3 August 2012

2 August 2012 – Shelter from the Storm

Yellow-barred Brindle (Acasis viretate)

The rain was torrential again last night but there were enough egg-boxes in the body of the trap to allow plenty of shelter.  The Yellow-barred Brindle (Acasis viretata – ‘brotherless, green spot’) is one of those moths that loses its green colouring after a few days.  This one, another new species for Shandy Hall, is freshly emerged from the chrysalis.  

Carcina quercana

Carcina quercana,

a splendidly coloured micromoth and the cover image for the excellent Field Guide to the Micromoths of GB and Ireland, is another addition to the list.  This moth has long antennae but tends to hide them beneath its body when at rest.  Its name comes from the Greek for a crab (karkinos) or an ulcer – both derivations seem to be rather strange.  The oak (quercus) is the food plant.  It is very beautiful.The third new moth for the list (now numbering 228) is Pseudoswammerdamia combinella.

An afternoon of thunder-bugs (two have just landed on the computer screen) and heavy air mean there could be a good number tonight.

Pseudoswammerdamia combinella