A SICKLESMERE GARDEN

I start on a depressing note with as few as 6 Light Brocade, Lacanobia w-latinum, appearing between 15 May and 14 June, a total of 42 were recorded in 1999. A solitary Blotched Emerald Comibaena bajularia, on 17 June, turned up in pristine condition. This year 4 Chocolate-tip, Clostera curtula, were recorded between 13 May and 21 June compared to a single specimen in 1999. Good numbers of Large Nutmeg, Apamea anceps, a total of 110 between 22 May and 5 July, showed an encouraging increase from the total of 82 in 1999. Scorched Wing, Plagodis dolabraria, and Lilac Beauty, Apeira syringaria, continued to turn up at Sicklesmere, Lilac Beauty being a little early this year. A single Shaded Pug, Eupithecia subumbrata, on 17 June was an unusual record for this location. Another local moth, Sharp-angled Carpet, Euphyia unangulata, showed on 18 and 24 June. A total of 4 Cream-bordered Green Pea Earis cloarana, between 19 and 20 June was a reasonable turn out for this notable moth. 2 Bird's Wing, Dypterygia scabriuscula, on 8 July was a welcome return for a moth that was absent in 1999. The Gothic, Naenia typica, on 12 July was another moth that did not show in 1999. The fen and marshland moth, Round-winged Muslin, Thumatha senex, was recorded on 19 July. These must be drawn from the nearby River Linnet as there is no other suitable habitat nearby. The 5 Large Twin-spot Carpet, Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata, between 9 and 24 July showed a slight increase over the 1999 numbers. Treble Brown Spot, Idaea trigeminata, showed a significant increase with 38 noted between 3 June and 20 July compared with 27 in 1999. Small Emerald, Hemistola chrysoprasaria, was recorded on 7 occasions between 19 July and 8 August. 3 Dark Umber, Philereme transversata, made a welcome appearance between 16 July and 5 August.

I would like to make particular reference to Red Twin-spot Carpet, Xanthorhoe spadicearia, and Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Xanthorhoe ferrugata. Some doubt has been expressed as to the correct identification of these two moths in previous years. It was felt that, as they could be easily misidentified, the numbers shown in the 1999 records may not have been a true record. I, therefore, paid particular attention to them in 2000. Each specimen was taken and identified under magnification; a sample was also independently identified by Rafe Eley. Once again Red Twin-spot Carpet outnumbered Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet by a considerable margin. In 1999 I recorded 51 of the former to only 2 of the latter. In 2000 I recorded 28 of the former to 2 of the latter. I was, therefore, able to prove to myself that the 1999 records were correct and that, at least in the Sicklesmere area, Red Twin-spot Carpet is a much more common moth than Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet. This was also found to be the case with Rafe Eley's records at Nowton.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the year was the comparative abundance of Haworth's Pug, Eupithecia haworthiata, with a total of 23 appearing between 14 June and 19 August. The pupae are obviously enjoying the plentiful supply of Traveller's-joy, Clematis vitalba, in the vicinity. Another moth showing a substantial increase in 2000 was Willow Beauty, Peribatodes rhomboidaria, with a total of 93 between 17 July and 26 August. Last year, with a more prolonged flight period, there was only a total of 40 moths and, as this had shown an increase of over 400% over the previous year, it would appear that this moth is becoming more common than of late. The more local moths that have shown up at Sicklesmere include Maiden's Blush, Cyclophora punctaria, Yellow-barred Brindle, Acasis viretata, Scorched Carpet, Ligdia adustata, Barred Red, Hylaea fasciaria, Pine Hawk-moth, Hyloicus pinastri, Black Arches, Lymantria monacha, Maple Prominent, Ptilodontella cucullina; Scarce Footman, Eilema complana, Buff Footman, Eilema deplana, Yellow Underwing, Noctua orbona, Lunar-spotted Pinion, Cosmia pyralina, and Slender Brindle, Apamea scolopacina. The micro-moths, worthy of note include a single Calamotropha paludella, another fen moth, unmistakable with its vivid white hindwings. Next came two of my favourite moths which appeared in the middle of August, Pyrausta aurata and Pyrausta purpuralis, the former's single conspicuous yellow spot and unmarked hindwings at the base readily distinguishing it from the latter with its much more yellow marked fore wing. Square-spotted Clay, Xestia rhomboidea, put in its regular appearance at the site, but an unusual visitor to the moth trap was a single Old Lady, Morma maura, not a moth that regularly turns up at light.

All the usual September moths showed up on time including, Feathered Thorn, Colotois pennaria, Deep-brown Dart, Aporophyla lutulenta, Blair's Shoulder-knot, Lithophane leautieri, Brindled Green, Dryobotodes eremita, The Chestnut, Conistra vaccinii, Red-line Quaker, Agrochola lota, Brown-spot Pinion, Agrochola litura and Beaded Chestnut, Agrochola lychnidis. The Sallows were represented by Barred Sallow, Xanthia aurago, Pink-barred Sallow, Xanthia togata and The Sallow, Xanthia icteritia.

The only migrants recorded were Dark Sword-grass, Agrotis ipsilon, Udea ferrugalis and Rush Veneer, Nomophila noctuella all of them appearing in small numbers during August and September.

I have noticed a change in the number of spiders webs appearing in the vicinity of the light trap in the garden over the last year. I must add that spiders have been an interest of mine for some years and so I do take particular notice of anything that occurs with a spider flavour. In particular I have noticed that the webs of Araeneus diadematus and Linyphia triangularis have appeared with greater regularity around the light trap this year. Is this because the spiders have noticed an increase in the number of possible food items and have adapted accordingly?

This year the numbers of Large Yellow Underwing, Noctua pronuba, were very low until the night of 25 August, since when they have built considerably. I thought it might of some interest to produce a table showing the yearly totals of this species since 1996:

A similar chart is shown below giving the total number of moths and species for the months of June - September over the same period.

As can be seen September produces a rapid drop in both total numbers and species. I have discontinued the species table which featured in previous Sicklemere Garden reports as it was beginning to look too much like a twitcher's list.

Stan Dumican

Anglezarke, Sicklesmere, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP30 0TJ