CARMARTHENSHIRE MOTH & BUTTERFLY GROUP NEWSLETTER ISSUE No.10 September 2007 Editor: Jon Baker (County Moth Recorder for VC44 Carms) INTRODUCTION Welcome to the 10 th Newsletter. Another disappointing month of weather, and yet some great moths continue to be found in the county. Towards the end of the month there were minimal signs of a bit of migration from Europe, though the winds were north easterly. A fall of Great Brocades Eurois occulta to parts of England, reached us, with a worn individual deciding to come to light in Llanelli. Just shows that even in the worst of years, there is always hope. In this issue, in addition to the regular highlights of the month there are two major articles – the 3rd part of my look at Pyralid moths in the county, and the write-up of all our combined efforts on National Moth Night 2007. I hope these are of interest to someone. To look out for in the coming month: if you are feeling adventurous and can trap up a mountain somewhere we could still do with photographed records of Grey Chi Antitype chi , Small Autumnal Moth Epirrita filigrammaria or even a Golden-rod Brindle Lithomoia solidaginis . I will continue my long and seemingly pointless quest for scoring Portland Moth Actebia praecox at Pembrey. A far more likely addition to the county list which could turn up anywhere would be Brown-spot Pinion Agrochola litura – though please get a photo for proof. I’m sure September will turn something of note up, so good luck to all. Northern Rustic Standfussiana lucernea HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH All records are mine (JSB) if not noted otherwise. GREAT BROCADE Eurois occulta Photo: Chris Manley 285 Caloptilia azaleella The third county record was of two attracted to MV light on 11 th August in my Carmarthen garden (SN3919). The previous county records were also in my garden, during 2006. 1425 WAX MOTH Galleria mellonella The third county record, on 11 th August at Pwll (SN4601, Ian Morgan). The previous records were also in the Llanelli area, once in 2005 and once in 2006. Has a habit of only appearing on National Moth Night. 1647 BARRED HOOK-TIP Watsonalla cultraria The first record in the county since 1971 – and the first record to be fully documented and accepted through the county recorder. Came to actinic light on NMN, 11 th August at Byrgwm (SN5532, David Groom et al.). Photo appears in the NMN write up, below. Lives on beech Fagus sylvatica . 1753 STRIPED TWIN-SPOT CARPET Nebula salicata Six to light at Palycwrt on Mynydd Du on 2 nd August (SN6718, Ian Morgan). An upland species that is rarely recorded in the county simply due to lack of trapping at the correct altitude. Lives on bedstraws Galium sp . 1964 ANNULET Charissa obscurata Four to light at Palycwrt on Mynydd Du on 2 nd August (SN6718, Ian Morgan). A very local species of coast, heath and upland, there have been just six previous records. Various foodplants. 2 2051 FOUR-SPOTTED FOOTMAN Lithosia quadra Four records of singles, showing an increasing spread of this species to new parts of the county. Singles at Gellywen (SN2723) on 10 th and 11 th August (Lee Walker), and further singles on 11 th August at Pembrey Forest (SN3803, JSB and Lee Walker) and Troserch (SN5503, Colin Jones). The last with an undeveloped wing proving it unlikely to be a migrant. Lives on lichens. 2104 NORTHERN RUSTIC Standfussiana lucernea With just one previous record from 1985, this species was recorded twice this month. The first was a single netted at dusk on the coast at Telpyn Point (SN1807) on 1 st August (JSB, photographed). This only just pipped Ian Morgan to it, as the very next night he got nine to light at Palycwrt, Mynydd Du (SN6718). Also photographed by JSB. Lives on various grasses on rocky coasts and mountains. 2137 GREAT BROCADE Eurois occulta The first county record, caught at Llanelli North Dock (SS4999) on 25 th August by Chris Manley and photographed. Occurred at a time when many were being seen in England, presumably migrants from northern Europe. Photo above. 2300 OLD LADY Mormo maura There had been just 9 previous county record of this lumbering beast that is notorious for not being readily attracted to light. So, four in a month is a very good show. The first was at Gellywen(SN2723) on 9 th August (Lee Walker), then in my Carmarthen garden (SN3919) on 11 th and a third was caught at Gwernogle (SN5234) by David Groom and Faye Sharpley on 25 th . A fourth individual was found dead in a car at Gwernogle on 26 th , but as with all corpses in cars, the record is sadly not worth recording, as origin cannot be proven. 2329 CONFUSED Apamea furva britannica A very tricky little beast to identify, so records need to be properly backed up with photographs. There had been one previous record from 1984 (Rhandirmwyn, SN74, Bernard Skinner). Ian Morgan scored a mint individual at Palycwrt, Mynydd Du (SN6718) on 2 nd August, which I was more than happy to photograph and confirm. CONFUSED Apamea furva britannica 3 2372 WEBB’S WAINSCOT Archanara sparganii Ian Morgan caught one on 11 th August at Bynea (SS5998). He then caught another, on 22 nd at Erw-las, Llwynhendy (SS5399). These are the 10 th and 11 th county records, all from the southeast corner of the county. 2437 GOLDEN PLUSIA Polychrysia moneta This moth has not been seen in the county since 1995. There were just five records, mostly in the early nineties, and with the decline of this species nationally it was feared that it might not be seen again here. But Ian Morgan got rewarded for planting delphiniums in his garden at Pwll (SN4601) with one turning up in his trap on 22 nd August. Photographed by JSB next day. GOLDEN PLUSIA Polychrysia moneta NOTE : re Anania funebris , which I reported about in the 8 th Bulletin (June 2007). Ian Morgan has pointed out that the two sites at which this species has been found are not actually on what I referred to as “the limestone ridge”, but actually on the Millstone grit ridge that runs parallel to it. He comments that goldenrod Solidago virgaurea is most commonly found on both the grit ridge and dry coalfield sites in the county, so it is there that potential colonies of the moth are likely to be discovered. 4 NATIONAL MOTH NIGHT 2007 – RESULTS National Moth Night for 2007 was held on 11 th August. This was the exact same date that it was held back in 2001, which would have made for some interesting comparisons had it not be the case that in 2001 absolutely no recording was made in Carmarthenshire due to driving rain and high winds! Ah well. This year however was a different story, and quite amazingly, given the appalling summer weather, we managed a night with only occasional rain and moderate temperatures. Thanks to a little chivvying and publicity, we managed to get by far the best level of involvement this year, with around 20 people trapping and submitting results. ANALYSIS: Results came from 21 sites, from 20 different 1km squares and from 13 different 10km squares. This is an excellent and wide-ranging set of records. The following people participated in the event: # Micro Macro Total # of 10km sq Traps sp sp sp Macro Observers SN12 1 7 34 41 147 Mel Collier SN22 1 2 47 49 116 Lee Walker SN30 1 25 46 71 105 Jon Baker, Lee Walker SN31 1 21 29 50 78 Jon Baker SN32 1 22 46 68 248 Jon Baker SN40 1 11 30 41 104 Ian Morgan SN50 3* 5 41 46 181 Ian Morgan, Colin Jones SN51 3 13 47 60 252 Russel Hobson & Butterfly Con., Mat Ridley SN53 10 15 90 105 609 Julian Wormald, D&J Bannister, M Lovell & CMG** SN63 1 1 13 14 41 Elizabeth Goodyear SN73 1 0 15 15 36 Elizabeth Goodyear SS49 2 24 42 66 159 Jon Baker, Lee Walker, Chris Manley SS59 3 7 42 49 109 Ian Morgan * Colin Jones also tried sugaring in SN50, attracting a good number of Copper Underwings. ** CMG (Carmarthenshire Moth Group) on this night was: Martin Lovell Faye Sharpley David Groom Arnold Johnson Clare Williams TOTAL NUMBER OF MICRO SPECIES TOTAL NUMBER OF MACRO SPECIES TOTAL NUMBER OF ALL SPECIES 89 164 253 5 The Most Numerous Macros: This table shows the highest totals when all site counts are added together. The exceptional count of Buff Footman in Brechfa Forest helped place them in 2 nd position. # SPECIES: TOTAL: 1 2107 Large Yellow Underwing 258 2 2049 Buff Footman 235 3 2102 Flame Shoulder 139 4 1759 Small Phoenix 112 5 2343.5 Common Rustic. agg 84 6= 1906 Brimstone Moth 57 6= 2033 Black Arches 57 8 2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow U’wing 56 9 1777 July Highflyer 46 10 2198 Smoky Wainscot 39 11 1738 Common Carpet 38 12 2297 Copper Underwing 36 13 2044 Dingy Footman 35 14= 1890 Sharp-angled Peacock 33 14= 2008 Coxcomb Prominent 33 14= 2118 True Lover's Knot 33 The Most Widespread Macros: This table shows the most widely reported species, and the number of 10km squares from which records were received. # Species 10km sqs 1 2107 Large Yellow Underwing 13 2 2111 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow U’wing 12 3= 2102 Flame Shoulder 11 3= 2343.5 Common Rustic. agg 11 3= 1906 Brimstone Moth 11 6= 1759 Small Phoenix 9 6= 2198 Smoky Wainscot 9 6= 2008 Coxcomb Prominent 9 6= 1405 Mother of Pearl 9 10= 1738 Common Carpet 8 10= 2044 Dingy Footman 8 10= 2321 Dark Arches 8 10= 2003 Pebble Prominent 8 10= 1702 Small Fan-footed Wave 8 10= 2289 Knot Grass 8 16= 2049 Buff Footman 7 16= 2297 Copper Underwing 7 16= 1648 Pebble Hook-tip 7 16= 2064 Ruby Tiger 7 16= 1722 Flame Carpet 7 16= 2361 Rosy Rustic 7 6 HIGHLIGHTS: Photo: Martin Lovell Star moth of the night has to be the Barred Hook-tip Watsonalla cultraria that came to David Groom’s actinic trap at Byrgwm in Brechfa Forest (SN5532).