We are grateful to Sandra Parkinson for welcoming the Society back to Chalkhills, Whitchurch on Thames, for a very successful mothing night on Saturday 7th August. The site consists of a superb steep south-facing hillside of high-quality chalk grassland (the Local Wildlife Site = LWS) and a grassy valley with woods on either side which runs up east of this from the road at the site of a former vineyard, starting northwards but curving round to the west. .Organiser Norman Hall arrived early and with Sandra’s help set up 4 lights, 2 at the LWS (SU64037785) and 2 half way up the valley, just below the woods on the east side. Lower down the valley, Jan Haseler set up a light over a sheet and a Skinner trap, also adjacent to the woods on the east side. Ricki Bull set up her trap just inside the southern end of the woods, above the vineyard field.
The commonest moth in the valley was, surprisingly, the Straw Underwing and the distinctive little Lime-speck Pug was also present in good numbers. Highlights of Jan’s trap included an August Thorn, a Magpie Moth and a number of Chalk Carpets. Oncocera semirubella, a distinctive pyralid moth and a relative newcomer to VC23, was seen at the Skinner trap, and ultimately 4 examples were recorded in all in the valley. Other visitors included a Dor Beetle and Pipistrelle bats. Hornets were less welcome, and Martin Sell was unfortunate to be stung on his bad ankle. He noted afterwards that he had not tucked his socks into his trousers – members will be advised to do this another time, especially as it also reduces the chances of picking up ticks or harvest mites. Ricki’s trap proved to be very sheltered and a good place for carpets, including Royal Mantle, Pretty Chalk Carpet and Chalk Carpet. Sitochroa palealis, another distinctive pyralid moth, was also recorded here. Norman’s lights in mid-valley produced fewer interesting species, but they were left running overnight and so picked up many more noctuids, including several characteristic autumnal species not seen elsewhere.
The lights at the LWS (also run overnight) were unexpectedly productive. Norman was astonished to find a total of 36 Chalk Carpets in the 2 Robinson traps in the morning. This is a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species that is said to be uncommon! There were also 45 Mecyna flavalis, a yellow pyralid moth that was seemingly very rare in Berkshire/Oxfordshire a few years ago, but is experiencing resurgence. Also, many more ‘prominents’ were seen here than in the valley, including Maple Prominent. However, despite the differences in the composition of the catches, the total number of species of macrolepidoptera recorded in the valley and at the LWS were virtually the same.
The evening was attended by 10 RDNHS members plus 5 from the Whitchurch-on-Thames Habitat Study Group. Another 4 came at 09:00 next morning to see selected specimens which had been kept to show them. It was a very enjoyable and interesting event.
|
Bradley |
Species |
English Name |
Total |
| 0015 | Hepialus sylvina | Orange Swift |
2 |
| 0169 | Zygaena filipendulae | Six Spot Burnet |
1 |
| 0366A | Cameraria ohridella |
1 |
|
| 0411 | Argyresthia goedartella |
1 |
|
| 0424 | Yponomeuta evonymella | Bird-cherry Ermine |
1 |
| 0438 | Swammerdamia pyrella |
1 |
|
| 0455 | Ypsolopha scabrella |
1 |
|
| 0460 | Ypsolopha parenthesella |
1 |
|
| 0530 | Coleophora lixella |
1 |
|
| 0658 | Carcina quercana |
2 |
|
| 0698 | Agonopterix kaekeritziana |
1 |
|
| 0873 | Blastobasis adustella |
6 |
|
| 0874 | Blastobasis lacticolella |
1 |
|
| 0936 | Cochylimorpha straminea |
1 |
|
| 0937 | Agapeta hamana |
11 |
|
| 0938 | Agapeta zoegana |
5 |
|
| 0969 | Pandemis corylana | Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix |
2 |
| 0987 | Ptycholomoides aeriferanus |
1 |
|
| 1011 | Pseudargyrotoza conwagana |
1 |
|
| 1043 | Acleris aspersana |
1 |
|
| 1076 | Celypha lacunana |
3 |
|
| 1210 | Rhyacionia buoliana | Pine Shoot Moth |
1 |
| 1219 | Lathronympha strigana |
3 |
|
| 1233 | Pammene aurita |
1 |
|
| 1259 | Cydia fagiglandana |
1 |
|
| 1260 | Cydia splendana |
1 |
|
| 1293 | Chrysoteuchia culmella |
2 |
|
| 1304 | Agriphila straminella |
39 |
|
| 1305 | Agriphila tristella |
15 |
|
| 1313 | Catoptria pinella |
1 |
|
| 1331 | Acentria ephemerella | Water Veneer |
32 |
| 1344 | Eudonia mercurella |
1 |
|
| 1356 | Evergestis forficalis | Garden Pebble |
4 |
| 1361 | Pyrausta aurata | Mint Moth |
8 |
| 1366 | Pyrausta nigrata |
6 |
|
| 1370 | Sitochroa palealis |
1 |
|
| 1396 | Mecyna flavalis |
45 |
|
| 1405 | Pleuroptya ruralis | Mother of Pearl |
20 |
| 1424 | Endotricha flammealis |
3 |
|
| 1439 | Trachycera advenella |
3 |
|
| 1441 | Oncocera semirubella |
5 |
|
| 1452 | Phycita roborella |
3 |
|
| 1524 | Emmelina monodactyla |
1 |
|
| 1648 | Drepana falcataria | Pebble Hook-tip |
1 |
| 1680 | Cyclophora punctaria | Maidens Blush |
1 |
| 1702 | Idaea biselata | Small Fan-footed Wave |
1 |
| 1708 | Idaea dimidiata | Single-dotted Wave |
3 |
| 1713 | Idaea aversata | Riband Wave |
11 |
| 1724x | Xanthorhoe spadicearia or ferrugata | Twin-spot Carpet agg |
1 |
| 1728 | Xanthorhoe fluctuata | Garden Carpet |
3 |
| 1731 | Scotopteryx bipunctaria | Chalk Carpet |
50 |
| 1732 | Scotopteryx chenopodiata | Shaded Broad-bar |
3 |
| 1736 | Catarhoe cuculata | Royal Mantle |
1 |
| 1738 | Epirrhoe alternata | Common Carpet |
4 |
| 1742 | Camptogramma bilineata | Yellow Shell |
2 |
| 1781 | Horisme vitalbata | Small Waved Umber |
2 |
| 1784 | Melanthia procellata | Pretty Chalk Carpet |
1 |
| 1825 | Eupithecia centaureata | Lime-speck Pug |
17 |
| 1867 | Aplocera plagiata | Treble-bar |
5 |
| 1884 | Abraxas grossulariata | The Magpie |
1 |
| 1888 | Ligdia adustata | Scorched Carpet |
1 |
| 1906 | Opisthograptis luteolata | Brimstone Moth |
4 |
| 1912 | Ennomos quercinaria | August Thorn |
3 |
| 1915 | Ennomos erosaria | September Thorn |
1 |
| 1921 | Crocallis elinguaria | Scalloped Oak |
4 |
| 1931 | Biston betularia | Peppered Moth |
1 |
| 1937 | Peribatodes rhomboidaria | Willow Beauty |
8 |
| 1981 | Laothoe populi | Poplar Hawk-moth |
2 |
| 1997 | Furcula furcula | Sallow Kitten |
1 |
| 2000 | Notodonta dromedarius | Iron Prominent |
4 |
| 2003 | Notodonta ziczac | Pebble Prominent |
3 |
| 2006 | Pheosia gnoma | Lesser Swallow Prominent |
2 |
| 2007 | Pheosia tremula | Swallow Prominent |
2 |
| 2009 | Ptilodon cucullina | Maple Prominent |
1 |
| 2011 | Pterostoma palpina | Pale Prominent |
1 |
| 2030 | Euproctis similis | Yellow-tail |
2 |
| 2033 | Lymantria monacha | Black Arches |
8 |
| 2044 | Eilema griseola | Dingy Footman |
6 |
| 2047 | Eilema complana | Scarce Footman |
2 |
| 2049 | Eilema depressa | Buff Footman |
1 |
| 2050 | Eilema lurideola | Common Footman |
2 |
| 2064 | Phragmatobia fuliginosa | Ruby Tiger |
3 |
| 2087 | Agrotis segetum | Turnip Moth |
7 |
| 2091 | Agrotis ipsilon | Dark Sword-grass |
1 |
| 2092 | Agrotis puta | Shuttle-shaped Dart |
15 |
| 2102 | Ochropleura plecta | Flame Shoulder |
10 |
| 2107 | Noctua pronuba | Large Yellow Underwing |
33 |
| 2109 | Noctua comes | Lesser Yellow Underwing |
1 |
| 2110 | Noctua fimbriata | Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing |
5 |
| 2111 | Noctua janthe | Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing |
30 |
| 2126 | Xestia c-nigrum | Setaceous Hebrew Character |
75 |
| 2128 | Xestia triangulum | Double Square Spot |
0 |
| 2131 | Xestia rhomboidea | Square-spotted Clay |
4 |
| 2133 | Xestia sexstrigata | Six-striped Rustic |
1 |
| 2134 | Xestia xanthographa | Square-spot Rustic |
2 |
| 2154 | Mamestra brassicae | Cabbage Moth |
1 |
| 2194 | Mythimna albipuncta | White-point |
3 |
| 2198 | Mythimna impura | Smoky Wainscot |
1 |
| 2199 | Mythimna pallens | Common Wainscot |
12 |
| 2297x | Amphipyra pyramidea or berbera | Copper Underwing agg |
6 |
| 2299 | Amphipyra tragopoginis | Mouse Moth |
2 |
| 2303 | Thalpophila matura | Straw Underwing |
118 |
| 2316 | Cosmia affinis | Lesser-spotted Pinion |
1 |
| 2318 | Cosmia trapezina | The Dun-bar |
24 |
| 2321 | Apamea monoglypha | Dark Arches |
24 |
| 2341 | Mesoligia furuncula | Cloaked Minor |
13 |
| 2342 | Mesoligia literosa | Rosy Minor |
1 |
| 2343x | Mesapamea secalis or secalella | Common Rustic agg |
54 |
| 2360 | Amphipoea oculea | Ear Moth |
2 |
| 2361 | Hydraecia micacea | Rosy Rustic |
1 |
| 2382 | Hoplodrina blanda | The Rustic |
5 |
| 2384 | Hoplodrina ambigua | Vines Rustic |
11 |
| 2423 | Nycteola revayana | Oak Nycteoline |
1 |
| 2425 | Colocasia coryli | Nut-tree Tussock |
6 |
| 2441 | Autographa gamma | Silver Y |
2 |
| 2450 | Abrostola tripartita | The Spectacle |
2 |
| 2474 | Rivula sericealis | Straw Dot |
2 |
List compiled by Norman Hall