We kick off with a new moth!

Saturday 10th September 2022.

The 'spikey' looking Large Lance-wing,  Epermenia falciformis, which was a new moth for me. 

Our first full day in Wales kicked off nicely with a check of the moth box I had on overnight. A quick look before I went to bed last night revealed a few moths, notably a 3 Brimstone Moths and my first Green Carpet of the year. Though I put the rain guard on over the box as I did not want to take any chances with the weather, it remained dry overnight although there was a heavy dew first thing this morning at 6.30am.

Top photo: A Grey Heron flying out of its roost down below near the River Nevern. Middle photo: A Wren was in full song close to the moth box. Bottom photo: Dawn breaking over the countryside here. 

Dawn here deep in the countryside was spectacular as expected, with lots of bird song (Robin, Wren and the resident Peacocks making a din! So, grabbing a coffee and the Ironing Board (to rest the box and egg trays on!)I was looking forward to what goodies my moth box would attract overnight. I could see numerous Crane Flies and Slugs on the walls of the Cottage and an awful lot of small Dung Beetles (Acrossus rufipes), but I did find a few moths clinging to the wall around the box and a few more inside the box; but to be honest, I expected a lot more. 

Top photo: My moth box up and running this morning. Middle photo: The attractive Canary-shouldered Thorn. Bottom photo: Rosy Rustic; my second of this Autumn. 

The good news is that I discovered yet another new micro moth for my life list and apparently it is quite rare in Wales and so I shall have to send a photo of the moth to the County Recorder, if there is one? The moth in question has the vernacular name of Large Lance-wing (Epermenia falciformis) and a rather unusual looking individual too (see photo above). Other moths present this morning included the following:

• 1 Rosy Rustic
• 1 Square-spot Rustic
• 5 Brimstone Moth
• 5 Green Carpet (NFY)
• 1 Canary-shouldered Thorn
• 1 Snout
• 2 Straw Dot
• 1 Lesser Yellow Underwing
• 1 Large Lance-wing (NFY + LIFER)
• 2 Celypha lacunana
• 1 Light Brown Apple Moth 

21 moths of 11 species is a relatively low count considering where I am in the countryside, but hopefully will get better as the weeks go on. A lovely sunrise took place and above the moth box, a Bat species was trying to land under the apex of the Cottage and I think it was successful in the end. I only wished I took some film of it with my mobile phone. There were plenty of birds eventually on the wing as a Grey Heron flew out of its roosting tree down by the river and headed off into the countryside. Small flocks of Swallows twittered high above and a Robin burst into song close by the barn adjacent to the Cottage. Again, the soft ‘hoooeeet’ of Willow-chiffs were calling in the hedgerows on the edge of the scrubby field behind me.

I think Becky and I will be getting supplies today and probably just chilling out and possibly later exploring the area and deciding where we are going over the coming week. One place I most certainly want to go to is Strumble Head for a bit of sea-watching and hopefully Choughs! Another update today will follow most likely tonight.