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Thursday 20 July 2017

One Goes Mad in Dorset....

Although supposedly on leave this week the prospect of a meeting on the future of moth recording at DERC Dorchester scheduled for Tuesday afternoon and an opportunity to deliver a Range Rover just 25 miles away on a two day trip I jumped at the chance.  With the car delivered and actually finding a parking space for the Ranger and trailer fairly close to the venue in Dorchester it all started well.  A productive meeting ensued, an evening meal at a local hostelry with 'lashings of ginger beer' and then up to one of my favourite trapping sites of old, near Hardy's Monument, Blackdown.  The nod to the Comic Strip production of Five Go Mad in Dorset refers to me questioning what on earth was I doing exposing myself to the inclement weather forecast, humid, very breezy and with heavy thundery showers and dozing in the Ranger when I could have been tucked up in the dry in a proper bed.  
Hardy's Monument, Blackdown
What a fantastic night!  Despite the heavy rain showers and spectacular light show from the thunder clouds, by using a strategically placed umbrella it offered at least some protection.  I did get wet several times rescuing the brolly which was whisked away by squally winds but luckily the bulb did not get damaged by the rain.  The monument can just be seen on the horizon in the photo above.  The highlight for me was fantastic views of singing, calling and wing-slapping Nightjars so close I could see the orange reflection of their eyes; they may well of course have been attracted to the moths above the trap!  I was able to attract over 300 moths to the trap and it was great to reacquaint myself with some southern species again such as Four-spotted Footman, Black Arches and White-point.  Due to limited time in the morning and not many pots I was unable to take any photos, but did hang on to this tiny 5-6mm micro for identification.
Elachista atricomella
The full list for the night is as follows:
  
  Dark Dagger / Grey Dagger (Acronicta tridens/psi)  3
  Uncertain/Rustic agg. (Hoplodrina alsines/blanda)  8
  Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.)  12
  Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.)  14
17.003  Honeysuckle Moth (Ypsolopha dentella)  1
28.009  White-shouldered House-moth (Endrosis sarcitrella)  1
32.018  a moth (Agonopterix heracliana)  1
35.031  a moth (Helcystogramma rufescens)  1
35.056  a moth (Metzneria lappella)  1
38.025  a moth (Elachista atricomella)  1
41.002  a moth (Blastobasis adustella)  1
49.092  a moth (Phtheochroa inopiana)  1
49.109  a moth (Agapeta hamana)  1
49.341  a moth (Cydia splendana)  2
63.037  a moth (Udea olivalis)  2
63.038  Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis)  2
63.093  a moth (Agriphila straminella)  4
65.009  Buff Arches (Habrosyne pyritoides)  3
66.003  Lackey (Malacosoma neustria)  7
66.010  Drinker (Euthrix potatoria)  1
69.006  Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri)  1
69.016  Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor)  6
70.013  Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata)  2
70.016  Riband Wave (Idaea aversata)  1
70.016  Riband Wave [non-banded form] (Idaea aversata ab. remutata)  1
70.037  Clay Triple-lines (Cyclophora linearia)  4
70.087  Purple Bar (Cosmorhoe ocellata)  1
70.093  Barred Straw (Gandaritis pyraliata)  1
70.094  Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata)  2
70.207  Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata)  3
70.214  Tawny-barred Angle (Macaria liturata)  1
70.226  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  3
70.237  Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria)  1
70.241  Scalloped Oak (Crocallis elinguaria)  11
70.252  Peppered Moth (Biston betularia)  5
70.258  Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria)  3
70.284  Barred Red (Hylaea fasciaria)  2
70.297  Grass Emerald (Pseudoterpna pruinata)  2
70.305  Common Emerald (Hemithea aestivaria)  2
71.021  Coxcomb Prominent (Ptilodon capucina)  2
71.025  Buff-tip (Phalera bucephala)  8
72.002  Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis)  1
72.003  Snout (Hypena proboscidalis)  5
72.010  Black Arches (Lymantria monacha)  7
72.013  Yellow-tail (Euproctis similis)  1
72.019  Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lutea)  2
72.024  Ruby Tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa)  1
72.026  Garden Tiger (Arctia caja)  2
72.035  Rosy Footman (Miltochrista miniata)  6
72.041  Four-spotted Footman (Lithosia quadra)  9
72.042  Red-necked Footman (Atolmis rubricollis)  2
72.043  Buff Footman (Eilema depressa)  48
72.044  Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola)  5
72.045  Common Footman (Eilema lurideola)  3
72.053  Fan-foot (Herminia tarsipennalis)  1
73.001  Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita)  3
73.032  Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli)  37
73.162  Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha)  12
73.216  Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina)  5
73.293  Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura)  2
73.297  White-point (Mythimna albipuncta)  1
73.317  Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis)  2
73.325  Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)  1
73.338  True Lover's Knot (Lycophotia porphyrea)  2
73.343  Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata)  2
73.345  Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes)  2
73.346  Least Yellow Underwing (Noctua interjecta caliginosa)  2

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