Moths at Withymead – 18 July 2020

On Saturday 18 July, the annual mothing night was held, with kind permission of wardens Pete Morton and Jade van der Merve, at Withymead Nature Reserve, on the east bank of the Thames to the north of Goring. Norman Hall and Paul Black set up traps around the reserve and stayed overnight. Next morning, a number of members came to view the catch. The trappers arrived well before dusk and Pete showed them round the reserve. Norman set up two lights over sheets and a trap in the orchard, the section of the reserve between the bridleway and the railway line. When heavy rain set in at 01:30, he swapped one of the lights over sheets for a second trap. Paul set up his traps on the main part of the reserve. He had a light over a sheet and a trap on the boardwalk next to extensive reed beds, with the trap next to an area with abundant flowers of Yellow Loosestrife. His second trap was in adjoining area of woodland, next to a big oak, in an area with a ground cover of Red Currant. One of the target species here was the Spinach, a moth whose caterpillars feed on currant bushes and whose numbers are in serious decline, but regrettably, no Spinach moths put in an appearance. As darkness fell, one of the first moths to come to the woodland trap was an enormous female Drinker and dark red Ruby Tigers also put in an early appearance. Over in the orchard, Large Twin-spot Carpet was an early arrival on one of the sheets. Next morning, it started to get light before 5am. Light rain was still falling and the sheets and egg boxes were sodden, but the traps were unharmed.

In total, 141 species of moth were taken, comprising 108 macro-moths, 15 pyralid moths and 18 micro-moths. This was an impressive total, which perhaps might have been even higher without the overnight rain. One of the rarest moths of the night was a single specimen of the nationally scarce Striped Lychnis which was taken at one of Norman’s lights. In daylight next morning, a Striped Lychnis caterpillar was found feeding on the seed head of a Dark Mullein plant nearby. Another good find was the nationally scarce Dotted Fan-foot. Two specimens were taken by Paul at his reedbed lights. Other interesting wetland moths included Fen and Brown-veined Wainscot and Balsam Carpet. Caterpillars of the nationally scarce Waved Black feed on fungi on rotting trees, particularly in damp or boggy woodland. Norman took a particularly dark specimen, probably a female, of Small Scallop. One specimen of each species was potted up and kept back for inspection by members on Sunday morning. They were able to compare similar species, such as Common, Scarce, Buff, Dingy and Rosy Footman, and Early, Purple, Dusky, August and September Thorn. A particular favourite by-catch was a Great Diving Beetle Dytiscus marginalis, which walked rapidly away when released.

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Pictures by Fiona Brown

Moths recorded at Withymead Nature Reserve on the night of 18-19 July 2020

Norman Hall: 2 sheets + 1 trap until 01.30 when still dry , 1 sheet + 2 traps overnight (when wet), orchard & railway side of lane, SU 601827, VC23

Paul Black: 1 sheet attented throughout, marsh & wood side of lane, SU600828, VC23. 1 trap wood, 1 trap marsh

141 species recorded: 18 microlepidoptera species, 15 pyralid moths, 108 macrolepidoptera species

Agassiz	Taxon	VERNACULAR	National Status	Count
15.089	Cameraria ohridella		Common	0
16.002x	Yponomeuta padella agg.	Apple Ermine agg		1
20.012	Argyresthia goedartella		Common	8
28.014	Crassa unitella		Common	2
32.015	Agonopterix subpropinquella		Common	1
40.004	Mompha propinquella		Local	1
49.004	Ditula angustiorana	Red-barred Tortrix	Common	8
49.025	Pandemis cerasana	Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix	Common	1
49.062	Acleris forsskaleana		Common	1
49.109	Agapeta hamana		Common	8
49.110	Agapeta zoegana		Common	2
49.139	Cochylis atricapitana		Common	1
49.161	Celypha striana		Common	2
49.265	Eucosma cana		Common	1
49.306	Rhyacionia pinicolana		Common	1
49.338	Cydia pomonella	Codling Moth	Common	1
49.342	Cydia fagiglandana		Common	1
49.376	Pammene aurita		Local	2
50.002	Zeuzera pyrina	Leopard Moth	Common	2
62.021	Oncocera semirubella		Notable B	2
62.029	Phycita roborella		Common	2
62.048	Euzophera pinguis		Common	3
62.075	Hypsopygia costalis	Gold Triangle	Common	1
62.077	Endotricha flammealis		Common	16
63.018	Anania coronata		Common	1
63.025	Anania hortulata	Small Magpie	Common	1
63.038	Pleuroptya ruralis	Mother of Pearl	Common	32
63.062	Scoparia subfusca		Common	1
63.080	Chrysoteuchia culmella		Common	8
63.088	Crambus perlella		Common	1
63.089	Agriphila tristella		Common	1
63.093	Agriphila straminella		Common	4
63.099	Catoptria pinella		Common	1
63.102	Catoptria falsella		Common	1
65.001	Falcaria lacertinaria	Scalloped Hook-tip	Common	2
65.002	Watsonalla binaria	Oak Hook-tip	Common	1
65.005	Drepana falcataria	Pebble Hook-tip	Common	4
65.007	Cilix glaucata	Chinese Character	Common	3
66.010	Euthrix potatoria	Drinker	Common	15
69.003	Laothoe populi	Poplar Hawk-moth	Common	6
69.016	Deilephila elpenor	Elephant Hawk-moth	Common	5
70.004	Idaea rusticata	Least Carpet	Local	21
70.011	Idaea dimidiata	Single-dotted Wave	Common	27
70.013	Idaea biselata	Small Fan-footed Wave	Common	11
70.015	Idaea emarginata	Small Scallop	Local	1
70.016	Idaea aversata	Riband Wave	Common	9
70.029	Timandra comae	Blood-vein	Common	3
70.045	Scotopteryx chenopodiata	Shaded Broad-bar	Common	1
70.050	Xanthorhoe biriviata	Balsam Carpet	Uncommon	4
70.051x	Xanthorhoe spadicearia/ferrugata	Red Twin-spot Carpet agg		5
70.055	Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata	Large Twin-spot Carpet	Local	24
70.059	Camptogramma bilineata	Yellow Shell	Common	1
70.061	Epirrhoe alternata	Common Carpet	Common	5
70.074	Hydriomena furcata	July Highflyer	Common	3
70.089	Eulithis prunata	Phoenix	Common	15
70.093	Gandaritis pyraliata	Barred Straw	Common	1
70.126	Horisme vitalbata	Small Waved Umber	Common	1
70.141	Gymnoscelis rufifasciata	Double-striped Pug	Common	6
70.148	Eupithecia inturbata	Maple Pug	Local	1
70.160	Eupithecia tripunctaria	White-spotted Pug	Local	3
70.173	Eupithecia centaureata	Lime-speck Pug	Common	6
70.179	Eupithecia absinthiata	Wormwood Pug	Common	1
70.199	Pterapherapteryx sexalata	Small Seraphim	Local	10
70.207	Lomaspilis marginata	Clouded Border	Common	12
70.208	Ligdia adustata	Scorched Carpet	Local	5
70.226	Opisthograptis luteolata	Brimstone Moth	Common	5
70.227	Epione repandaria	Bordered Beauty	Common	5
70.233	Ennomos quercinaria	August Thorn	Local	3
70.235	Ennomos fuscantaria	Dusky Thorn	Common	3
70.236	Ennomos erosaria	September Thorn	Common	1
70.237	Selenia dentaria	Early Thorn	Common	3
70.239	Selenia tetralunaria	Purple Thorn	Common	1
70.241	Crocallis elinguaria	Scalloped Oak	Common	1
70.243	Ourapteryx sambucaria	Swallow-tailed Moth	Common	2
70.252	Biston betularia	Peppered Moth	Common	4
70.258	Peribatodes rhomboidaria	Willow Beauty	Common	1
70.265	Alcis repandata	Mottled Beauty	Common	1
70.278	Cabera exanthemata	Common Wave	Common	1
70.302	Hemistola chrysoprasaria	Small Emerald	Local	1
71.013	Notodonta ziczac	Pebble Prominent	Common	6
71.020	Pterostoma palpina	Pale Prominent	Common	2
71.022	Ptilodon cucullina	Maple Prominent	Local	1
71.025	Phalera bucephala	Buff-tip	Common	3
72.001	Scoliopteryx libatrix	Herald	Common	1
72.002	Rivula sericealis	Straw Dot	Common	1
72.003	Hypena proboscidalis	Snout	Common	2
72.010	Lymantria monacha	Black Arches	Local	2
72.013	Euproctis similis	Yellow-tail	Common	3
72.017	Orgyia antiqua	Vapourer	Common	1
72.019	Spilosoma lutea	Buff Ermine	Common	2
72.024	Phragmatobia fuliginosa	Ruby Tiger	Common	27
72.031	Tyria jacobaeae	Cinnabar	Common	0
72.035	Miltochrista miniata	Rosy Footman	Local	12
72.037	Thumatha senex	Round-winged Muslin	Local	15
72.043	Eilema depressa	Buff Footman	Local	13
72.044	Eilema griseola	Dingy Footman	Common	9
72.045	Eilema lurideola	Common Footman	Common	21
72.046	Eilema complana	Scarce Footman	Local	24
72.052	Macrochilo cribrumalis	Dotted Fan-foot	Notable B	2
72.066	Parascotia fuliginaria	Waved Black	Notable B	1
72.069	Laspeyria flexula	Beautiful Hook-tip	Local	1
73.001	Abrostola tripartita	Spectacle	Common	3
73.012	Diachrysia chrysitis	Burnished Brass	Common	1
73.015	Autographa gamma	Silver Y	Immigrant	2
73.032	Colocasia coryli	Nut-tree Tussock	Common	7
73.045	Acronicta rumicis	Knot Grass	Common	2
73.046	Subacronicta megacephala	Poplar Grey	Common	1
73.047	Craniophora ligustri	Coronet	Local	14
73.057	Cucullia lychnitis	Striped Lychnis	Notable A	1
73.082	Cryphia algae	Tree-lichen Beauty	Immigrant	8
73.092	Caradrina morpheus	Mottled Rustic	Common	1
73.096	Hoplodrina octogenaria	Uncertain	Common	13
73.097	Hoplodrina blanda	Rustic	Common	7
73.119	Helotropha leucostigma	Crescent	Local	2
73.120	Eremobia ochroleuca	Dusky Sallow	Common	4
73.137	Arenostola phragmitidis	Fen Wainscot	Local	2
73.141	Archanara dissoluta	Brown-veined Wainscot	Local	1
73.147	Photedes minima	Small Dotted Buff	Common	1
73.162	Apamea monoglypha	Dark Arches	Common	14
73.168	Lateroligia ophiogramma	Double Lobed	Common	5
73.169x	Mesapamea secalis agg.	Common Rustic agg		9
73.172	Mesoligia furuncula	Cloaked Minor	Common	1
73.173x	Oligia strigilis agg.	Marbled Minor agg		7
73.216	Cosmia trapezina	Dun-bar	Common	9
73.255	Anarta trifolii	Nutmeg	Common	1
73.267	Lacanobia oleracea	Bright-line Brown-eye	Common	4
73.276	Sideridis rivularis	Campion	Common	1
73.290	Mythimna conigera	Brown-line Bright-eye	Common	2
73.293	Mythimna impura	Smoky Wainscot	Common	6
73.298	Mythimna ferrago	Clay	Common	1
73.317	Agrotis exclamationis	Heart & Dart	Common	4
73.325	Agrotis puta	Shuttle-shaped Dart	Common	5
73.328	Axylia putris	Flame	Common	3
73.329	Ochropleura plecta	Flame Shoulder	Common	2
73.342	Noctua pronuba	Large Yellow Underwing	Common	3
73.343	Noctua fimbriata	Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing	Common	4
73.345	Noctua comes	Lesser Yellow Underwing	Common	2
73.348	Noctua janthe	Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing	Common	4
73.359	Xestia c-nigrum	Setaceous Hebrew Character	Common	1
73.361	Xestia triangulum	Double-square Spot	Common	18
74.002	Meganola albula	Kent Black Arches	Notable B	1

List by Norman Hall and Paul Black