Moths at Hardwick Estate – 1 June 2019

This year’s moth trapping excursion took place on the night of 1^st – 2^nd June at the Hardwick Estate, which runs from the Chiltern chalk escarpment down to the north bank of the Thames east of Whitchurch-on-Thames and west of Mapledurham.  The venue had been suggested by Sandra Parkinson, who lives at nearby Chalkhills (Boze Down), where we have held previous RDNHS moth trapping evenings.  The Hardwick Estate is owned by Sir Julian Rose, a strong advocate of organic farming, who has two organic farmers as tenants.  We were the guests of one of them, Iain Tolhurst, who has three fields on which he grows organic vegetables for sale on site, see http://www.tolhurstorganic.co.uk/.   Two of the fields, known locally as Lower Bec and Upper Knight, lie north and south of the Hardwick Road at the west gates of the estate, which is where Paul Black, Roy Dobson, Ian Esland and myself (Norman Hall) ran our MV mothing lights, either as bare lamps over white sheets or as moth traps. Iain’s other field is a walled garden further east, near Hardwick House.

The other tenant farmer on the estate, James Norman, had given us permission, for which we were very grateful, to go into parts of his land adjacent to Iain’s.  I was able to run one light trap on a field of his, known locally as Bec Tythe which is chalk downland (though the flora improved considerably higher up than my cable could reach) in addition to my two lights in Iain’s field.  Jan & Laurie Haseler put lights in a species rich meadow of James’s known as ‘The Park’, entering at the walled garden.

It was a surprisingly successful night, and very interesting because we had never trapped anywhere remotely similar. In Iain’s two fields at the west gates we recorded 114 species of the larger moths (macrolepidoptera), together with 13 pyralid moths and 18 micros.  Only 2 additional macrolepidoptera, Mouse Moth & Fern, were seen in James’s fields, together with 3 more pyralid moths, a plume moth and 4 more micros, bringng the grand total to 155 species. I consider the number of macrolepidoptera species recorded on a single night to be a good indication of the overall biodiversity of a site and anywhere where more than 100 can be found on a single night (especially early in June before numbers peak) is very good indeed.  [The number of microlepidoptera recorded is less useful because micros are much more difficult to identify, and totals depend much more on the skills and experience of the observers than the numbers actually present.]  The high number of macrolepidoptera recorded may have been exceptional because of the weather conditions, which were ideal.  The temperature had risen to 25°C (in Reading) in the day on June 1^st, was still 17°C at midnight, and then had only come down to 13°C by 06.00 next morning. Conditions the night before and the night after were much less favourable, so we were very lucky.

At least one example of each of the macrolepidoptera species was kept for the benefit of the 8 RDNHS members who came to see and photograph the catch on the Sunday morning. We were also able to show Iain Tolhurst a few of the moths after he had finished some early morning ploughing. Altogether a very successful event. Records of particular interest to me included:

Buttoned Snout (2), which feed on hop, and I see very infrequently.

Netted Pug (3), which I had never seen in Berkshire or Oxfordshire. The larvae feed on Campions (Silene spp.) which are numerous in the ‘beetle banks’ (see below).

Pauper Pug (1), new to me, pointed out and verified by Martin Townsend, who visited us around midnight.

Sandy Carpet (3), where there was a dark example. I had previously only seen pale forms.

Obscure Wainscot (1), a reedbed speciality, always nice to see.

…and a possible Phtheochroa schreibersiana, which will need dissecting to confirm.  This is a Cochylid moth (Torticidae).

High numbers of the following were also of interest:

Grass Rivulet, 139. Normally quite scarce. Jan Haseler thought there could have been thousands in ‘The Park’, judging by the numbers she saw and the considerable area of the field

Small Elephant Hawk Moth, 52 were seen in all, compared with just 1 [Large] Elephant Hawk Moth

Reddish Light Arches, 19 on Lower Bec north side. A local concentration. Others elsewhere but nowhere near as many.

Shears, 26 in Bec Tythe.  Only 6 others elsewhere.

Beetle banks, green manure and hedgerows. Notes on the habitat

Apart from the vegetables in Iain’s fields, there are strips of mixtures of Phacelia tenacetifolia (Boraginaceae) and Crimson Clover Trifolium incarnatum which are used as a ‘green manure’ to plough back into the soil.  There are also ‘beetle banks’, which are not actually banks but strips planted with mixtures of tussock grasses and flowering plants such as Silene spp., Centaurea (Cornflowers) and Aster (Daisies) that encourage beneficial insects and spiders, thus helping to reduce pest numbers. The number of moths caught or seen nectaring near these ‘beetle banks’ was impressive.

Both of Iain’s fields at the estate gates are surrounded by hedges which are either natural species-rich ancient hedges or hedges that that have been augmented by imaginative plantings of native trees such as oak, sallow, maple and alder. Many of the surrounding hedges have been (deliberately) left to grow much higher than is usual. Fields the other side of all these hedges are of species-rich grassland or downland that have been grazed by cows, but not over-grazed.  The east side of the northern field (Lower Bec) is bordered by a high hedge, then a lane (Path Hill), then woodland. In the NE corner, the hedge is lower and there is a gate into James Norman’s field (Bec Tythe) to the north. Near the gate is a flattish area grazed by cows, where the only interesting plant to be seen was Cynoglossum (Hound’s Tongue), but further north the ground rises steeply, becoming too steep for the cows, and here the downland flora is much richer. There is also a tongue of partly ancient woodland on the east side along Path Hill.   The upper slopes at least certainly warrant further study.

Iain’s Walled Garden was, of course, bordered more by walls than by hedges, which is why we thought it best concentrate our attention on his other two fields, so for the time being the potential of the walled garden is untested. The biodiversity of the whole estate warrants further study through moth trapping, if we are encouraged to do so – and can find the time.

Report by Norman Hall

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Pictures by Rob Stallard and Norman Hall

Taxon	English Name	National Status	Number
Korscheltellus lupulina	Common Swift	Common	108
Nemophora degeerella		Common	1
Nematopogon schwarziellus		Common	1
Tinea trinotella		Common	1
Monopis obviella		Common	1
Glyphipterix thrasonella		Common	1
Hofmannophila pseudospretella	Brown House-moth	Common	2
Adaina microdactyla	Hemp-agrimony Plume	Common	1
Archips podana	Large Fruit-tree Tortrix	Common	1
Pandemis cinnamomeana		Common	3
Pandemis cerasana	Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix	Common	1
Syndemis musculana		Common	1
Cnephasia stephensiana		Common	1
Pseudargyrotoza conwagana		Common	25
Phtheochroa schreibersiana		pRDB1	1
Agapeta hamana		Common	1
Aethes smeathmanniana		Common	4
Cochylis atricapitana		Common	1
Hedya pruniana	Plum Tortrix	Common	10
Celypha lacunana		Common	5
Notocelia cynosbatella		Common	4
Notocelia uddmanniana	Bramble Shoot Moth	Common	1
Notocelia trimaculana		Common	3
Lathronympha strigana		Common	1
Aphomia sociella	Bee Moth	Common	1
Nephopterix angustella		Local	1
Assara terebrella		Notable A	1
Homoeosoma sinuella		Common	2
Ephestia unicolorella		Local	1
Anania fuscalis		Local	5
Anania hortulata	Small Magpie	Common	6
Udea olivalis		Common	6
Pleuroptya ruralis	Mother of Pearl	Common	1
Evergestis forficalis	Garden Pebble	Common	2
Scoparia pyralella		Common	9
Eudonia lacustrata		Common	2
Eudonia pallida		Local	6
Crambus lathoniellus		Common	14
Acentria ephemerella	Water Veneer	Common	15
Parapoynx stratiotata	Ringed China-mark	Common	1
Watsonalla binaria	Oak Hook-tip	Common	6
Cilix glaucata	Chinese Character	Common	2
Thyatira batis	Peach Blossom	Common	1
Tethea ocularis	Figure of Eighty	Common	8
Smerinthus ocellata	Eyed Hawk-moth	Common	1
Laothoe populi	Poplar Hawk-moth	Common	4
Sphinx ligustri	Privet Hawk-moth	Common	4
Deilephila elpenor	Elephant Hawk-moth	Common	1
Deilephila porcellus	Small Elephant Hawk-moth	Local	61
Idaea seriata	Small Dusty Wave	Common	2
Idaea trigeminata	Treble Brown Spot	Local	7
Idaea aversata	Riband Wave	Common	1
Timandra comae	Blood-vein	Common	2
Cyclophora annularia	Mocha	Notable B	1
Cyclophora punctaria	Maiden’s Blush	Local	2
Cyclophora linearia	Clay Triple-lines	Local	3
Xanthorhoe fluctuata	Garden Carpet	Common	2
Xanthorhoe spadicearia	Red Twin-spot Carpet	Common	2
Xanthorhoe designata	Flame Carpet	Common	1
Xanthorhoe montanata	Silver-ground Carpet	Common	5
Camptogramma bilineata	Yellow Shell	Common	2
Epirrhoe alternata	Common Carpet	Common	2
Hydriomena impluviata	May Highflier	Common	1
Electrophaes corylata	Broken-barred Carpet	Common	10
Cosmorhoe ocellata	Purple Bar	Common	3
Eustroma reticulata	Netted Carpet	RDB	1
Dysstroma truncata	Common Marbled Carpet	Common	9
Colostygia pectinataria	Green Carpet	Common	15
Horisme vitalbata	Small Waved Umber	Common	3
Horisme tersata	Fern	Common	1
Melanthia procellata	Pretty Chalk Carpet	Common	5
Perizoma albulata	Grass Rivulet	Local	139
Perizoma flavofasciata	Sandy Carpet	Common	3
Pasiphila rectangulata	Green Pug	Common	3
Eupithecia pulchellata	Foxglove Pug	Common	1
Eupithecia venosata	Netted Pug	Local	3
Eupithecia tantillaria	Dwarf Pug	Common	1
Eupithecia egenaria	Pauper Pug	RDB	1
Eupithecia centaureata	Lime-speck Pug	Common	1
Eupithecia assimilata	Currant Pug	Common	1
Eupithecia vulgata	Common Pug	Common	1
Eupithecia exiguata	Mottled Pug	Common	10
Eupithecia subumbrata	Shaded Pug	Local	3
Eupithecia subfuscata	Grey Pug	Common	2
Pterapherapteryx sexalata	Small Seraphim	Local	4
Lomaspilis marginata	Clouded Border	Common	2
Ligdia adustata	Scorched Carpet	Local	7
Macaria alternata	Sharp-angled Peacock	Local	1
Macaria liturata	Tawny-barred Angle	Common	2
Petrophora chlorosata	Brown Silver-line	Common	5
Plagodis dolabraria	Scorched Wing	Local	6
Opisthograptis luteolata	Brimstone Moth	Common	16
Odontopera bidentata	Scalloped Hazel	Common	1
Biston betularia	Peppered Moth	Common	3
Menophra abruptaria	Waved Umber	Common	2
Peribatodes rhomboidaria	Willow Beauty	Common	10
Alcis repandata	Mottled Beauty	Common	1
Cabera pusaria	Common White Wave	Common	2
Lomographa bimaculata	White-pinion Spotted	Common	2
Lomographa temerata	Clouded Silver	Common	22
Campaea margaritaria	Light Emerald	Common	29
Drymonia dodonaea	Marbled Brown	Common	2
Notodonta ziczac	Pebble Prominent	Common	1
Pterostoma palpina	Pale Prominent	Common	6
Ptilodon capucina	Coxcomb Prominent	Common	1
Phalera bucephala	Buff-tip	Common	7
Rivula sericealis	Straw Dot	Common	29
Hypena proboscidalis	Snout	Common	7
Hypena rostralis	Buttoned Snout	Notable B	3
Calliteara pudibunda	Pale Tussock	Common	18
Spilosoma lutea	Buff Ermine	Common	8
Spilosoma lubricipeda	White Ermine	Common	36
Callimorpha dominula	Scarlet Tiger	Local	2
Tyria jacobaeae	Cinnabar	Common	6
Eilema sororcula	Orange Footman	Local	6
Euclidia mi	Mother Shipton	Common	1
Abrostola tripartita	Spectacle	Common	1
Diachrysia chrysitis	Burnished Brass	Common	6
Autographa gamma	Silver Y	Immigrant	2
Autographa pulchrina	Beautiful Golden Y	Common	1
Plusia festucae	Gold Spot	Common	2
Colocasia coryli	Nut-tree Tussock	Common	1
Acronicta alni	Alder Moth	Local	1
Acronicta rumicis	Knot Grass	Common	2
Craniophora ligustri	Coronet	Local	3
Cucullia umbratica	Shark	Common	1
Amphipyra tragopoginis	Mouse Moth	Common	1
Caradrina morpheus	Mottled Rustic	Common	1
Hoplodrina ambigua	Vine’s Rustic	Common	6
Charanyca trigrammica	Treble Lines	Common	311
Rusina ferruginea	Brown Rustic	Common	1
Apamea remissa	Dusky Brocade	Common	1
Apamea epomidion	Clouded Brindle	Common	1
Apamea anceps	Large Nutmeg	Local	1
Apamea sordens	Rustic Shoulder-knot	Common	17
Apamea monoglypha	Dark Arches	Common	38
Apamea sublustris	Reddish Light Arches	Local	37
Oligia strigilis agg.	Marbled Minor agg		84
Oligia fasciuncula	Middle-barred Minor	Common	93
Lacanobia w-latinum	Light Brocade	Local	16
Lacanobia oleracea	Bright-line Brown-eye	Common	2
Hada plebeja	Shears	Common	34
Mythimna pallens	Common Wainscot	Common	47
Mythimna albipuncta	White-point	Immigrant, recent colonist	24
Leucania comma	Shoulder-striped Wainscot	Common	15
Leucania obsoleta	Obscure Wainscot	Local	1
Agrotis exclamationis	Heart & Dart	Common	115
Agrotis segetum	Turnip Moth	Common	10
Agrotis puta	Shuttle-shaped Dart	Common	7
Ochropleura plecta	Flame Shoulder	Common	23
Diarsia mendica	Ingrailed Clay	Common	11
Noctua pronuba	Large Yellow Underwing	Common	3
Xestia c-nigrum	Setaceous Hebrew Character	Common	36
Nola confusalis	Least Black Arches	Local	3
Pseudoips prasinana	Green Silver-lines	Common	1