Nostradamus

In my blog of a few days ago, I mentioned that it was a surprise that I had not recorded Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis in my Batch Valley Garden. It was somewhat inevitable that the next time the trap went out there would be one in the trap. I have may have used my predictive superpowers, but very welcome it was too!

Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis

A moth which certainly has occurred in the garden on many occasions is the Early Thorn Selenia dentaria. Always holding its wings tightly closed above the body, this is a very distinctive species and probably one of the favourite moths of many a moth trapper.

Early Thorn Selenia dentaria

From a regularly occurring moth, to a much less frequent species. My second Dyseriocrania subpurpurella was a nice discovery this morning. This pretty little golden-scaled moth is found around Oak (Quercus), where the mines create distinctive blotches on the leaves. It is a diurnal species, and can often be seen flitting around oak trees at dusk. It will come to light, but if I paid more attention to the garden oak tree itself I may record this species more regularly.

Dyseriocrania subpurpurella

There is a frequent pattern with moth trapping for me. I run the trap, get up in the morning, pot up moths, go through the trap and then pack away. I will then often find the most interesting moth of the morning is something I have missed, hiding in the lawn a few metres from the trap. I will only see it on my final sweep of the area, often nearly stepping on it. This happened again today with this Acleris literana, a new species for the garden. This is another species of Oak, and if you think it looks a bit tatty, then give it a break. These moths emerge in late summer and then overwinter as adults before reappearing in the spring, so this individual is several months old.

Acleris literana