Nature Notes from Argyll
(and occasionally other places)

Sat 26 Jul 2008 Glen Nant National Nature Reserve (Page 2 of 2) (back to page 1)

Pheosia gnoma   Ptilodon capucina   Notodonta ziczac

These pink eggboxes are getting beyond a joke.  The Lesser Swallow Prominent, which we also had at the Ballachuan trap, the Coxcomb Prominent, whose caterpillar we had on 1 Oct 2007, and the Pebble Prominent, which again we had at Ballachuan.

Notodonta dromedarius   Lycophotia porphyrea   Eurois occulta

The Iron Prominent was the fourth member of the Notodontid family.  Now we start the large family of Noctuidae with the True Lover's Knot and the Great Brocade.

Diarsia mendica mendica   Xestia baja   Xestia rhomboidea

Ingrailed Clay, Dotted Clay and Square-spotted Clay.

Polia nebulosa   Melanchra pisi   Cerapteryx graminis

The Grey Arches, head out of focus but at least it's not on a pink eggbox.  Next is the Broom Moth, whose caterpillar we've had several times; it's the first time I've seen the adult.  Next the Antler Moth.

Mythimna impura   Brachylomia viminalis   Acronicta psi

The Smoky Wainscot on a Fireweed leaf.  There are usually a few moths on the surrounding vegetation as well as in the trap itself.  Back to the eggboxes for the Minor Shoulder-knot and the Grey Dagger.

Craniophora ligustri   Euplexia lucipara   Apamea monoglypha

The Coronet, the Small Angle Shades and the Dark Arches.

Oligia strigilis agg.   Oligia fasciuncula   Photedes minima   Chortodes pygmina

The first one may be the Rufous Minor but to play safe it was recorded as Marbled Minor agg.  The others are Middle-barred Minor, Small Dotted Buff and Small Wainscot.

Amphipoea lucens   Plusia putnami gracilis

The Large Ear and Lempke's Gold Spot.

Autographa pulchrina   Autographa bractea   Schrankia costaestrigalis

The Beautiful Golden Y and the Gold Spangle belong to the same subfamily as Lempke's Gold Spot and have their own distinctive central wing marks.  We round off the Noctuid family with the tiny Pinion-streaked Snout which is smaller than many so-called micro-moths.

Yponomeuta evonymella   Ypsolopha dentella   Argyresthia goedartella

Now some real micro-moths: the Bird-cherry Ermine, the Honeysuckle Moth, and a very blurred Argyresthia goedartella, which doesn't have an English name.  Its larvae feed in Birch and Alder catkins.

Nymphula stagnata   Orgyia antiqua caterpillar

Another blurred micro, the Beautiful China-mark, and a surprisingly sharp (since it was very tiny) Vapourer Moth caterpillar, which decided to visit the moth trap without bothering to turn into a moth first.

Euthrix potatoria   Ochropacha duplaris   Wasp eating a moth

Finally a couple more macros.  The Drinker, whose caterpillar is one of the most conspicuous in the countryside, and the Common Lutestring, a rather dark and worn individual of this variable species.  As if pink eggboxes and pink human hands weren't enough, these two have chosen pink rocks to rest on.  Last pic shows a wasp eating a moth.
 

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