& BUTTERFLY GROUP NEWSLETTER

Newsletter No 27

Spring 2021

Editor: Ian Morgan

INTRODUCTION

My apologies for the slightly late appearance of this newsletter which normally appears in late March, ready to try to enthuse our local recorders to dust down their traps and `get into action`. I note (on the blog for example) that several of you have already started trapping and have actually made some interesting records well done. The newsletter follows the usual format with Sam Bosanquet contributing the micro-moth and migrant summaries, with my macro-moth review appearing afterwards. May I wish you all good luck for 2021, in terms of health as well as generally, given the difficult covid-19 year that we have all had to deal with. Good luck too - of course! - with regard to your moth recording and I`m looking forward to do a little more non-local daytime mothing in 2021, though my nocturnal trapping effort may well diminish due to other commitments. I thank Sam for all the good work that he puts into the recording of in Carmarthenshire and also for his help with identification matters. I`m sure too that many of us will want to express our gratitude to George Tordoff for his identification advice and I thank various people (see credits) for use of their photos.

MICRO-MOTH HIGHLIGHTS OF 2020 Sam Bosanquet

2020 was another excellent year for Micro recording in Carmarthenshire, with 3792 records exceeding the 3615 made in 2019. This is remarkable given how much Covid lockdowns prevented diurnal moth recording, but both Stephen Ruttle and me being locked-down in restricted movements during that period. 99 with fewer than 15 previous Carmarthenshire records were seen during the year, which is substantially lower than the tally for 2019. 48 records), Cnwc-y-llwyn, Brechfa (47), Brechfa Forest (21), Denham Avenue, (11), Garnant (6) and Maenol (6).

New Micros recorded during 2020 are: mines of Ectoedemia sericopeza on Norway Maple at Penallt, Llanelli on 19th June (Ian Morgan); Ochsenheimeria taurella in a house near on 7th August (Paul Tabor per Paul Parsons); mines of Phyllocnistis citrella on tangerine leaves in Morrisons, Llanelli on 2nd February (IM); mines of Phyllonorycter platani at five sites in Llanelli in October (IM); Choreutis pariana at Gors Road, on 26th August (Adam Dare); Phaulernis fulviguttella by day in Brechfa Forest on 30th August (Sam Bosanquet); cases of trochilella on at Bynea and Penygaer on 9th May (IM); pedella tapped from at Ashpits Pond on 7th July (IM); Bactra lacteana at Graig, Halfway on 13th August (Stephen Ruttle gen. det. Norman Lowe); Phiaris micana at Graig, Halfway on 15th July (SR); Epinotia nanana at Graig, Halfway on 25th May (SR); argyrana tapped from at Cnwc-y-llwyn, Brechfa on 20th April (SB); and repandana at Graig, Halfway on 25th June (SR). 13 additions in 2020 is an improvement on both 11 in 2019 and 9 in 2018. Some of these are likely to be overlooked residents, some are spreading in Britain including Phyllonorycter platani and Epinotia nanana, and Phyllocnistis citrella is an import with food.

Above: mines of Ectoedemia sericopeza at Penallt and Phyllocnistis citrella in a Llanelli supermarket (IM)

Above: Choreutis pariana at Burry Port (AD) and Phaulernis fulvigutella in Brechfa Forest (SB)

Above: Stathmopoda pedella at Ashpits Pond (IM) and Phiaris micana at Graig (SR)

Above: Pammene argyrana at Cnwc-y-llwyn and Acrobasis repandana at Graig (SR). Ten species that had just a single previous Carmarthenshire record were recorded during the year Ectoedemia louisella and Antispila metallella. Another tricky leaf miner, Eriocrania cicatricella, was netted as an adult by SB in Zelleria hepariella was caught at Graig by SR, the second Oegoconia quadripuncta was in Llanelli (IM), whilst the second Nephopterix angustella appeared at Godrecynnen Barn (Belinda Jackson). Mel Jones had a remarkable run of Ypsolopha vittella at Llansteffen on four July nights, and Stenolechia gemmella and Apotomis capreana both made appearances at two sites.

Above: Oegoconia quadripuncta in Llanelli (IM) and Nephopterix angustella at Godrecynnen Barn (BJ).

Seven species managed their 3rd Carmarthenshire records: Depressaria ultimella and Teleiopsis diffinis at Graig (SR), Argyresthia semifusca and Mompha conturbatella at Cnwc-y-llwyn (SB), a Trifurcula immundella tapped from broom near Llanllawddog (SB), a striking Nemapogon wolffiella at Godrecynnen Barn (BJ), and a pretty Cochylis roseana at Machynys (Colin Jones).

Above: Mompha conturbatella at Cnwc-y-llwyn (SB) and Nemapogon wolffiella at Godrecynnen Barn (BJ).

Among the species found fewer than five times previously were six that had multiple records in 2020: Incurvaria praelatella was found twice and Epinotia pygmaeana three times in Brechfa Forest (SB), mines of Phyllocnistis unipunctella were noted in two localities in the Llanelli area (IM), Ephestia unicolorella (parasitella) appeared twice at Graig (SR) and once in Brechfa (SB), Ancylis diminutana visited Graig twice (SR), and Argyresthia trifasciata amassed eight records of which seven came from Graig. All of these species are clearly established in Carmarthenshire. Opostega salaciella, Ypsolopha alpella, Piniphila bifasciana and Pammene germmana were all noted at Graig (SR) during the year, whilst Swammerdamia caesiella and Hysterophora maculosana were recorded in the Brechfa area (SB). The Bryotropha senectella caught at Abernaint by Arfon Williams was confirmed from photographs as the fourth county record.

Above: larva of Phyllocnistis unipunctella near Llanelli (IM) and Hysterophora maculosana near Brechfa (SB).

Among the other notable Micro species recorded during the year were the 6th county record of Caloptilia azaleella, at Garnant (Lizzie Wilberforce), the 7th Lampronia luzella at Cnwc- y-llwyn (SB), 4 records of Coleophora argentula in the Llanelli-Burry Port area (IM), the 7th Spuleria flavicaput at Godrecynnen Barn (BJ), the 7th Evergestis pallidata at Graig (SR), the 8th Caryocolum blandella at Rhandirmwyn (Jane Hand) and the 9th Phallonidia manniana at Glan yr Afon LNR (Ieuan Blackmore). Galleria melonella were noted at Garnant (LW) and in a hive at Maestwynog (Jo Horsley).

Above: Caloptilia azaleella at Garnant (LW) and larval cases of Coleophora argentula (IM).

MIGRANT IN VC44 IN 2020 Sam Bosanquet

There were a few spells of warm southerly airflows during the year which brought in some influxes of common migrants, but not really the riches seen further south and east in Britain. Migrant highligh Bedstraw Hawk-moth, whilst 2 Palpita vitrealis and 3 delicate were also particularly notable.

81 records of Plutella xylostella, between early April and late August, with a distinct influx in late June that included 22 at Graig, Halfway on 25/6; 20 records of Udea ferrugalis, between June and November, especially in August; no records of Nomophila noctuella, which is astonishing; 1 Palpita vitrealis at Mullach Mor, Llansteffan on 20th August and 1 Palpita vitrealis at Graig, Halfway on 24th August (the 8th and 9th county records); 7 records of vestal 1 at Rhandirmwyn on 1st August, 1 near Brechfa on 11th August, 1 in Burry Port on 12th August, 2 at Graig, Halfway on 13th August, 2 at Llansteffan on 15th September, 1 at Godrecynnen Barn on 16th September and 2 in Llanelli on 21st September the fourth best year, but far from the maximum of 25 in 2006; 1 gem at Graig, Halfway on 22nd October (32nd record); 20 records of humming-bird hawk-moth between late June and mid September, with an additional early photographic record (from Twitter) on 25th March; 1 convolvulus hawk-moth found dead on the strandline at Pembrey by Jordan Thomas on 27th September (32nd record); 1 bedstraw hawk-moth at Penrhiwcarnau on 14th August (first county record); -head hawk-moth; 17 records of four-spotted footman, now believed to be resident here; 54 records of dark sword-grass, which is back to a good tally again; 3 records of delicate at Graig, Halfway on 26th, 27th and 29th August (15th to 17th county records) no white-speck or white-point; 1 record of l-album wainscot, from Llansteffan, which is believed to be resident on the VC44 coast; 1 record of small mottled willow at Graig, Halfway on 13th July (28th record); 1 record of scarce bordered straw at Graig, Halfway on 22nd September (39th record); no bordered straw for the third year running; 200 records of silver-y, which is a good total.

Above: Palpita vitrealis at Llansteffan (Dai Stacey) and Gem at Graig (SR).

Above: Delicate and Scarce Bordered Straw at Graig (SR).

Above: Bedstraw Hawkmoth at Penrhiwcarnau (Laura Moss). MACRO-MOTH HIGHLIGHTS OF 2020 - Ian Morgan