CARMARTHENSHIRE & BUTTERFLY GROUP NEWSLETTER ISSUE No.9 AUGUST 2007

Editor: Jon Baker (County Moth Recorder for VC44 Carms)

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the 9th Newsletter. Let’s face it, July has been terrible. It’s been the wettest summer on record, and when it hasn’t been raining, it’s usually been cool, windy and grey. There have been very few opportunities to get out and look at , so consequently not a great deal has been recorded. But August is looking up, and certainly as I write this on August 1st the sun is shining and the forecast is set fair.

In this edition I look at the limited highlights of the last month, as well as continue with the next section of the Pyralid review. I’ll continue doing these over the next few bulletins, and once I’ve finished Pyralids, maybe move on to some other group of micros.

Please do take note of the information on National Moth Night (below). If the weather is not too bad, I really hope we can get some good participation and results. Given that so many emerged very early in April, I am expecting there to be a number of unusual 2nd broods of things during August. If you do note any species that seems unusual at this time of year, I would like to hear about it. Otherwise, good luck all with August mothing, and let’s hope for some nice surprises…. I noticed quite a few Silver Y Autographa gamma at Pembrey by day on 31st July, so maybe there will be a little spell of migration. Let’s hope so.

Foxglove Pug Eupithecia pulchellata (indeed). NATIONAL MOTH NIGHT 2007

This year NMN will be on August 11th. I do urge you all to try and be involved, so that we can get some good returns from VC44. Martin Lovell is running an “event” for members of the group at Byrgwm in Brechfa Forest. If you haven’t got details yet and wish to attend, contact Martin or myself. I will be trapping at Pembrey as usual, along with traps here in Carmarthen, and at my Pa’s woods just north of here. Ian Morgan will be running a number of traps in the Llanelli area. If weather is good, I really hope that everyone can participate, either by attending the group event or by trapping their own garden/patch. This year national Target Species include Four-spotted Footman Lithosia quadra, which occurs in Carmarthenshire, primarily at Pembrey, but it is spreading. Chalk Carpet Scotopteryx bipunctaria is another target species that has not yet been found here, but occurs in Glamorgan and Pembrokeshire, so there is hope. It lives on bird’s- foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus. Any claim, of course, would need to be fully supported by a specimen or photograph.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS Records are mine (JSB) if not noted otherwise

272 Bucculatrix cidarella Mines of this species were found at Cors Goch Nature Reserve (SN3618) in the leaves of bog-myrtle Myrica gale on 27th July (per Richard Price, det: Barry Stewart). The 5th county record.

382 SIX-BELTED CLEARWING Bembecia ichneumoniformis The 13th county record, swept by day from its foodplant bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus sp by Ian Morgan on 8th July at Llanelli North Dock (SS4999). A new 10km square record.

470 Orthotaelia sparganella The 5th County Record. Two to MV light at Cynheidre (SN4908) on 14th July. Lives on bur-reed Sparganium, iris Iris spp. and reed sweet-grass .

Orthotaelia sparganella 878 Batrachedra preangusta The 6th county record to MV light at Cynheidre (SN4908) on 14th July. Photographed and released. Lives on poplar Populus and willow Salix.

888 Mompha propinquella One to MV in Carmarthen (SN3919) on 5th July is the 5th County Record of this distinctive and pretty little moth. Lives on willowherb Epilobium spp. Photographed and released.

898 Limnaecia phragmitella Two to MV light at Cynheidre (SN4908) on 14th July. The 8th county record, and all since 2002. Lives on bulrush Typha spp. Photographed and released.

1292 Calamatropha paludella Following on from last month’s 2nd County Record, I found this species to be very common on a night’s trapping at Cynheidre (SN4908) on 14th July. At dusk it was easily netted in numbers along the margins of the ponds there.

Calamatropha paludella

1306 Agriphila inquinatella One swept by day in the old quarry in Carmel Woods (SN5916) on 18th July. Photographed and released. On the same day Martin Lovell swept at least 4 in Brechfa Forest (SN5541). Also photographed. Only 2 of the previous 22 records of this species are from the last decade (both singles), so it really is a scarce and local species here.

1367 Pyrausta cingulata Swept by day from thyme Thymus polytrichus at Carmel (SN5716) on 19th July (Ian Morgan). A good inland record, this species occurs, sparingly, at Pembrey Burrows.

1384 Phlyctaenia stachydalis A new site for this national scarce species (which seems to be commoner in south Wales than anywhere else). One caught by Julian Wormald at Rhydcymerau (SN5739) on 4th July. Lives on woundwort Stachys spp.

1784 PRETTY CHALK CARPET Melanthia procellata Previous records (5 plus 2R) come from Llandyfaelog (SN4210), twice at Carmel Woods, twice at Pembrey Forest and several Rothamsted records from the trap at St Clears (SN2517). With traveller’s-joy Clematis vitalba being quite scarce in the county, this is a very local species. Ian Morgan beat one from the foodplant near Carmel (SN6016) on the afternoon of 14th July. Four more beaten from the food-plant at Carmel Woods (SN5916) on 18th July (JSB).

1793 CLOAKED CARPET Euphyia biangulata At last this species moves to Category A1 of the Carms List, thanks to a photographed individual caught by Martin Lovell at Rhydcymerau (SN5739) on 10th July. There have been previous claims (mainly Rothamsted and therefore unchecked by the county recorder).

Cloaked Carpet Euphyia biangulata Photo: Martin Lovell

1833 BLEACHED PUG Eupithecia expallidata One caught on 31st July at Abernant, Brechfa (SN5834) by Martin Lovell and the Moth Group. Photographed. Twenty previous records, but this is a new 10km square.

1990 STRIPED HAWK-MOTH Hyles livornica One to MV light in my garden in Carmarthen (SN3919) on 2nd July was most unexpected. Photographed and released. Photo was in the last bulletin. The 5th modern record, all in the last 5 years.

2038 MUSLIN FOOTMAN Nudaria mundana Caught again at Gelli Aur CP (SN5919) by Ian Morgan on 10th July. Still the only known site.

2051 FOUR-SPOTTED FOOTMAN Lithosia quadra Continues to increase in the county it would seem. At Pwll (SN4601) there were two on 18th July and another on 27th (all Ian Morgan), whilst I had one at Nantgwyn (SN3623), north of Carmarthen on 12th July. Hopefully someone will score one on National Moth Night, given that it is a target species, but perhaps it will be too late by then. Twelve recent records (since 2003) – ten from Pembrey Forest.

2145 NUTMEG Discestra trifolii 10th county record, all being from the south-east coastal area of the county. Caught on 14th July at Pwll by Ian Morgan (SN4601).

2312 OLIVE Ipimorpha subtusa The 14th county record. Virtually all have been from the south-east area. Caught at Pwll by Ian Morgan on 23rd July (SN4601).

2372 WEBB’S WAINSCOT Archanara sparganii The 8th and 9th County records. All previous county records have come from SN30, SN40 and SS59. The first came to MV at Cynheidre (SN4908) on 14th July. Photographed and released. This is a very early date for this species, with the species more usually seen in late August and September. The second was caught at Pwll by Ian Morgan on 23rd July (SN4601).

WEBB’S WAINSCOT Archanara sparganii

2435 SCARCE BURNISHED BRASS Diachrysia chryson One to MV at Pwll (SN4601) on 23rd July (Ian Morgan). Twenty-four of the previous Twenty-five records have come from the south-east coastal area of the county. Nationally Rare A. Lives on hemp agrimony Eupatorium cannabinum. PYRALID OF CARMARTHENSHIRE PART 2 A Review – by Jon Baker

Following on from last months review of the Crambids of Carmarthenshire, this month I am looking at the next few groups within the Pyralids – (1 species), (11 species), Nymphulinae (5 species) and (2 species).

As with the Crambids I’m only reviewing those species which have occurred in Carmarthenshire so far. Species not yet recorded here, and therefore missing from the following review, require full verification by the county recorder (that’s me).

Any notes on identification included below are merely tips and are not meant as absolute or comprehensive. The excellent British Pyralid Moths – a guide to their identification by Barry Goater is an essential purchase if anyone wants to take up recording of this . But the following information and photos should hopefully prove useful too. Thank you to those photographers who filled in the gaps in my image library.

SCHOENOBIINAE Britain: 3 species. Carmarthenshire: 1 species. Similar in many ways to the closely related Crambids, though larger. All three British species are closely associated with reeds, and are therefore local by nature.

1329 forficella National Status: Local in southern and central England and Wales. Foodplant: Common reed australis, reed sweet-grass Glyceria maxima and sedges spp. Habitat: Reedy ditches, marshes, fens and bogs. Main Flight Period: June and July County Status: Local in the south-east coastal area. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 12 10km squares prior to 2007: SN30, SN40, SS49, SS59

Identification: Wingspan 25-30mm. Sexually dimorphic. Like a large pointed-winged crambid, with long palps. Very pale hindwings. The males have a darker streak from the base to the wingtip. Females are straw coloured. The closely related D. mucronellus has yet to be recorded in Carmarthenshire, but is a possibility, so care needs to be taken.

Donacaula forficella (male) SCOPARIINAE Britain: 14 species. Carmarthenshire: 11 species.

One of the hardest families of moths to identify correctly. Some of the species are super- abundant, but few are straightforward to identify. I’m not going to go into great detail on how to identify any of them, given the complexity of the task, and having the Pyralid book is an essential first step to tackling this group. Dissection is going to be necessary for confirmation of the rarest species.

These are the 11 species that have been recorded in Carmarthenshire, placed in order of abundance: S. ambigualis 237 records 22 10km squares. ABUNDANT E. mercurella 143 records 18 10km squares. ABUNDANT D. lacustrata 115 records 18 10km squares. VERY COMMON S. pyralella 45 records 11 10km squares. MODERATELY COMMON E. angustea 53 records 10 10km squares. MODERATELY COMMON E. truncicolella 41 records 10 10km squares. LOCAL S. subfusca 21 records 10 10km squares. LOCAL E. delunella 21 records 10 10km squares. LOCAL

S. ancipitella, E. pallida and E. murana all fall into the category of RARE/EXTREMELY LOCAL/UNDER-RECORDED or RECORDS UNPROVEN. Claims of these species must be fully supported by excellent photos of specimens in good condition, a specimen or confirmation through gen. det.

1332 subfusca National Status: Moderately common throughout Britain. Foodplant: The roots of ox-tongue Picris spp. and sometimes colt’s-foot farfara. Habitat: Wherever the foodplant grows. Main Flight Period: June and July County Status: Local or under-recorded. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 21 10km squares prior to 2007: SN10, SN30, SN32, SN40, SN42, SN51, SN53, SN61, SN74, SS59

Identification: Wingspan 20-27mm. “Relatively” simple given that it is larger and “plainer” than others in the group.

Scoparia subfusca 1333 National Status: Common throughout England and Wales, local in Scotland. Foodplant: Decaying plant material and the roots of common ragwort Senecio jacobaea and other plants. Habitat: Most abundant on light soils, chalk downland, wasteground and coastal shingle. Main Flight Period: June County Status: Moderately common. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 45 10km squares prior to 2007: SN10, SN30, SN32, SN40, SN41, SN52, SN53, SN61, SN74, SS49, SS59

Identification: Wingspan 17-20mm. “Relatively” simple. The rich gingery-brown colouration is a good feature.

Scoparia pyralella

1334 National Status: Widespread and common throughout Britain. Foodplant: Unknown, but presumed . Habitat: Any. Main Flight Period: May to July County Status: Abundant. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 237 10km squares prior to 2007: SN10, SN20, SN22, SN30, SN31, SN32, SN33, SN40, SN41, SN42, SN43, SN50, SN51, SN52, SN53, SN61, SN62, SN64, SN72, SN74, SS49, SS59

Identification: Wingspan 15-22mm. The commonest and standard scopariid in the first part of the summer, though E. mercurella takes over this role as the summer progresses.

Scoparia ambigualis 1335 National Status: Due to difficulty of ID, distribution is imperfectly known. Thought to be mainly northern and western. Foodplant: Unknown. Habitat: Woodland. Main Flight Period: July and August. County Status: Extremely local, rare or under-recorded. Or all three. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 1 10km squares prior to 2007: SN62 (Coed Tregyb NR, SN6421, 27th June 2004, Dave Grundy. Identification confirmed by gen. det.)

Identification: Wingspan 18-21mm. A very tricky species to separate from others in the group. Any claim would need to be confirmed by dissection.

1336 pallida National Status: Allegedly widespread in Britain, and locally common. Foodplant: Presumed mosses or . Habitat: Marshes, fens and bogs. Main Flight Period: June and July County Status: Unclear. I’m in a difficult position on this one. Though there are four records, no specimen or photo exists, but the observers involved are highly respected. The species is currently placed in Category A2 of the county list. Four singles in 20 years suggests it is not in any sense common, and I have never encountered it. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 4 10km squares prior to 2007: SN30, SN40, SS59

Identification: Wingspan 17-19mm. Small, pale and weakly marked. The problem being that small worn individuals of common species could, in theory, be mistaken for this, hence my caution about unsupported records.

1338 Dipleurina lacustrata National Status: Widespread in England, Wales and southern Scotland. Foodplant: Mosses. Habitat: Various, though “open country” is cited in literature. Main Flight Period: June and July County Status: Very common and widespread. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 115 10km squares prior to 2007: SN10, SN12, SN30, SN31, SN32, SN40, SN41, SN43, SN51, SN52, SN53, SN61, SN62, SN64, SN72, SN74, SS49, SS59

Identification: Wingspan 16-18mm. One of the more easily identifiable moths in this family, once one gets used to seeing and recognising it. The dark discal mark stands out in the paler central part of the wing.

Dipleurina lacustrata 1339 National Status: Local in predominantly northern and western upland areas of Britain. Foodplant: Mosses on old walls. Habitat: Moors and mountains. Main Flight Period: June to August. County Status: Unclear. This is a horribly tricky one. There is a single record from long ago (1975). Against it is the fact that it is the wrong habitat, and E. truncicolella (from which it is incredibly difficult to separate) is at the site. However the observer E. C. Pelham-Clinton was one of the most respected naturalists of the last 50 years. It pains me to have to do it, but I currently have this species pended in Category B of the county list. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 1, though pended in Category B. 10km squares prior to 2007: (SN51, Carmel Woods).

Identification: Wingspan 18-22mm. About as hard as it gets. The far commoner E. truncicolella is virtually identical, and even dissection won’t be of any use as they are similar in that respect too. To quote Barry Goater: “E. murana is less variable; the forewing is more mottled – in E. truncicolella the markings are ‘scratchy’ in comparison; the postmedian line is nearly straight from post-discal curve to dorsum in E. murana whereas in E. truncicolella it is zigzag.” Habitat will obviously be a clue but not hard evidence.

1340 National Status: Locally common throughout Britain. Foodplant: Mosses. Habitat: Woodland. Main Flight Period: July and August. County Status: Local. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 41 10km squares prior to 2007: SN30, SN32, SN40, SN51, SN52, SN62, SN64, SN74, SN82, SS49

Identification: Wingspan 18-23mm. Can be very tricky to tell from the far commoner and more widespread S. ambigualis. It is exceptionally difficult to tell from E. murana.

Eudonia truncicolella

1342 Eudonia angustea National Status: Local, but widespread throughout Britain. Foodplant: , Tortula ruraliformis is cited in literature. Habitat: Sandhills, but also other open environments. Main Flight Period: Much of the year. County Status: Moderately common and widespread. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 53 10km squares prior to 2007: SN22, SN30, SN31, SN32, SN40, SN41, SN61, SN74, SS49, SS59

Identification: Wingspan 17-22mm. Relatively simple, being small with slender wings that are slightly falcate. Small examples of S. ambigualis can be confused with this species. 1343 National Status: Local and patchily distributed throughout Britain. Carmarthenshire is noted in literature as one of 5 counties from where there are “recent records”. Foodplant: Lichens and mosses growing on ash, apple and sometimes elm. Habitat: Woodland, especially with ash. Main Flight Period: June and July County Status: Seems to be increasing. Local, but fairly widespread. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 21 10km squares prior to 2007: SN10, SN31, SN32, SN41, SN50, SN51, SN52, SN53, SN62, SN74

Identification: Wingspan 17-18mm. Relatively simple. A very black and white patterning that can only really be confused with some examples of E. mercurella.

Eudonia delunella

1344 National Status: Common and widespread in England, Wales and southern Scotland. Foodplant: Mosses. Habitat: Various. Main Flight Period: June to September. County Status: Abundant. In some habitats hundreds come to a trap on a summer’s night. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 143 10km squares prior to 2007: SN10, SN20, SN21, SN30, SN31, SN32, SN40, SN44, SN50, SN51, SN52, SN53, SN54, SN61, SN64, SN74, SS49, SS59

Identification: Wingspan 16-19mm. Well marked examples are fairly straightforward, being dark with few pale areas in the terminal area of the wing. By late summer few other species are likely to be flying.

Eudonia mercurella NYMPHULINAE Britain: 16 species. Carmarthenshire: 5 species.

A fairly straightforward and pretty family, the China-marks and Water Veneer are closely associated with ponds and slow flowing rivers. The larvae are aquatic.

1331 WATER VENEER Acentria ephemerella National Status: Locally abundant throughout Britain. Foodplant: Submerged pond and freshwater plants. Habitat: Ponds, lakes and slow rivers. Main Flight Period: July to September. County Status: Often abundant where it occurs. Swarms on some nights. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 46 10km squares prior to 2007: SN21, SN30, SN31, SN32, SN40, SN51, SN61, SS49, SS59

Identification: Wingspan 13-17mm. Straightforward to identify. Often occurs in swarms of many hundreds. A small translucent grey-white moth. Overlooked if you don’t know it, as “not a moth”.

WATER VENEER Acentria ephemerella BROWN CHINA-MARK nymphaeata Photo: Chris Manley Photo: JSB

1345 BROWN CHINA-MARK Elophila nymphaeata National Status: Throughout Britain in suitable habitat. Foodplant: Pondweed spp., frogbit Hydrocharis morsus-ranae etc Habitat: Ponds etc Main Flight Period: June to August. County Status: Common around ponds and ditches. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 85 10km squares prior to 2007: SN30, SN31, SN32, SN40, SN42, SN50, SN51, SN53, SN54, SN61, SN62, SN63, SN64, SN71, SN73, SN74, SN75, SS49, SS59

Identification: Wingspan 25-33mm. Straightforward. Beautiful China-mark is smaller, and paler.

1348 RINGED CHINA-MARK Parapoynx stratiotata National Status: Southern England and Wales. Locally common. Foodplant: Pondweed Potamogeton spp., Canadian waterweed Elodea canadensis, hornwort Ceratophyllum spp. Habitat: Ponds etc Main Flight Period: June to August. County Status: Local. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 33 10km squares prior to 2007: SN21, SN22, SN30, SN31, SN32, SN40, SN53, SN62, SS49, SS59

Identification: Wingspan of male 22-24mm, of female 28-30mm. Sexually dimorphic. The male is whitish with an indistinct cross line, and the female is brown, but both have the clear “ring” mark centrally in the wing, and dark lines through the hindwing.

RINGED CHINA-MARK Parapoynx stratiotata male and female

1350 BEAUTIFUL CHINA-MARK Nymphula stagnata National Status: England, Wales and southern Scotland. Locally common. Foodplant: Bur-reeds Sparganium spp. and yellow water-lily . Habitat: Ponds etc Main Flight Period: July and August. County Status: Scarce. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 11 10km squares prior to 2007: SN20, SN30, SN40, SN52, SS49, SS59

Identification: Wingspan 20-25mm. Like a small Brown China-mark with more open patterning, creating a paler appearance. Though some Brown China-marks can appear pale, especially if worn, note that all areas of brown on Beautiful China-mark are lines and not “in-filled” areas, with the terminal area being a clean white band.

BEAUTIFUL CHINA-MARK Nymphula stagnata SMALL CHINA-MARK Cataclysta lemnata Photo: Chris Manley

1354 SMALL CHINA-MARK Cataclysta lemnata National Status: England, Wales and southern Scotland. Locally common. Foodplant: Duckweed Lemna spp. Habitat: Ponds etc Main Flight Period: June to August. County Status: Local. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 34 10km squares prior to 2007: SN21, SN30, SN31, SN32, SN40, SS49, SS59

Identification: Wingspan of male 18-19mm, of female 22-24mm. Fairly straightforward. The whitish male has golden scales along the termen. The female is larger and both have distinctive hindwings with dark edges.

EVERGESTINAE Britain: 4 species. Carmarthenshire: 2 species.

A small family of distinctive species that live on Crucifers.

1356 GARDEN PEBBLE forficalis National Status: Common throughout Britain. Foodplant: Various Cruciferae, especially varieties of Brassica, turnips and horseradish. Habitat: Commonest in gardens and allotments. Main Flight Period: May to September. County Status: Common. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 98 10km squares prior to 2007: SN30, SN31, SN32, SN40, SN50, SN51, SN53, SN61, SN62, SN64, SN74, SS49, SS59

Identification: Wingspan 27-31mm. Straightforward.

GARDEN PEBBLE Evergestis forficalis Evergestis pallidata Photo: Julian Wormald Photo: JSB

1358 Evergestis pallidata National Status: Local in southern Britain, and south-west Scotland. Foodplant: Various Cruciferae, chiefly winter-cress . Habitat: Damp, open woodland and marshy places. Main Flight Period: June to August County Status: Exceptionally rare, given how it would be hard to overlook. VC44 Records prior to 2007: 2 10km squares prior to 2007: SN74, SS59 (1989 at Rhandirmwyn, and 1990 at Techon Marsh, Llwynhendy.)

Identification: Wingspan 24-29mm. Straightforward.

JON BAKER JULY 2007

The main reference for this article has been the excellent and invaluable: B. Goater. BRITISH PYRALID MOTHS. A GUIDE TO THEIR IDENTIFICATION. Harley Books (1986). ISBN 0 946589 08 9

NEXT MONTH: PYRAUSTINAE. Correction to the last bulletin: Ian Morgan has pointed out that under the account for the pyralid Anania funebris I wrongly remark that it is to be found along the limestone ridge. This should have read the gritstone ridge, which runs along side the limestone ridge.

Thank you: Thanks to all contributors to this bulletin – Lee Walker, Mat Ridley, Martin Lovell, Julian Wormald, Sam Bosanquet, Simeon Jones, Chris Manley, Tony Lewis, Colin Jones, Martin Warren, Keith Williams and Ian Morgan.

JON BAKER Moth Recorder for VC44 Carms 14 Job’s Well Rd CARMARTHEN SA31 3HG

01267 221681 [email protected]