck Pug
• 4 Small Dusty Wave
• 1 Riband Wave 
• 4 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 11 Garden Tiger
• 1 Silver Y
• 1 Turnip Moth
• 2 Common Rustic
• 7 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Square-spot Rustic
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 2 Marbled Beauty
• 1 Garden Carpet
• 1 Pale Mottled Willow
• 1 Langmaid's Yellow Underwing
• 1 Vines Rustic
• 1 Grey/Dark Dagger
• 13 Common Plume
• 2 Brown House Moth
• 1 Anania coronata
• 1 Mother of Pearl
• 1 Clepsis consimilana
• 1 Blastobasis rebeli
• 3 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 2 Rusty-dot Pearl
• 1 Clepsis rurinana (NFY + LIFER)
• 2 Apple Leaf MIner
• 1 Bramble Shoot Moth
• 1 Celypha striana
• 1 Aethes cnicana (NFY + LIFER)
• 1 Blastobasis adustella
• 3 Tachystola acroxantha
• 2 White-shouldered House Moth
• 1 Swammerdamia pyrella
• 1 Bryotropha basaltinella
• 2 Yponomeuta species.
• 1 Acleris laterana/comariana

Late evening update, I checked the moth box at 10.30pm tonight and already, the micros are pouring in. Currently, there are 2 Acleris laterana/cmoariana, Rush Veneer, Cochylis atricapitana, Monopsis crocicapitella, Clepsis consimilana, Apple Leaf Miner and several Double-striped Pugs and Common Plumes all around the white sheet and the top of the moth box.