It was the end of a long week, and I was still suffering from a CRTI (Crisp Related Throat Injury) due to a temporarily lodged Salt & Malt Vinegar McCoys. However, as one not inclined to moan, I soldiered on to join Jake Everitt of Sussex Moth Group for an evening moth survey.
At around 7.30pm we set up a generator and light trap over at Goat Meadow, a herb-rich patch of grassland east of the woodlands. There are good reasons to monitor moths, as both the adults and caterpillars are important food sources for birds, predatory invertebrates, small mammals and bats. Moths are also indicators of local habitat conditions, as they are heavily dependent on a range of plants for their caterpillars and the adults which feed on nectar (making them effective night-time pollinators).
Evidence of chainsaw fairies out on site again
We had time for a site walk-over in the dusk, which was an opportunity to show Jake how the meadow has changed in the past year under management by Tom's conservation volunteers. Our groups have been working hard to reduce the amount of dominating willow scrub while opening up more of the valuable, species-rich grassland areas.
The temperature dropped to around 14 degrees celsius, but otherwise the night was wind-less and peaceful; we were surrounded by nocturnal wildlife including feeding Pipistrelle bats and calling Tawny Owls.
The Sallow - Xanthia icteritia
Back at the light trap, and the moths were starting to gather in good numbers. Macro moths have some of the best (and most ridiculous) common names in natural history; many of those coming in were types of 'Sallow' moth. As we finally emptied the trap out at about 11pm, I collected a few up to photograph the next day...
The Sallow - Xanthia icteritia
Barred Sallow - Tiliacea aurago
Centre-barred Sallow - Atethmia centrago
And for the last one of the set.... I was too slow on the shutter :-(
Pink-barred Sallow - Xanthia togata
(was 'ere)
Jake's highlight were the Oak Lutestrings which turned up towards the end.
Oak Lutestring - Cymatophorima diluta
Eudonia angustea (a type of micromoth)
Common Marbled Carpet - Dysstroma truncata
Not only moths are attracted to the light, here is a selection of the evening's by-catch:
European Hornet - Vespa crabro
Great Blackclock - Pterostichus niger
Night-flying Dung Beetle - Aphodius rufipes
Green Shieldbug - Palomena prasina
Not a bad count in all for a September evening, and typically for this time of year Square-spot Rustic were in the greatest numbers.
Common Name
|
Scientific Name
|
Total Count
|
Aleimma loeflingiana
|
Aleimma loeflingiana
|
1
|
Epinotia ramella
|
Epinotia ramella
|
1
|
Epinotia cinereana
|
Epinotia cinereana
|
2
|
Eudonia angustea
|
Eudonia angustea
|
1
|
Oak Hook-tip
|
Drepana binaria
|
1
|
Oak Lutestring [sp]
|
Cymatophorima diluta
|
3
|
Common Marbled Carpet
|
Chloroclysta truncata
|
1
|
Willow Beauty
|
Peribatodes rhomboidaria
|
2
|
Light Emerald
|
Campaea margaritata
|
3
|
Large Yellow Underwing
|
Noctua pronuba
|
7
|
Lunar Yellow Underwing
|
Noctua orbona
|
1
|
Lesser Yellow Underwing
|
Noctua comes
|
1
|
Square-spot Rustic
|
Xestia xanthographa
|
28
|
Brindled Green
|
Dryobotodes eremita
|
1
|
Centre-barred Sallow
|
Atethmia centrago
|
1
|
Barred Sallow
|
Xanthia aurago
|
1
|
Pink-barred Sallow
|
Xanthia togata
|
2
|
The Sallow
|
Xanthia icteritia
|
6
|
Copper Underwing
|
Amphipyra pyramidea
|
1
|
Straw Dot
|
Rivula sericealis
|
5
|
The Snout
|
Hypena proboscidalis
|
2
|
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