[2260] Dotted Chestnut (Conistra rubiginea)

Hay Wood and Gadesprings Field Trip report - 02/04/14

Hello all.

Last night I was joined by David and Steve for our first trapping session on the Boxmoor Trust's land.

The ensuing conditions were perfect with a good amount of cloud cover present and temperatures holding up at dusk at about 15 degrees.

The only niggle was that damn breeze, which thankfully did drop as the night progressed.

 

David had already set-up three traps at Gadesprings earlier on, so the plan was to use four traps at Hay Wood and at the Old Barn, then go back to Gadesprings after we had finished.

 

Setting up 3 different traps throughout the wood and leaving one out on an exposed position near the barn, we were all set and ready for the deluge.

 

The moths did come, sparingly at first with a spankingly fresh Water Carpet being the first moth in, Brindled Pugs, Diurnea fagella's and Common Quakers followed.

We fared much better this year compared to last year where we had our first trapping session over 3 weeks later than this date, and were catching pretty much the same species, although last year was very odd.

See HERE for last years report.

It was very nice to see so many Water Carpets again, last year we managed about 10, this year we easily trumped that with 20+ individuals.

Also the freshest Waved Umber I have ever seen graced the side of the trap near the Old Barn.

 

Species of note included 3 Shoulder-stripe, 1 immaculate Purple Thorn and a year first Pale Pinion, which was found sitting in the long grass near the trap at the Old Barn.

 

So onto the list of moths recorded.

 

Catch Report - Hay Wood (Westbrook Hay) - 02/04/14 - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap, 1x 160w MBT Robinson Trap and 1x 80w Actinic Trap

 

Lights run from 7.50pm until 11.30pm

 

262 moths of 28 species

Macro Moths

 

20+ Water Carpet

5x Clouded Drab

9x Small Quaker

13x Hebrew Character

15x Engrailed

1x Satellite

97x Common Quaker

8x Early Thorn

8x Chestnut

18x Brindled Pug

14x March Moth

3x Shoulder-stripe

1x Waved Umber

3x Nut-tree Tussock

5x Early Grey

1x Red-green Carpet

2x Oak Nycteoline

1x Spruce Carpet

2x Oak Beauty

1x Double-striped Pug

1x Purple Thorn

1x Pale Pinion

1x Twin-spotted Quaker

 

Micro Moths

 

22x Diurnea fagella

5x Eriocrania subpurpurella

1x Eriocrania semipurpurella

2x Agonopterix heracliana

2x Agonopterix arenella

 

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Catch Report - Gadesprings (Watercress Beds) - 02/04/14 - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap, 1x 40w Lucent Briefcase Trap and 1x 40w Actinic/26w Blacklight Trap

 

Lights run from Dusk until 12.00am

 

95 moths of 13 species

 

Macro Moths

 

5x Clouded Drab

4x Small Quaker

2x Hebrew Character

1x Engrailed

71x Common Quaker

2x Early Thorn

3x Brindled Pug

1x Early Grey

2x Oak Beauty

1x Double-striped Pug

1x Dotted Chestnut

1x Oak-tree Pug

 

Micro Moths

 

1x Agonopterix heracliana

Done