June
June
did not start very well at Sicklesmere. I awoke to rain, although it was warm,
with a high of 22.7ºC (79.2ºF). An overnight low of 15.6ºC (60ºF) meant that
there was a good number of species present in the moth trap, 41 to be precise.
However, a total of 78 moths continued the trend of the previous weeks. The
moth numbers have not yet reached their true potential, with most species being
represented by just two or three individuals.
June brought the usual
assortment of moths. The following I thought worthy of note. The first day
brought a Marbled White Spot, Protodeltote pygarga, a common enough moth
in Suffolk. The larvae of this moth are grass feeders. 
It was the first of
nine specimens in 2003, a 350% increase over 2002. Another moth that had a
good year was Straw Dot, Rivula sericealis, the larva of this very
common moth is a grass feeder. It is thought that the species is double
brooded. It normally is on the wing between mid-June and late July, but I am
still taking this moth at light at Sicklesmere in late September. I had a total
of 114 in 2002 and an increase to 199 in 2003. On 3 June I again recorded an
Orange Footman, Eilema sororcula; this moth is classed as
Notable/Nb. The caterpillar feeds on a variety of lichens on oak and beech. A
first record for Sicklesmere of Cream Wave, Scopula floslactata, was a
welcome sight on 4 June. Although common enough in various counties throughout
England and Wales it is decidedly local in Suffolk. A Sandy Carpet, Perizoma
flavofasciata, on 15 June was one of only three specimens during 2003 of
this common geometer moth. Chinese Character, Cilix glaucata, first
appeared on 10 May and, between then and 8 September, a total of 22 specimens
were recorded. Small Yellow Wave, Hydrelia flammeolaria, first recorded
on 10 June, was much more numerous than in 2002, (25 compared with 11). The
preponderance of the plain form of Riband Wave, Idaea aversata, continued
this year. The banded typical form, recorded between 17 June and 11 August, totalled
56 from 31 nights flying. The plain form, ab.remutata, was recorded on
53 nights between 15 June and 12 August and totalled 209.
June was a very good month
with 2710 moths of 153 species. I had to go back to 1997 to better the numbers
when 7639 moths of 135 species turned up in the garden.
July
July
started well with Oak Nycteoline, Nycteola revayana, appearing on the 4th
of the month. It is generally distributed throughout southern Britain, but is
more local in Suffolk. It is a moth that can be easily overlooked, as it bears
a resemblance to many species of the microlepidoptera. As its common name
suggests the larvae feed on oak. It is single-brooded, first appearing between
September and November, and then over-wintering as an adult. It reappears and
flies between March and May. The record on 4 July and another one on 13 July is
well outside of the normal dates. I have had a number of similar, unusual
records this year, probably influenced by the hot dry summer. It may be that
the pupae have been fooled into appearing out of time after being warmed by the
sun. Dingy Shears, Parastichtis ypsillon, on the 4th of the month was
the first of 4 specimens flying on 3 nights between 4 and 10 July. It is a
local moth over most of Britain and is usually found amongst willows. Haworth's
Pug, Eupithecia haworthiata, again put on a good show at Sicklesmere
with 25 moths appearing between 6 and 31 July. I suspect that most of these
come from a nearby, disused railway line, which has a good supply of
traveller's joy, the larval food plant of this local moth. A moth that only
turns up in singles at this location is the Gothic, Naenia typica; it is
a very local moth and is only found in small numbers at light. However, it
comes regularly to sugar: this medium should be used far more often than it is.
One of only two records for Least Carpet, Idaea rusticata, came on 13
July. This moth is classed as Notable/Nb and is a comparative newcomer to West
Suffolk. I have recorded it at Sicklesmere every year since 2001. It is
becoming more widespread in Suffolk. A rarely recorded moth at this location is
the Phoenix, Eulithis prunata, one on 16 July was the first record since
the same date in 1998. The larvae feed on the leaves of blackcurrant, red
currant and gooseberry. The moth is rarely found commonly although it is
widespread throughout the British Isles. The Lackey, Malacosoma neustria, on
18 July was a welcome record for Sicklesmere; the last record was on 14 July
1996. This is a common enough moth and the food plants, hawthorn, blackthorn,
sallow and a wide variety of trees, are plentiful in the area, but the adult
moth seldom appears.
July
was another good month, my best ever July, with 5164 of 186 species.
August
On
2 August I was delighted to record the first of two Old Lady moths, Mormo
maura, this is moth is only sparingly recorded at light. It is thought to
be a local moth in Suffolk, but I am sure that this is purely because it is
under-recorded. It is a moth that comes readily to sugar, but sugaring has
fallen out of favour because of the use of mercury vapour lamps. I am certain
that it is more widespread in Suffolk than the records suggest. Two Yarrow
Pugs, Eupithecia millefoliata, on 3 and 9 August made up for the
non-appearance of Pauper Pug, Eupithecia egenaria, this year. The Yarrow
Pug is another Notable/Nb moth and seems to have spread from the Essex/Thames
estuary area over the recent years. A Square-spotted Clay, Xestia
rhomboidea, on 9 August was the first of five records for this local moth
in Suffolk. It is a Notable/Nb species and, while it may be scarce in other
areas of Suffolk and the southern counties, is a moth that is regularly
recorded in West Suffolk. A Centre-barred Sallow, Atethmia centrago, on
22 August was the first of the Sallows. A Frosted Orange, Gortyna flavago, on
the same night was a reminder that the year is marching on and that autumn is
around the corner. A moth that is seldom recorded at Sicklesmere, put in an
appearance on 29 August: Oblique Striped, Phibalapteryx virgata, another
Notable/Nb moth. It is more usually recorded on the Brecks. This is a species
that is double-brooded, first appearing in May and June and the second
generation flying in August. The larvae feed on lady's bedstraw.
August continued the run
of successful months with a total of 5830 moths of 128 species, this being the
best August since 1997, when I recorded 6299 moths of 131 species.
September
This
month always shows a decline in moth numbers. A Pale Eggar, Trichiura
crataegi, on 9 September is a moth I have only recorded once before at this
location, on 7 September 1996. It is a moth that is widespread throughout
England, Wales and Scotland. The Suffolk Moth Group's Checklist (2000) shows it
has been recorded in just 10 of Suffolk's 1088 tetrads. I have no doubt that
since the publication of this useful list it has been found in several other
tetrads. A Lunar Yellow Underwing, Noctua orbona, on 20 September was
the first record of this moth at Sicklesmere for three years. It is a moth that
is more usually recorded in the Brecks, its Suffolk stronghold. A Large
Ranunculus, Polymixis flavicincta, on 23 September is regularly recorded
at Sicklesmere. It appears to be a very local moth in Suffolk, the checklist
shows it has been recorded 14 tetrads. A common moth that appeared on 27
September, Merveille du Jour, Dichonia aprilina, is one that always
pleases me. Its subtle shades of green and black shows the variety that can
occur in members of the moths of the British Isles.
This was another good
month with a total of 1556 moths of 74 species, only bettered once in the
previous 8 years: that was in 2000 when 2242 moths were recorded with 68
species.
Comment
The four months of June through
to September are undoubtedly the most productive months of the year for moth recording.
Comparing the numbers of moths recorded from January through to May with the
number during the before-mentioned period easily shows this.
Jan-
May 2003 a total of 1583 moths
June
- Sept 2003 a total of 15260 moths. I must mention the late appearances of some
moths during this period, namely:
Heart & Dart - normally
flying mid May and July, recorded on 2 October; Oak Hook-tip - the second
generation of this moth flies between July and August, one was recorded on 18
September; Small Fan-footed Wave - flying between June and mid August, one
recorded on 21 September.
The
most successful moths of this period i.e. the ones showing the greatest
increase over the 2002 totals are as shown below:
Mother
of Pearl, Pleuroptya ruralis, with 612 moths in 2003 compared with 298
in 2002;
Scoparia ambigualis, with a total of 202 in 2003 compared with just 3 in
2002;
Bird-cherry
Ermine, Yponomeuta evonymella, 191 moths in 2003 compared with 28 in
2002;
Setaceous
Hebrew Character, Xestia c-nigrum, showed a massive increase with 2118
in 2003 with only a paltry 265 in 2002;
Common
Wainscot, Mythimna pallens, 1069 in 2003 and 214 in 2002;
Straw
Dot, Rivula sericealis, with 199 moths in 2003 c.f. 114 in 2002. This
moth was on the wing from 1 June to 27 September in 2003 compared with 5 June
to 30 August in 2002.
Stan Dumican,
Anglezarke, Sicklesmere, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP30 0TJ
© 2003 Suffolk Naturalists' Society