A Biodiversity Information System for Cheshire, Halton, Warrington & Wirral

Hi All
This is my first post on this forum and I'm a relatively new person to mothing so please bear with me!
I've run a moth trap in my Sale garden on and off for about 18 months now and have generally submitted records on iRecord which Steve Hind has kindly checked. It's rather cumbersome and slow, so I've been pursuaded to submit sightings here, so here goes....
Nothing like the numbers some people seem to get (my max to date is mid fifties), but the what's flying tonight info is very helpful for me to guide my IDs. I usually take photos with my phone with a macro lens adapter, so can hopefully send images if needed.

Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella , 1
Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella , 2
Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata , 11
Scalloped Oak Crocallis elinguaria , 1
Riband Wave Idaea aversata , 3
Heart and Dart Agrotis exclamationis , 4
Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha , 1
Purple Clay Diarsia brunnea , 1
Uncertain Hoplodrina octogenaria , 12
Common Rustic Mesapamea secalis , 1
The Clay Mythimna ferrago , 1
Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba , 1
Double Square-spot Xestia triangulum , 2
Ruddy Streak Tachystola acroxantha , 2
Bee Moth Aphomia sociella , 5
Codling Moth Cydia pomonella , 2
Bird Cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella , 1

Here's a one I couldn't ID.....

Hope this works ok.
Cheers
Nev Wright aka MothNoggin

Welcome to the forum MothNoggin!

I'd say that 50+ moths in your garden is a very respectable total, and will give you plenty to ID.

Wrt your micro, I think most folks on here sensibly wait for Steve Hind for confirmation. Although I wouldn't want to say for certain, it might be Syndemis musculana. The hindwing is perhaps partly folded out.

Cheers, Julian

Many thanks Julian
I should say it's just the last couple of weeks I've had 50+, usually it's 20 max!!
Thanks for the pointer... hopefully Steve will confirm.
BW
Nev

Hi folks,

yes, that's musculana for sure.

I hear what you say about iRecord too - its practically unusable in my view and I refuse to use it as a verifier for Cheshire Macro-moths because of its so user unfriendly. We have a records input template that is hopefully easier to use and will give you immediate information on any ID's you make as to whether there's a need for additional information, such as a photo or 'did you check the underwing' etc; You can get a copy from the downloads page. Once you start filling it in, just send it in once you've done trapping for the year.

We also have a Facebook group called simply "Cheshire Moths" which you might consider joining too - its another way to find out what other people are catching - sometimes a comfort in confirming what you are getting in your own trap...or to make you aware what's about.

Cheers,
Steve

Many Thanks for the ID.
I've got the template now so hopefully I'll be able to use that more effectively.
Cheers
Neville

Hi Neville and welcome to the forum

You've certainly started with a good teaser on your first post.

Syndemis musculana is a fairly common species in Cheshire. It’s flight period extends from late April until mid-July, although in Cheshire it is normally over by early June, at least on the Cheshire Plain. In the eastern hills it flies later and can still be found into late June. In some years it may still be on the wing in the uplands into July but this has yet to be confirmed and I would expect any such specimens to be fairly worn by then. Your specimen, caught in the lowlands, in early July is a fresh specimen, which does not fit in with the above. Syndemis musculana is a greyish/white and brown species, whereas in your specimen the greyish/white has more of a yellowish tinge to it, matching that of Ptycholomoides aeriferana, a much rarer species locally with only about twenty records. This latter species flies from mid-June into August, which I would suggest is a better match for the flight period of your specimen.

Regards
Steve

Many Thanks Steve
I hope they're not all too troublesome !
BW
Nev