Transactions of the Buteshire Natural History Society vol XXVII (2008) 79 A first list of the moths of Bute
Glyn and Dawn Collis Seasgair, Ascog, Isle of Bute.
Introduction
As far as we are aware, there was little systematic recording of moths on Bute until Neil Gregory, moth recorder for vice counties 75 (Ayr) and 76 (Renfrew), brought his family to Bute to give a talk and demonstration on moth trapping to the Buteshire Natural History Society, 1-3 June 2007. After that weekend, we had the loan of a moth trap until we bought our own, and more recently we constructed a portable battery-operated trap. For the remainder of 2007, the identities of almost all our finds were checked by Neil from photographs we sent by email, a fairly heroic undertaking by him but an exceptionally useful learning experience for us. Subsequently we have had assistance from a number of participants in the Scottish Moths email group, especially Roy Leverton. Our main reference for identification is Waring and Townsend (2003), supplemented by various internet resources, especially ukmoths.org.uk and www.ukleps.org .
Four significant species
The most significant discoveries among the records of Bute moths are the Feathered Ranunculus Polymixis lichenea, the Pale Pinion Lithophane hepatica, the Alder Moth Acronicta alni and the Dark -barred Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata.
We caught the first Feathered Ranunculus in a light trap in our garden on 14th September 2008, and the second in the portable light trap operated in the north-west corner of Suidhe Plantation on 24th September 2008. The first of these appears to be the northernmost record in Britain for over thirty years: there is a 1976 record from near Winchburgh, west of Edinburgh. Prior to that there are century-old records from just north of Bute on the shores of Loch Riddon in 1891 (Christie 1891), and from Barochan Moss near Bishopton in 1895. The Bute record prompted us to carry out a detailed review of the distribution of this species in the west of Scotland which revealed a scatter of more recent records from Dumfries & Galloway, Ayrshire and Arran, but none further north than the first Bute location (Gregory, Collis & Collis, 2009).
Also on 24th September 2008 in Suidhe Plantation, we caught a Pale Pinion. This is infrequent in Scotland but may be increasing. We know of ten or so records in Dumfries and Galloway between 1996 and 2007 and three records in Ayrshire in 2007. For 2008, we know of records from West Lothian, from Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, and from Arran as well as Bute. The status of the Pale Pinion in northern Britain is being reviewed by Roy Leverton and Steve Palmer.
Neil Gregory found an Alder Moth at our house on 3rd June 2007. This is another species that is seldom seen in Scotland but may now be increasing here. A larva was found at the Lochwinnoch RSPB reserve in 2007, and an adult there in 2008. There have also been 2008 records at Taynish, Argyll and at Dippin, Arran. On 28th July 2007 we caught a Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet in our garden. One of the standard features used to separate this species from the similar Red Twin-spot Carpet is the presence of a V-shaped notch in a white line across the wing (Waring & Townsend 2003). However, this feature is now known to be unreliable, so it is not clear how many Scottish records are correct. Our record has been confirmed by Roy Leverton who knows of just one other confirmed Scottish record – in North Aberdeenshire.
Species list for the Isle of Bute (including Inchmarnock)
Traditionally, the Insect order Lepidoptera is been divided into three broad groups: butterflies,
80 macro-moths and micro-moths, each with distinct but overlapping communities of enthusiasts studying them. This three-way division is an imperfect representation of biological relationships but has remained in wide usage for pragmatic reasons. Therefore we have judged it helpful to list the micro and macro-moths separately below. We have also provided the widely used species numbers from the Bradley’s (2000) checklist. As the names suggest, the micro-moths are generally smaller than the macros, but many families of micro-moths have a few species as large as typical macros. Conversely, some families of macro-moths include species as small as many micros. Whereas all British macro-moths have common names, the majority of micro-moths do not (yet). Those micros that have common names tend to be larger and more easily identified.
In compiling this list we have included only those species where there is a high degree of confidence in the identification of a specimen from Bute. Four species-groups have only been recorded in aggregate (abbreviated agg.): the November Moths Epirrita spp., the Ear Moths Amphipoea spp., the Common Rustic group in the genus Mesapamea, and the Marbled Minor group in the genus Oligia. All four of these groups require examination of genitalia to identify them to species level, something which we have not yet mastered. For the same reason, rather few micro-moths feature in this list.
In addition to records of our own and other members of the Buteshire Natural History Society since June 2007, Neil Gregory has made available to us some records of his own from Bute dating back to 2004, and one from Martin Ellis dating from 1996. In addition, we have been able to add some very useful records as far back as the early 1990s as a consequence of Norrie Mulholland trawling back through his photographic archive. We have just one record from Inchmarnock which is from Phil Kirkham’s photographic archive and the only Bute record so far of a Six-spot Burnet. Most of the records are of adult moths but some are from larvae (caterpillars), for example the Drinker; others are from distinctive leaf mines which are the traces left by certain tiny moth larvae as they tunnel their way through leaves, for example the Firethorn leaf miner Phyllonorycter leucographella on leaves of Pyracantha, and Stigmella aurella which mines bramble leaves.
Macro-moths
Family Hepialidae Swift moths 17 Common Swift, Hepialus lupulinus 18 Map-winged Swift, Hepialus fusconebulosa Family Zygaenidae Forester and Burnet moths 169 Six-spot Burnet, Zygaena filipendulae Family Lasiocampidae Eggar moths 1631 December Moth, Poecilocampa populi 1637 Oak Eggar, Lasiocampa quercus 1638 Fox Moth, Macrothylacia rubi 1640 Drinker, Euthrix potatoria Family Thyatiridae Lutestring moths and allies 1652 Peach Blossom, Thyatira batis 1657 Common Lutestring, Ochropacha duplaris Family Geometridae Geometrid moths 1663 March Moth, Alsophila aescularia 1665 Grass Emerald, Pseudoterpna pruinata 1694 Smoky Wave, Scopula ternata 1702 Small Fan-footed Wave, Idaea biselata 1708 Single-dotted Wave, Idaea dimidiata 1713 Riband Wave, Idaea aversata 1722 Flame Carpet, Xanthorhoe designata 1725 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Xanthorhoe ferrugata 1727 Silver-ground Carpet, Xanthorhoe montanata
81 1728 Garden Carpet, Xanthorhoe fluctuata 1734 July Belle, Scotopteryx luridata 1738 Common Carpet, Epirrhoe alternata 1748 Beautiful Carpet, Mesoleuca albicillata 1750 Water Carpet, Lampropteryx suffumata 1756 Northern Spinach, Eulithis populata 1758 Barred Straw, Eulithis pyraliata 1759 Small Phoenix, Ecliptopera silaceata 1760 Red-green Carpet, Chloroclysta siterata 1761 Autumn Green Carpet, Chloroclysta miata 1762 Dark Marbled Carpet, Chloroclysta citrata 1764 Common Marbled Carpet, Chloroclysta truncata 1769 Spruce Carpet, Thera britannica 1776 Green Carpet, Colostygia pectinataria 1777 July Highflyer, Hydriomena furcata 1795x November Moth agg., Epirrita dilutata/ chrisyi/autumnata/filigrammaria 1799 Winter Moth, Operophtera brumata 1802 Rivulet, Perizoma affinitata 1803 Small Rivulet, Perizoma alchemillata 1804 Barred Rivulet, Perizoma bifaciata 1808 Sandy Carpet, Perizoma flavofasciata 1809 Twin-spot Carpet, Perizoma didymata 1817 Foxglove Pug, Eupithecia pulchellata 1828 Satyr Pug, Eupithecia satyrata 1830 Wormwood Pug, Eupithecia absinthiata 1834 Common Pug, Eupithecia vulgata 1835 White-spotted Pug, Eupithecia tripunctaria 1837 Grey Pug, Eupithecia subfuscata 1846 Narrow-winged Pug, Eupithecia nanata 1851 Golden-rod Pug, Eupithecia virgaureata 1852 Brindled Pug, Eupithecia abbreviata 1854 Juniper Pug, Eupithecia pusillata 1858 V-Pug, Chloroclystis v-ata 1860 Green Pug, Pasiphila rectangulata 1862 Double-striped Pug, Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 1873 Welsh Wave, Venusia cambrica 1881 Early Tooth-striped, Trichopteryx carpinata 1883 Yellow-barred Brindle, Acasis viretata 1887 Clouded Border, Lomaspilis marginata 1893 Tawny-barred Angle, Macaria liturata 1902 Brown Silver-line, Petrophora chlorosata 1904 Scorched Wing, Plagodis dolabraria 1906 Brimstone Moth, Opisthograptis luteolata 1913 Canary-shouldered Thorn, Ennomos alniaria 1917 Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria 1920 Scalloped Hazel, Odontopera bidentata 1922 Swallow-tailed Moth, Ourapteryx sambucaria 1923 Feathered Thorn, Colotois pennaria 1931 Peppered Moth, Biston betularia 1933 Scarce Umber, Agriopis aurantiaria 1935 Mottled Umber, Erannis defoliaria 1937 Willow Beauty, Peribatodes rhomboidaria 1941 Mottled Beauty, Alcis repandata 1947x Engrailed/Small Engrailed, Ectropis bistortata/crepuscularia 1952 Common Heath, Ematurga atomaria 1954 Bordered White, Bupalus piniaria 1955 Common White Wave, Cabera pusaria
82 1956 Common Wave, Cabera exanthemata 1958 Clouded Silver, Lomographa temerata 1961 Light Emerald, Campaea margaritata Family Sphingidae Hawk-moths 1972 Convolvulus Hawk-moth, Agrius convolvuli 1973 Death's-head Hawk-moth, Acherontia atropos 1981 Poplar Hawk-moth, Laothoe populi 1991 Elephant Hawk-moth, Deilephila elpenor Family Notodontidae Prominent and kitten moths 1994 Buff-tip, Phalera bucephala 2003 Pebble Prominent, Notodonta ziczac 2006 Lesser Swallow Prominent, Pheosia gnoma Coxcomb Prominent, Ptilodon capucina Family Arctiidae Tiger moths and allies 2038 Muslin Footman, Nudaria mundana 2057 Garden Tiger, Arctia caja 2060 White Ermine, Spilosoma lubricipeda 2061 Buff Ermine, Spilosoma luteum 2064 Ruby Tiger, Phragmatobia fuliginosa 2069 Cinnabar, Tyria jacobaeae Family Nolidae Black arches and allies 2078 Least Black Arches, Nola confusalis Family Noctuidae Noctuid moths 2089 Heart and Dart, Agrotis exclamationis 2098 Flame, Axylia putris 2102 Flame Shoulder, Ochropleura plecta 2107 Large Yellow Underwing, Noctua pronuba 2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing, Noctua comes 2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Noctua janthe 2112 Least Yellow Underwing, Noctua interjecta 2118 True Lover's Knot, Lycophotia porphyrea 2120 Ingrailed Clay, Diarsia mendica 2123 Small Square-spot, Diarsia rubi 2127 Triple-spotted Clay, Xestia ditrapezium 2128 Double Square-spot, Xestia triangulum 2130 Dotted Clay, Xestia baja 2133 Six-striped Rustic, Xestia sexstrigata 2134 Square-spot Rustic, Xestia xanthographa 2138 Green Arches, Anaplectoides prasina 2139 Red Chestnut, Cerastis rubricosa 2158 Pale-shouldered Brocade, Lacanobia thalassina 2160 Bright-line Brown-eye, Lacanobia oleracea 2163 Broom Moth, Melanchra pisi 2173 Lychnis, Hadena bicruris 2176 Antler Moth, Cerapteryx graminis 2186 Powdered Quaker, Orthosia gracilis 2187 Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi 2188 Clouded Drab, Orthosia incerta 2190 Hebrew Character, Orthosia gothica 2193 Clay, Mythimna ferrago 2198 Smoky Wainscot, Mythimna impura 2216 Shark, Cucullia umbratica 2232 Black Rustic, Aporophyla nigra 2236 Pale Pinion, Lithophane hepatica
83 2243 Early Grey, Xylocampa areola 2255 Feathered Ranunculus, Polymixis lichenea 2258 Chestnut, Conistra vaccinii 2262 Brick, Agrochola circellaris 2263 Red-line Quaker, Agrochola lota 2264 Yellow-line Quaker, Agrochola macilenta 2270 Lunar Underwing, Omphaloscelis lunosa 2273 Pink-barred Sallow, Xanthia togata 2281 Alder Moth, Acronicta alni 2289 Knot Grass, Acronicta rumicis 2302 Brown Rustic, Rusina ferruginea 2305 Small Angle Shades, Euplexia lucipara 2306 Angle Shades, Phlogophora meticulosa 2321 Dark Arches, Apamea monoglypha 2322 Light Arches, Apamea lithoxylaea 2326 Clouded-bordered Brindle, Apamea crenata 2327 Clouded Brindle, Apamea epomidion 2330 Dusky Brocade, Apamea remissa 2337x Marbled Minor agg., Oligia strigilis/versicolor/latruncula 2340 Middle-barred Minor, Oligia fasciuncula 2341 Cloaked Minor, Mesoligia furuncula 2343x Common Rustic agg., Mesapamea secalis/didyma/remmi 2345 Small Dotted Buff, Photedes minima 2350 Small Wainscot, Chortodes pygmina 2353 Flounced Rustic, Luperina testacea 2360x Ear Moth agg., Amphipoea oculea/lucens/fucosa/crinanensis 2361 Rosy Rustic, Hydraecia micacea 2364 Frosted Orange, Gortyna flavago 2422 Green Silver-lines, Pseudoips prasinana 2425 Nut-tree Tussock, Colocasia coryli 2434 Burnished Brass, Diachrysia chrysitis 2439 Gold Spot, Plusia festucae 2441 Silver Y, Autographa gamma 2442 Beautiful Golden Y, Autographa pulchrina 2450 Spectacle, Abrostola tripartita 2474 Straw Dot, Rivula sericealis 2477 Snout, Hypena proboscidalis 2484 Pinion-streaked Snout, Schrankia costaestrigalis 2492 Small Fan-foot, Herminia grisealis
Micro-moths Family Micropterigidae 5 Micropterix calthella Family Nepticulidae 50 Stigmella aurella Family Gracillariidae 332a Firethorn Leaf Miner, Phyllonorycter leucographella Family Choreutidae 385 Nettle tap, Anthophila fabriciana Family Glyphipterigidae 391 Cocksfoot Moth, Glyphipterix simpliciella Family Yponomeutidae 424 Bird-cherry Ermine, Yponomeuta evonymella Family Oecophoridae
84 647 Brown House Moth, Hofmannophila pseudospretella 648 White-shouldered House Moth, Endrosis sarcitrella 649 Esperia sulphurella 697 Agonopterix arenella 688 Agonopterix heracliana 701 Agonopterix ocellana Family Blastobasidae 873 Blastobasis lignea Family Tortricidae 989 Timothy Tortrix, Aphelia paleana 1048 Garden Rose Tortrix, Acleris variegana 1076 Celypha lacunana 1201 Eucosma cana Family Alucitidae 1288 Twenty-plume Moth, Alucita hexadactyla Family Pyralidae 1293 Garden Grass-veneer, Chrysoteuchia culmella 1304 Agriphila straminella 1305 Agriphila tristella 1334 Scoparia ambigualis 1338 Dipleurina lacustrata 1345 Brown China-mark, Elophila nymphaeata 1376 Small Magpie, Eurrhypara hortulata 1388 Udea lutealis 1405 Mother of Pearl, Pleuroptya ruralis 1428 Bee Moth, Aphomia sociella Family Pterophoridae Plume Moths 1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1501 Platyptilia gonodactyla 1524 Common Plume, Emmelina monodactyla
Acknowledgements We are grateful to: Franco Devlin, Liz Doig, Ivor Gibbs, Angus Hannah, Phil Kirkham, Margaret & Neil Lamb, Jean McMillan, Norrie Mulholland, Billy Shields, and Maria van Oostende for providing records of Bute moths through photographs, specimens, or facilities for moth traps; to Martin Corley, Mark Cubitt, Duncan Davidson, John Knowler, Roy Leverton and Andy Mitchell for identifications. Mark Cubitt, and Mark Pollitt provided information on records of the Pale Pinion. Most of all we must thank Neil Gregory for helping us in all these ways and for just about every other kind of assistance and encouragement it was possible to give to the Bute moths project. Finally we thank Corinna Gregory for the many ways in which she has supported Neil’s contribution.
References Bradley, J. D. (2000). Checklist of Lepidoptera recorded from the British Isles. (2nd ed.) D. Bradley, Fordingbridge. Christie, T.M. (1891). Captures at sugar in Argyllshire in September. Entomologist 24 (341) 246. Gregory, N., Collis, G & Collis, D. (2009). The Feathered Ranunculus Polymixis lichenea Lepidoptera: Noctuidae, in the West of Scotland. Glasgow Naturalist 25 (2). Waring, P. & Townsend, M. (2003). Field guide to the moths of Great Britain and Ireland. British Wildlife Publishing, Milton on Stour.