Cornwall Moth Group Newsletter No.3 - November 2003 Welcome to our third newsletter. It's been a busy year for the moth group, with lots of surveys and events. Of course the year's not even over yet. There are still a few brave moths about, and it is possible to record in every month throughout the year so don't put your traps away for the winter - who knows what you might be in your box for Christmas! Jayne Herbert (Webmaster and newsletter editor) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Assistant County Recorders Report What an eventful year so far with Humming-bird Hawk moths and Convolvulus Hawks 'coming out of our ears' so to speak! I have been amazed at the different forms of the larvae of the Convolvulus Hawk that have been reported to me. Some examples are shown below along with a report from Brian Laney a copy of which follows – many thanks Brian, for your detailed observations: Convolvulus Hawk-moth larva Red Underwing - Catocala nupta (Linn.) Earias clorana (Cream–bordered Green Trevose Head 21/9/03 © D. Julian Maenporth 20/9/2003 © G. Davis Pea) larva 26/9 ex female taken at mv 21/8/ 2003 Carlyon Bay © P.H. Boggis Convolvulus Hawk-moth larva Mullein moth larva - Cucullia verbasci Clifden Nonpareil St. Mary’s, IOS Torpoint 8/10/2003 © Alan Pease (Linn.) Penhale 28/6/2003. 11/9/2003 © M. Scott by kind permission Pale Tussock larva – Calliteara Convolvulus Hawk-moth larva Cosmopolitan – Mythimna loreyi pudibunda. Sandways nr Calstock. (Duponchel) (right) Mylor Churchtown Portmellon 21/8/2003 © P.H.Boggis 28/9/2003 © Ollie Richings 15/9/2003 © P. H. Boggis Death’s-head Hawk-moth - Acherontia Convolvulus Hawk-moth larva Earias clorana (Cream–bordered Green atropos (Linn.) Quoit 2/10/2003 © P.H.Boggis Pea) Cocoon 26/9 ex female taken at mv 21/8/ 2003 Carlyon Bay © P.H. Boggis Sennen 12/10/2003 © S. Park Website www.cornwallmothgroup.org.uk Sat 11th Oct 2003 one. Black frass exited from the entrance hole reveals Marazion One fully grown green form back of the presence of this larva which can be found from Hollyfield car park SW 513 308. September to July. One fully grown brown form just at back of beach at Porthcurno Cove SW 387 223. On the subject of larvae I think it is worth mentioning, Two small larvae, one green and one brown form on simply because of its startling appearance, the larva of rough border at back of Harbour car park, Sennen SW the Mullein moth - Cucullia verbasci (Linn.). The 349 2621/2. one in picture 6 was found feeding with others on One half grown larvae , brown form crossing path Great Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) at the edge of a above Sennen Cove at roughly SW 357 264. field adjacent to Penhale Sands on the 28th June 2003. Two fully grown larvae, one green and one brown form on side of minor road coming into Sennen at roughly Ollie Richings from Sandways near Calstock sent in SW 355 2621/2. a picture (7) of the larva of the Pale Tussock - One small brown form on side of A30 just outside Calliteara pudibunda (Linn.). It had a pink 'tail', as he Land's End at SW 349 250. describes – see photograph. The anal tufts of hair form One small green form in hedge where you pay for car the ‘tail’ that can vary in colour from that described park ticket at Porthgwarra at SW 370 2181/2. here to a dark purplish brown or even black as also the One nearly fully grown brown form larvae on verge of other tufts and hairs. Note how the caterpillar reveals a lane, Porthgwarra at roughly SW 370 218. black ring between the fourth and seventh segments One very young green larvae on headland at when curled. The segments on this caterpillar also had Porthgwarra at roughly SW 373 2171/2. yellow tufts of bristles dorsally. Sun 12th Oct 2003 I have had the pleasure along with John Gregory of Two fully grown brown larvae on side of lane at Praa breeding through the Cream - bordered Green Pea Sands at roughly SW 580 281/2 and also at roughly (Earias clorana). The eggs were laid on the 27th SW 582 279. August from an adult captured at Carlyon Bay on the Seven larvae, mainly fully grown of brown and green 21st August. The larvae spun up on the 26th of forms found either side of track in Nanquidno Valley September and from the cocoons adults hatched on at roughly SW 361 293. the 17th October. I can see why in the wild, there are One fully grown green form on roadside in Nanquidno often two generations a year! From the picture (9), Valley at roughly SW 365 2921/2. note how the caterpillar pulls its head into the top half of its body forming a kind of ‘hood’. The following is Although not rare in this country generally, one of the taken from both mine and John Gregory's highlights for me this year was George Davis's record observations. at Meanporth on the 20th September of the Red The eggs were laid singularly and in small clumps on Underwing - Catocala nupta (Linn.) (see photograph netting provided for the purpose. They hatched within 5) – always a favourite of mine. This moth was also five to seven days being kept at a constant reported from Cury by Frank Johns and Dave Allan at temperature of 68 deg. Fahrenheit. During the first Torpoint on the 29th September 2003 All, I believe couple of instars, the caterpillars browsed on the would be migrants. underside of the leaves of its food-plant (young shoots of Common Sallow – Salix cinerea). The leaves were One or two envious holiday makers, their faces not skeletonized. The caterpillars soon preferred to decidedly turning 'green' when I mentioned three, spin together two leaves whereupon they proceeded to Striped Hawk-moths in one trap earlier last year (ref. feed from within. This was their feeding habit until Jayne Herbert), have spent a memorable summer pupation. The tough buff cocoons were spun on the holiday here in Cornwall with us. Moths like the stalks of the food-plant. See photo 8. Marbled Green - Cryphia muralis (Forster) and Black Banded - (Polymixis xanthomista (Hüb.) are I have just received some very exciting finds from the quite common here but absent or uncommon Scilly Isles. Mick and Sonia Scott e-mailed me a elsewhere in Britain. photo (10) and record of the Clifden Nonpareil - Catocala fraxini (Linn.) taken from a wall above a Nephopterix angustella (Hüb.) turned up at Bodelva 15watt actinic trap at the Longstone Heritage Centre, near St. Austell. This moth, part of a partial second St Mary’s on the 11th September 2003 at 22.00 to be generation, was reported by John Gregory on the 16th precise. Mick says that the frayed wings were due to and 17th September. It made its first appearance at the moth’s habit of energetically flapping them whilst Portmellon on the 15th July after well over a hundred feeding from sugar. Another moth recorded, a first for years absence. Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is Ethmia bipunctella (Fab.). It is a sporadic migrant and localised colonist A first for Cornwall, also reported from Portmellon, feeding on viper’s bugloss (Echium vulgare) and other was Euzophera pinguis (Haw.). The larvae feed in Boraginaceae. This moth is another that is found in S. colonies under the living bark of ash (Fraxinus Devon and on the Isles of Scilly but not in Cornwall as excelsior), forming galleries. The larvae may even kill yet! the tree whereupon the colony will move to a fresh Website www.cornwallmothgroup.org.uk Page 2 In the CMG September update I mentioned no records CMG Web site of the Cosmopolitan – Mythimna loreyi (Duponchel). This was rectified the other day when Our web site has recently been redesigned with a few John Cooke sent me a specimen for setting. A photo new features added including some photographs that of it (11) and a Feathered Brindle – Aporophyla anyone can copy and use for their own non- australis pascuea (Humph. & Westwood) is shown commercial projects. taken in my relaxing pot. The Cosmopolitan is on the Numbers of visitors to the site are increasing steadily right. and we have already had people buying books on-line through the new book section. A number of records are now coming in of the Death’s-head Hawk-moth – Acherontia atropos Don't forget to visit our site and tell your friends about (Linn.). One from an article in the Cornishman where it. Richard Sadler has been asking for sightings which he will be collating, the other from Keith Clarkson who was on holiday and lives in Sheffield. He found this New Field Guide moth (photo 12) on the outside of his 8 watt Heath trap at Seaview Caravan Park, Sennen on the 12th The long awaited Field Guide to the Moths October 2003. It was too big to enter the trap! of Great Britain and Ireland by Paul Waring, Martin Townsend and illustrated I have just received a confirmed record of the by Richard Lewington is now available. It Crimson Speckled – Utetheisa pulchella (Linn.) was well worth the wait. found by John Yarnold at St Buryan between the 23rd and the 26th Sept. 2003; more news about this in our It probably won’t ever replace Skinners but it is very next article. user friendly and a lot less daunting for the beginner. Finally, may I take this opportunity to thank you all for You can buy this book on-line through our affiliate sending me your records it has certainly been a membership with Amazon or directly from British superlative year so far! John Cooke has kindly Wildlife Publishing.