A very successful mothing event, organised by Norman Hall, took place at Hartslock BBOWT Nature Reserve on the night of 21-22 July. Three MV traps were set up by me (NMH) and Paul Black (PBL), together with two MV lamps over white sheets. Additionally, Matt Harrow (a friend of Chris Raper) set up an LED array (over a sheet) specially designed to attract insects and powered by a battery pack. (ref. Gunnar Brehm.) He also gave us great help deploying our own equipment.
We counted everything at the traps and sheets in the morning, starting at about 04.30, but had barely finished counting them by the time other members came to see the catch at 09.00. 104 macro species were seen. With pyralid moths and micromoths, the grand total was over 150 species.
My personal database contains records for mothing evenings at Hartslock in 1997, 1999, 2008, 2009 & 2014 (four of which were RDNHS events), so it was easy to find out which species we had seen there before, and which had not. The following macromoth species were new to the site for us: Scalloped Hook-tip, Mocha, Phoenix, Maple Pug, White-spotted Pug, Tawny Speckled Pug, Bordered Pug, Yarrow Pug, Common Wave, Tree Lichen Beauty, Olive, Lunar-spotted Pinion, Mottled Rustic, Gold Spot and Marsh Oblique Barred. Of these, Marsh Oblique Barred was the most unexpected because it is so local. It is also very small and likely to be dismissed as ‘only a micro’ by those only interested in the larger moths. In fact, it is a macromoth related to the Snout. Tree Lichen Beauty was good to see, because It is a relatively recent arrival in this country and was very scarce at the time of our earlier visits. Common Wave was an unexpected addition because it is so common that it is amazing that we had not recorded it before.
A general observation was that some of the larger moths that one might expect to be common at this time of year were present in remarkably small numbers, or completely absent. Paul Black has commented on the absence of Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Buff-tip, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Common White Wave, Copper Underwing(s), Elephant Hawk-moth, Mouse Moth and Straw Underwing – and we only saw one Large Yellow Underwing, one Lesser Yellow Underwing and one Common Wainscot. Possibly these will all emerge in numbers after the next rains. There’s no point in laying eggs if your larvae on hatching will have nothing lush to feed on.
On Sunday morning, those present were able to look at examples of most of the macromoths in 1” tubes or to photograph them. We did not get away before mid-day when it rather hot, but we had deliberately set up our examination table in a shaded spot and could leave satisfied and still comfortable.
Report by Norman Hall
Pictures by Rob Stallard, Les Finch and Jan Haseler
| Agassiz | Taxon | English Name | Count |
| 03.005 | Hepialus humuli | Ghost Moth | 1 |
| 15.089 | Cameraria ohridella | 2 | |
| 16.001 | Yponomeuta evonymella | Bird-cherry Ermine | 1 |
| 16.002x | Yponomeuta padella or malinellus or cagnagella | Apple Ermine agg | 1 |
| 16.007 | Yponomeuta plumbella | 2 | |
| 17.005 | Ypsolopha scabrella | 1 | |
| 18.001 | Plutella xylostella | Diamond-back Moth | 1 |
| 28.014 | Crassa unitella | 1 | |
| 31.001 | Carcina quercana | 1 | |
| 32.018 | Agonopterix heracliana | 1 | |
| 35.031 | Helcystogramma rufescens | 1 | |
| 35.040 | Bryotropha terrella | 1 | |
| 35001x | Syncopacma sp. | 1 | |
| 41.002 | Blastobasis adustella | 9 | |
| 41.003 | Blastobasis lacticolella | 1 | |
| 49.024 | Pandemis corylana | Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix | 1 |
| 49.026 | Pandemis heparana | Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix | 1 |
| 49.062 | Acleris forsskaleana | 1 | |
| 49.066 | Acleris laterana | 1 | |
| 49.077 | Acleris variegana | Garden Rose Tortrix | 2 |
| 49.078 | Acleris aspersana | 1 | |
| 49.091 | Pseudargyrotoza conwagana | 1 | |
| 49.109 | Agapeta hamana | 2 | |
| 49.110 | Agapeta zoegana | 1 | |
| 49.139 | Cochylis atricapitana | 1 | |
| 49.214 | Ancylis badiana | 1 | |
| 49.223 | Rhopobota naevana | Holly Tortrix | 1 |
| 49.265 | Eucosma cana | 1 | |
| 49.341 | Cydia splendana | 1 | |
| 49.345 | Lathronympha strigana | 2 | |
| 62.021 | Oncocera semirubella | 7 | |
| 62.029 | Phycita roborella | 1 | |
| 62.035 | Acrobasis advenella | 2 | |
| 62.048 | Euzophera pinguis | 2 | |
| 62.075 | Hypsopygia costalis | Gold Triangle | 1 |
| 62.076 | Hypsopygia glaucinalis | 1 | |
| 62.077 | Endotricha flammealis | 1 | |
| 63.006 | Pyrausta aurata | Mint Moth | 8 |
| 63.007 | Pyrausta purpuralis | 2 | |
| 63.009 | Pyrausta nigrata | 2 | |
| 63.018 | Anania coronata | 1 | |
| 63.025 | Anania hortulata | Small Magpie | 1 |
| 63.034 | Udea prunalis | 3 | |
| 63.038 | Pleuroptya ruralis | Mother of Pearl | 3 |
| 63.039 | Mecyna flavalis | 1 | |
| 63.067 | Eudonia lacustrata | 1 | |
| 63.080 | Chrysoteuchia culmella | 1 | |
| 63.088 | Crambus perlella | 2 | |
| 63.092 | Agriphila selasella | 1 | |
| 63.093 | Agriphila straminella | 3 | |
| 63.102 | Catoptria falsella | 1 | |
| 63.117 | Parapoynx stratiotata | Ringed China-mark | 1 |
| 65.001 | Falcaria lacertinaria | Scalloped Hook-tip | 2 |
| 65.003 | Watsonalla cultraria | Barred Hook-tip | 1 |
| 65.005 | Drepana falcataria | Pebble Hook-tip | 1 |
| 65.007 | Cilix glaucata | Chinese Character | 6 |
| 65.008 | Thyatira batis | Peach Blossom | 1 |
| 65.009 | Habrosyne pyritoides | Buff Arches | 1 |
| 69.003 | Laothoe populi | Poplar Hawk-moth | 1 |
| 70.004 | Idaea rusticata | Least Carpet | 7 |
| 70.011 | Idaea dimidiata | Single-dotted Wave | 3 |
| 70.013 | Idaea biselata | Small Fan-footed Wave | 6 |
| 70.016 | Idaea aversata | Riband Wave | 12 |
| 70.029 | Timandra comae | Blood-vein | 4 |
| 70.031 | Cyclophora annularia | The Mocha | 2 |
| 70.036 | Cyclophora punctaria | Maiden’s Blush | 2 |
| 70.043 | Scotopteryx bipunctaria | Chalk Carpet | 21 |
| 70.045 | Scotopteryx chenopodiata | Shaded Broad-bar | 23 |
| 70.051 | Xanthorhoe spadicearia | Red Twin-spot Carpet | 7 |
| 70.055 | Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata | Large Twin-spot Carpet | 1 |
| 70.059 | Camptogramma bilineata | Yellow Shell | 4 |
| 70.061 | Epirrhoe alternata | Common Carpet | 17 |
| 70.074 | Hydriomena furcata | July Highflyer | 6 |
| 70.087 | Cosmorhoe ocellata | Purple Bar | 1 |
| 70.089 | Eulithis prunata | The Phoenix | 1 |
| 70.094 | Ecliptopera silaceata | Small Phoenix | 3 |
| 70.119 | Philereme transversata | Dark Umber | 8 |
| 70.126 | Horisme vitalbata | Small Waved Umber | 16 |
| 70.127 | Horisme tersata | The Fern | 2 |
| 70.128 | Melanthia procellata | Pretty Chalk Carpet | 3 |
| 70.133 | Perizoma alchemillata | Small Rivulet | 2 |
| 70.141 | Gymnoscelis rufifasciata | Double-striped Pug | 2 |
| 70.142 | Chloroclystis v-ata | The V-Pug | 2 |
| 70.146 | Eupithecia haworthiata | Haworth’s Pug | 5 |
| 70.148 | Eupithecia inturbata | Maple Pug | 13 |
| 70.160 | Eupithecia tripunctaria | White-spotted Pug | 3 |
| 70.173 | Eupithecia centaureata | Lime-speck Pug | 15 |
| 70.186 | Eupithecia millefoliata | Yarrow Pug | 1 |
| 70.187 | Eupithecia icterata | Tawny Speckled Pug | 2 |
| 70.188 | Eupithecia succenturiata | Bordered Pug | 1 |
| 70.207 | Lomaspilis marginata | Clouded Border | 2 |
| 70.208 | Ligdia adustata | Scorched Carpet | 6 |
| 70.226 | Opisthograptis luteolata | Brimstone Moth | 2 |
| 70.235 | Ennomos fuscantaria | Dusky Thorn | 23 |
| 70.236 | Ennomos erosaria | September Thorn | 3 |
| 70.237 | Selenia dentaria | Early Thorn | 4 |
| 70.241 | Crocallis elinguaria | Scalloped Oak | 6 |
| 70.252 | Biston betularia | Peppered Moth | 4 |
| 70.258 | Peribatodes rhomboidaria | Willow Beauty | 14 |
| 70.278 | Cabera exanthemata | Common Wave | 1 |
| 71.013 | Notodonta ziczac | Pebble Prominent | 4 |
| 71.017 | Pheosia tremula | Swallow Prominent | 1 |
| 71.020 | Pterostoma palpina | Pale Prominent | 1 |
| 72.002 | Rivula sericealis | Straw Dot | 15 |
| 72.003 | Hypena proboscidalis | The Snout | 6 |
| 72.010 | Lymantria monacha | Black Arches | 8 |
| 72.013 | Euproctis similis | Yellow-tail | 6 |
| 72.024 | Phragmatobia fuliginosa | Ruby Tiger | 24 |
| 72.035 | Miltochrista miniata | Rosy Footman | 4 |
| 72.043 | Eilema depressa | Buff Footman | 78 |
| 72.044 | Eilema griseola | Dingy Footman | 25 |
| 72.045 | Eilema lurideola | Common Footman | 3 |
| 72.046 | Eilema complana | Scarce Footman | 12 |
| 72.060 | Hypenodes humidalis | Marsh Oblique-barred | 1 |
| 72.067 | Phytometra viridaria | Small Purple-barred | 1 |
| 73.001 | Abrostola tripartita | The Spectacle | 10 |
| 73.012 | Diachrysia chrysitis | Burnished Brass | 1 |
| 73.015 | Autographa gamma | Silver Y | 21 |
| 73.022 | Plusia festucae | Gold Spot | 5 |
| 73.032 | Colocasia coryli | Nut-tree Tussock | 14 |
| 73.038x | Acronicta psi or tridens | Grey/Dark Dagger agg | 3 |
| 73.045 | Acronicta rumicis | Knot Grass | 5 |
| 73.047 | Craniophora ligustri | The Coronet | 30 |
| 73.082 | Cryphia algae | Tree-lichen Beauty | 1 |
| 73.092 | Caradrina morpheus | Mottled Rustic | 1 |
| 73.096 | Hoplodrina octogenaria | The Uncertain | 11 |
| 73.097 | Hoplodrina blanda | The Rustic | 56 |
| 73.120 | Eremobia ochroleuca | Dusky Sallow | 15 |
| 73.123 | Hydraecia micacea | Rosy Rustic | 2 |
| 73.128x | Amphipoea oculea or fucosa or lucens or crinanensis | Ear Moth agg | 4 |
| 73.160 | Apamea scolopacina | Slender Brindle | 4 |
| 73.162 | Apamea monoglypha | Dark Arches | 55 |
| 73.163 | Apamea lithoxylaea | Light Arches | 1 |
| 73.169x | Mesapamea secalis or didyma | Common Rustic agg | 37 |
| 73.171 | Litoligia literosa | Rosy Minor | 1 |
| 73.172 | Mesoligia furuncula | Cloaked Minor | 31 |
| 73.173x | Oligia latruncula or strigilis or versicolor | Marbled Minor agg | 1 |
| 73.213 | Ipimorpha subtusa | The Olive | 1 |
| 73.216 | Cosmia trapezina | The Dun-bar | 55 |
| 73.217 | Cosmia pyralina | Lunar-spotted Pinion | 2 |
| 73.267 | Lacanobia oleracea | Bright-line Brown-eye | 2 |
| 73.290 | Mythimna conigera | Brown-line Bright-eye | 3 |
| 73.291 | Mythimna pallens | Common Wainscot | 1 |
| 73.293 | Mythimna impura | Smoky Wainscot | 2 |
| 73.298 | Mythimna ferrago | The Clay | 40 |
| 73.317 | Agrotis exclamationis | Heart & Dart | 2 |
| 73.319 | Agrotis segetum | Turnip Moth | 5 |
| 73.325 | Agrotis puta | Shuttle-shaped Dart | 1 |
| 73.327 | Agrotis ipsilon | Dark Sword-grass | 1 |
| 73.329 | Ochropleura plecta | Flame Shoulder | 16 |
| 73.342 | Noctua pronuba | Large Yellow Underwing | 1 |
| 73.345 | Noctua comes | Lesser Yellow Underwing | 1 |
| 73.348 | Noctua janthe | Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing | 11 |
| 73.359 | Xestia c-nigrum | Setaceous Hebrew Character | 2 |
| 73.361 | Xestia triangulum | Double Square Spot | 3 |