Upper Thames Branch

 

National Moth Night – 7th June 2008 at Waltham Place, Berks

 

 

National Moth Night 2008, Saturday 7th June, for the first time had a target habitat (old orchards) as well as target species. A number of local botanists were asked the question ‘Where are the old orchards in Berkshire?’. One of them suggested that we should try Waltham Place, which is at White Waltham near Maidenhead. We are very grateful to the staff of Waltham Place, who agreed to our visit and looked after us on the night.

 

Seven members of the Berkshire Moth Group attended, and between us we ran five 125W MV lights. The first was a Robinson Trap in a walled flower garden which also had a pond. The second was a light over a sheet next to a big old apple tree in one of the orchards, with large oaks nearby, and looking out over a small grass field to broad-leaved woodland beyond. The third was a Skinner trap in a longer-grass area of the same orchard. The fourth was a Robinson trap in the walled organic vegetable garden. The fifth was a Robinson trap in the track next to the other old orchard - at a safe distance from the flock of goats and Jacob’s sheep which were grazing there.

 

Blotched Emerald
Photo © Jan Haseler		 Burnished Brass
Photo © Jan Haseler

 

The combined trap list consisted of the following 88 species:

 

Code

Vernacular

Taxon

Quantity

0017

Common Swift

Hepialus lupulinus

6

0181

 

Taleporia tubulosa

1

0246

 

Tinea semifulvella

2

0642

 

Batia unitella

1

0937

 

Agapeta hamana

2

0970

Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix

Pandemis cerasana

4

0980

Variegated Golden Tortrix

Archips xylosteana

5

0983

 

Choristoneura hebenstreitella

7

0998

Light Brown Apple Moth

Epiphyas postvittana

5

1002

 

Lozotaenia forsterana

2

1020

Grey Tortrix

Cnephasia stephensiana

1

1032

 

Aleimma loeflingiana

6

1033

Green Oak Tortrix

Tortrix viridana

85

1076

 

Celypha lacunana

7

1082

Plum Tortrix

Hedya pruniana

7

1120

 

Ancylis mitterbacheriana

1

1201

 

Eucosma cana

1

1301

 

Crambus lathoniellus

3

1336

 

Eudonia pallida

4

1348

Ringed China-mark

Parapoynx stratiotata

6

1356

Garden Pebble

Evergestis forficalis

1

1376

Small Magpie

Eurrhypara hortulata

4

1392

 

Udea olivalis

28

1421

Large Tabby

Aglossa pinguinalis

1

1428

Bee Moth

Aphomia sociella

2

1433

 

Cryptoblabes bistriga

1

1449

 

Elegia similella

1

1474

 

Ephestia parasitella unicolorella

2

1667

Blotched Emerald

Comibaena bajularia

2

1680

Maiden's Blush

Cyclophora punctaria

2

1682

Blood-vein

Timandra comae

1

1711

Treble Brown Spot

Idaea trigeminata

1

1713

Riband Wave

Idaea aversata

1

1727

Silver-ground Carpet

Xanthorhoe montanata

2

1742

Yellow Shell

Camptogramma bilineata

1

1760

Red-green Carpet

Chloroclysta siterata

1

1764

Common Marbled Carpet

Chloroclysta truncata

11

1765

Barred Yellow

Cidaria fulvata

2

1768

Grey Pine Carpet

Thera obeliscata

2

1769

Spruce Carpet

Thera britannica

2

1773

Broken-barred Carpet

Electrophaes corylata

2

1776

Green Carpet

Colostygia pectinataria

8

1819

Mottled Pug

Eupithecia exiguata

1

1823

Netted Pug

Eupithecia venosata

1

1834

Common Pug

Eupithecia vulgata

1

1888

Scorched Carpet

Ligdia adustata

2

1860

Green Pug

Pasiphila rectangulata

2

1904

Scorched Wing

Plagodis dolabraria

1

1906

Brimstone Moth

Opisthograptis luteolata

8

1931

Peppered Moth

Biston betularia

1

1937

Willow Beauty

Peribatodes rhomboidaria

7

1957

White-pinion Spotted

Lomographa bimaculata

1

1958

Clouded Silver

Lomographa temerata

4

1961

Light Emerald

Campaea margaritata

1

1979

Lime Hawk-moth

Mimas tiliae

1

1981

Poplar Hawk-moth

Laothoe populi

1

1991

Elephant Hawk-moth

Deilephila elpenor

1

1994

Buff-tip

Phalera bucephala

1

2000

Iron Prominent

Notodonta dromedarius

1

2014

Marbled Brown

Drymonia dodonaea

3

2028

Pale Tussock

Calliteara pudibunda

10

2043

Orange Footman

Eilema sororcula

1

2060

White Ermine

Spilosoma lubricipeda

8

2078

Least Black Arches

Nola confusalis

1

2089

Heart and Dart

Agrostis exclamationis

1

2092

Shuttle-shaped Dart

Agrotis puta

1

2098

Flame

Axylia putris

2

2102

Flame Shoulder

Ochropleura plecta

10

2107

Large Yellow Underwing

Noctua pronuba

2

2123

Small Square-spot

Diarsia rubi

6

2126

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Xestia c-nigrum

4

2199

Common Wainscot

Mythimna pallens

5

2289

Knot Grass

Acronicta rumicis

1

2306

Angle Shades

Phlogophora meticulosa

3

2321

Dark Arches

Apamea monoglypha

1

2333

Large Nutmeg

Apamea anceps

1

2334

Rustic Shoulder-knot

Apamea sordens

1

2337x

Marbled Minor agg.

Oligia strigilis agg.

21

2340

Middle-barred Minor

Oligia fasciuncula

18

2380

Treble Lines

Charanyca trigrammica

2

2389

Pale Mottled Willow

Paradrina clavipalpis

1

2422

Green Silver-lines

Pseudoips prasinana britannica

1

2434

Burnished Brass

Diachrysia chrysitis

1

2450

Spectacle

Abrostola tripartita

4

2473

Beautiful Hook-tip

Laspeyria flexula

1

2474

Straw Dot

Rivula sericealis

9

2477

Snout

Hypena proboscidalis

11

2492

Small Fan-foot

Herminia grisealis

2

 

Scorched Carpet
Photo © Jan Haseler		 Angle Shades
Photo © Jan Haseler

 

Nick Asher, Roy Dobson, Les Finch, Norman Hall, Jan and Laurie Haseler, Malcolm Storey