Crambus perlella (Satin Grass-veneer) Boughton Heath Allotment Colony: Moths in the time of lockdown Last year I started trapping and photographing moths at the colony. I’ve continued this year, and because of lockdown I’ve done more here than anywhere else. Most of my records involve moths attracted to a light trap; I try to identify every one, photograph some and release them all unharmed. In all this year at the allotments I’ve caught and identified over 900 individual moths, belonging to 172 different species, bringing my overall total for the allotments to 194 species. This is just a brief summary of this year’s moths. There are more pictures on my Flickr site. If you follow the link, you’ll find my ‘Allotment Moths’ album, with the most recent moths appearing first. (I think the page defaults to ‘large view’ which is ok, but buttons at top right allow for a slideshow view or ‘justified view’, which I think is the best way to see the album as a whole and click through it.) https://www.flickr.com/photos/149980226@N06/albums/72157678669587018 There are moths about in every month of the year, but this year kicked off for me in March, with a handful of species, including these two Quakers. Common Quaker Small Quaker Muslin Moth Poplar Hawk- moth April highlights included Muslin Moth and Poplar Hawk-moth. Things really begin to warm up in May, both weather-wise and in the world of moths. The Green Carpet is still a common species, but what a beauty it is, likewise the Brimstone Moth. Green Carpet Brimstone Moth The Elephant Hawk-moth is another flamboyant show-stopper; I only caught one this year, but my neighbour Steve, on plot 52, found and photographed one of the impressive caterpillars too. Elephant Hawk-moth This year, having more time on my hands, I’ve started to work more intensively on the so-called micro- moths, most but not all of which are indeed smaller than the average moth. The larger ‘macro’ moths are routinely called by their English names, though they do have scientific names too; ‘micro’ moths are usually called by their scientific names, though they also have more-recently-made-up names. Cochylis atricapitana (Black- headed Conch) Crambus lathoniellus (Hook-streak Grass-veneer) The head of this one reminds me of a medieval Plague Doctor mask – how appropriate at the moment! June brought some new finds and some old friends. The 1st of the month brought the spectacular micro- moths Nemophora degeerella (Yellow-barred Long-horn), which flies in daylight and at dusk and is not particularly uncommon, although I’d only seen one previously. Nemophora degeerella (Yellow-barred Long-horn) It looks like this moth only has one antenna – they’re both there, fully intact, but sadly I only managed to get one in focus. Several moths are particularly associated with Blackcurrant bushes. Last year I used a pheromone lure to confirm that I had the Currant Clearwing on my plot and Ron and Tina Brumby also reported the same species from theirs. Lockdown, weather conditions and simply ‘doing other stuff’ meant that I didn’t succeed with Currant Clearwing this year, but I did trap another Currant specialist, the Spinach moth, on four separate occasions. Spinach I’ve no idea why it’s called the Spinach, but I was extremely chuffed to find it on my plots. It is one of the moths which has declined most in Britain – down 76% in terms of range (2000 – 2016) and 97% in abundance (1970 – 2016). This decline is apparent in Cheshire – In 2019 there were only 5 records of this moth across the whole county. Perhaps we need to think twice before getting rid of any currant bushes, and before using chemical pesticides. The next two moths I’m highlighting are in the ‘micro’ camp, although the plume moth, while slender (and quite special), is not particularly small. Ancylis achatana (Triangle-marked Roller) Small (less than 1cm long), but beautifully formed. Amblyptilia punctidactyla (Brindled Plume) Not much to look at and not rare nationally, but this moth has previously only been recorded 3 times in Cheshire, all in 1887! A couple of ‘macro’ moths to finish off June. I hadn’t seen a Bird’s Wing since 2010, so this one was a delight. I see Buff-tips every year, but what’s not to like about this fantastically disguised moth? Bird’s Wing Buff-tip July is always another good month for moths. None of the ones shown here are particularly uncommon, though all four of these macro moths have significantly declined in abundance – Swallow-tailed Moth down by 49% between 1970 and 2016, Scalloped Oak 49%, Chinese Character 41% and Pebble Hook-tip by 41%. Swallow- tailed Moth Scalloped Oak Chinese Character Pebble Hook-tip The oddly-shaped Chinese Character looks like a fresh bird dropping when at rest, an understandable deterrent to predators, but looks a much more normal shape when it opens its wings to fly. Crambus pascuella (Inlaid Grass-Veneer) Pyralis farinalis (Meal Moth) Crambus pascuella is one of those tiny moths which flutter round your feet if you walk through grassy vegetation, while Pyralis farinalis is associated with stored foodstuffs – chicken food perhaps? August also has plenty of moths to offer, and this year introduced me to several new ones, including a potentially unwelcome visitor. Cydalima perspectalis (Box-tree Moth) Maiden’s Blush I don’t usually photograph damaged moths (or moths in plastic pots), but I made exceptions of these two, both new to me and when would I see another? (For Box-tree moth the answer was ‘the very next day’ – but it was another rapid fly-away.) The unwelcome visitor is Cydalima perspectalis, the Box-tree Moth. This Asian species was first recorded in the UK in Kent in 2007, possibly arriving among imported plants, since when it has spread far and wide, reaching Cheshire in 2017. Its larvae cause considerable damage to Box, often grown as a hedging or topiary plant. This rather battered insect was one of two in the trap one morning; the other was apparently pristine, but flew off rapidly before I could photograph it. (The Box-tree Moth is classified as a ‘micro’ even though it is quite large and a powerful flyer.) Much more welcome was the Maiden’s Blush – a delightful moth with an equally delightful name. It is a scarce moth in Cheshire – only two were recorded in the county in 2019, 1 in 2018, and 2 in 2017, with scattered records before that. I have heard of a handful of other records this year, so perhaps it will become more common with us. It has certainly spread northwards in the country as a whole, increasing its range by 275% between 1979 and 2016. I’d love to catch a pristine one, but for now this tattered individual will have to do. (Even in this condition it was able to fly off reasonably strongly when I released it.) Pyrausta aurata (Small Purple and Gold or Mint Moth) Pale Prominent Pyrausta aurata (Small Purple and Gold or Mint Moth) is the small dark moth which flies in sunshine around mint, marjoram and other herb plants. The Pale Prominent (photographed here on my neighbour Steve’s part-rotten plum tree) is beautifully camouflaged as a bit of dead wood and always settles well to be photographed. Small Phoenix A common species but not always easy to photo- graph. Sallow A char- acteristic early autumn moth. In September, things begin to quieten down and this September seemed particularly quiet, moth-wise at least. Canary-shouldered Thorn A real autumnal beauty, which lives up to its name. Its abundance decreased by 66% (1970 – 2016). Common Marbled Carpet There are two in this photo; as a predator, which would you spot first? Wet and windy weather, of which we’ve had plenty this year, has made October, November and December a rather thin ‘back end’ for me this year, though there have been some compensations. th Burnished Brass 20 Oct. made this a very late record for this species. Scarce Umber One of several species with flight- less females. Feathered Thorn Feath- ered because of the males’ luxuriant antennae. Green-brindled Crescent December Moth Red-line Quaker Consolidated list of species recorded at the allotments (2019-20) Species No. of times recorded Large Yellow Underwing 46 Heart and Dart 20 Copper Underwing 19 Common Rustic agg. 17 Riband Wave 17 Brimstone Moth 15 Common Footman 15 Common Marbled Carpet 15 Green Carpet 15 Willow Beauty 15 Square-spot Rustic 14 Chrysoteuchia culmella 13 Celypha lacunana 10 Flame Shoulder 10 Flounced Rustic 9 Lesser Yellow Underwing 9 Tachystola acroxantha 9 Bee Moth 8 Buff-tip 8 Crassa unitella 8 Dingy Footman 8 Mottled Beauty 8 Phycita roborella 8 Common Wainscot 7 Dun-bar 7 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 7 Setaceous Hebrew Character 7 Single-dotted Wave 7 Double Square-spot 6 Eudemis profundana 6 Garden Carpet 6 Green Oak Tortrix 6 Shuttle-shaped Dart 6 Silver Y 6 Smoky Wainscot 6 Agriphila geniculea 5 Agriphila tristella 5 Barred Straw 5 Brindled Green 5 Codling Moth 5 Eucosma campoliliana 5 Small Phoenix 5 Uncertain 5 White Ermine 5 Yellow-tail 5 Common Plume 4 Cyclamen Tortrix 4 Dark Arches 4 Flame Carpet 4 November Moth agg. 4 Orange Swift 4 Red-line Quaker 4 Spinach 4 Swallow-tailed Moth 4 Agonopterix arenella 3 Bright-line Brown-eye 3 Brindled Pug 3 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 3 Canary-shouldered Thorn 3 Chinese Character 3 Common Swift 3 Cydia splendana 3 Dark Dagger / Grey Dagger 3 Epiphyas postvittana 3 Eudonia angustea 3 Flame 3 Gold Spot 3 Hebrew Character 3 Hedya pruniana 3 Lunar Underwing 3 Marbled minor agg.