Guernsey

Achingly slow progress all of a sudden as I approach the thousand. A few days ago my parents, sister and family arrived from England for a visit so I have been "doing things" rather than spending time in my square. Some people are so selfish. Also the moth trap has slowed down considerably this week compared to last week's bonanza. But pleased that I can now relax and look forward to coasting through the finish line waving to the crowds.

930 - Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (weevil)
931 - Pediculus humanus - thanks Abigail, taking one for the team.
932 - Endothenia marginana - (tortrix moth) - new species for Guernsey
933 - Brachmia blandella (moth)
934 - Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
935 - Adaina microdactyla (plume moth)
936 - Aethes francillana (tortrix moth)
937 - Olive (moth - not fruit - or oil)
938 - Batrachedra praeangusta (moth)
939 - Lesser-spotted Pinion
940 - Ethmia bipunctella (moth) - a cracking lifer for me, never seen any of this genus before - 4th record for Guernsey

941 - Sitochroa palealis (pyralid moth) - lifer
942 - Dingy Mocha - a hat-trick of lifers from the same catch, a first for Guernsey, and a bloody rare moth in the UK. Pretty chuffed!

943 - Brussels Lace
944 - Galium Carpet
945 - Aphanus rolandi (bug)
946 - Deltaornix torquillella (moth)
947 - Cosmiotes consortella (moth)
948 - Coleophora deauratella (moth)
949 - Coleophora anatipennella (moth)
950 - Coleophora peribenanderi (moth)
951 - Tinea pellionella (clothes moth)
952 - Dark Spinach
953 - Shore Wainscot
954 - Tinea trinotella (moth)
955 - Marbled White-spot
956 - Sharp-angled Peacock
957 - Green Oak Tortrix
958 - Aspilapterix tringipennella (moth)
959 - Rosy Rustic
960 - Limnaesia phragmitella (moth)
961 - Phyllocnistis unipunctella (moth)
962 - Agriphila tristella (moth)
963 - Catoptria pinella (moth)
964 - Loxostege sticticalis (pyralid moth) - another lifer, and only 2nd rec for Guernsey
965 - Argyresthia brockeella (moth)
966 - Comma
967 - Borkhausenia fuscescens (moth)
968 - Spilonota ocellana (moth)
969 - Pammene fasciana (moth)
970 - Carnation Tortrix
971 - Common Orache
972 - Stigmella lemniscella (moth) - larvae mining Elm leaves
973 - Agapanthus praecox (African Lily - garden escape)
974 - Passiflora caerulea (Blue Passion flower - garden escape)
975 - Evergestis extimalis (moth)
976 - Anania verbascalis (moth)
977 - Bryotropha domestica (moth)
978 - Hairy Finger-grass

979 - Corixa punctata (a Lesser Water Boatman)

980 - Gypsy Moth - found by the kids fluttering under a cabinet.

981 - Epiblema foenella (moth)

982 - Phytocoris varipes (bug)

983 - Campyloneura virgula (bug)

984 - Scarce Chocolate-tip - Such a rare moth in the UK, this seems to have recently colonised Guernsey, as has its cogener, Chocolate-tip (both below).

985 - Brown-veined Wainscot

SP5595ish update

Hadn't realised how far behind I was with posting updates. I guess it's no surprise that as much as 72% of the 129 additions since my last update are moths, but maybe less expected is that actually 92% of the additions are from the moth traps with only nine species added casually in the day plus one added retrospectively. In fact I haven't been able to get out and about in the square for a few weeks for one reason or another, including apathy due to be completely knackered from late nights / early mornings with the mega busy trap action.

	Taxon	Vernacular	Date Added
885	Eulithis prunata	Phoenix	13/07/2013
886	Batia unitella	(micromoth)	13/07/2013
887	Perizoma alchemillata	Small Rivulet	13/07/2013
888	Mesoligia furuncula	Cloaked Minor	13/07/2013
889	Limnaecia phragmitella	(micromoth)	13/07/2013
890	Agapeta hamana	(micromoth)	13/07/2013
891	Philereme vetulata	Brown Scallop	13/07/2013
892	Helcystogramma rufescens	(micromoth)	13/07/2013
893	Blastobasis adustella	(micromoth)	13/07/2013
894	Rhopobota naevana	Holly Tortrix	13/07/2013
895	Mesapamea secalis	Common Rustic	13/07/2013
896	Harpalus rufipes	(beetle)	13/07/2013
897	Stenolophus mixtus	(beetle)	13/07/2013
898	Oncopsis subangulata	(leafhopper)	13/07/2013
899	Stigmella splendidissimella	(micromoth) [larval]	14/07/2013
900	Phleum pratense	Timothy	14/07/2013
901	Phyllonorycter corylifoliella	(micromoth) [larval]	14/07/2013
902	Stigmella crataegella	(micromoth) [larval]	14/07/2013
903	Phyllonorycter acerifoliella	(micromoth) [pupal, emerged 16/07]	14/07/2013
904	Eilema complana	Scarce Footman	14/07/2013
905	Argyresthia retinella	(micromoth)	14/07/2013
906	Eupithecia simpliciata	Plain Pug	14/07/2013
907	Crocallis elinguaria	Scalloped Oak	14/07/2013
908	Ophonus ardosiacus	(beetle)	14/07/2013
909	Stenagostus rhombeus	(beetle)	15/07/2013
910	Orthopygia glaucinalis	(micromoth)	15/07/2013
911	Oegoconia quadripuncta	(micromoth)	15/07/2013
912	Pleuroptya ruralis	Mother of Pearl	15/07/2013
913	Paraswammerdamia albicapitella	(micromoth)	15/07/2013
914	Nudaria mundana	Muslin Footman	15/07/2013
915	Ectropis bistortata	Engrailed	15/07/2013
916	Mompha ochraceella	(micromoth)	15/07/2013
917	Parachronistis albiceps	(micromoth)	15/07/2013
918	Lasiocampa quercus	Oak Eggar	15/07/2013
919	Carpatolechia alburnella	(micromoth)	15/07/2013
920	Ochropleura plecta	Flame Shoulder	15/07/2013
921	Catoptria pinella	(micromoth)	15/07/2013
922	Noctua comes	Lesser Yellow Underwing	15/07/2013
923	Carpatolechia fugitivella	(micromoth)	15/07/2013
924	Noctua fimbriata	Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing	16/07/2013
925	Athrips mouffetella	(micromoth)	16/07/2013
926	Acronicta megacephala	Poplar Grey	16/07/2013
927	Lomaspilis marginata	Clouded Border	16/07/2013
928	Chloroclystis v-ata	V-Pug	17/07/2013
929	Catoptria falsella	(micromoth)	17/07/2013
930	Borkhausenia fuscescens	(micromoth)	17/07/2013
931	Pyrausta purpuralis	(micromoth)	17/07/2013
932	Bena bicolorana	Scarce Silver-lines	17/07/2013
933	Argyresthia curvella	(micromoth)	17/07/2013
934	Phyllonorycter coryli	Nut Leaf Blister Moth	17/07/2013
935	Batrachedra pinicolella	(micromoth)	17/07/2013
936	Tegenaria gigantea	Giant House Spider	18/07/2013
937	Megatoma undata	(beetle) [reared ex-larva]	18/07/2013
938	Agriphila tristella	(micromoth)	19/07/2013
939	Leucoptera laburnella	Laburnum Leaf Miner	19/07/2013
940	Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata	Large Twin-spot Carpet	19/07/2013
941	Yponomeuta cagnagella	Spindle Ermine	19/07/2013
942	Discestra trifolii	Nutmeg	19/07/2013
943	Brachmia blandella	(micromoth)	19/07/2013
944	Argyresthia bonnetella	(micromoth)	19/07/2013
945	Swammerdamia pyrella	(micromoth)	19/07/2013
946	Aethes rubigana	(micromoth)	19/07/2013
947	Udea lutealis	(micromoth)	19/07/2013
948	Oecetis lacustris	(caddisfly)	19/07/2013
949	Microchrysa flavicornis	(fly)	19/07/2013
950	Himacerus apterus	(bug)	19/07/2013
951	Mimulus guttatus	Monkeyflower	20/07/2013
952	Hypera nigrirostris	(beetle)	21/07/2013
953	Gypsonoma oppressana	(micromoth)	22/07/2013
954	Cedestis gysseleniella	(micromoth)	22/07/2013
955	Phycita roborella	(micromoth)	22/07/2013
956	Ypsolopha scabrella	(micromoth)	22/07/2013
957	Acleris variegana	Garden Rose Tortrix	22/07/2013
958	Caloptilia robustella	(micromoth)	22/07/2013
959	Sigara striata	(bug)	22/07/2013
960	Callicorixa praeusta	(bug)	22/07/2013
961	Empoasca decipiens	(leafhopper)	22/07/2013
962	Iassus lanio	(leafhopper)	22/07/2013
963	Allygus mixtus	(leafhopper)	22/07/2013
964	Conobathra repandana	(micromoth)	22/07/2013
965	Epinotia tenerana	Nut Bud Moth	22/07/2013
966	Eucosma campoliliana	(micromoth)	22/07/2013
967	Meiosimyza decempunctata	(fly)	22/07/2013
968	Phytocoris ulmi	(bug)	22/07/2013
969	Eucallipterus tiliae	(aphid)	22/07/2013
970	Carpatolechia decorella	(micromoth)	23/07/2013
971	Bryotropha domestica	(micromoth)	23/07/2013
972	Cerobasis guestfalica	(barkfly)	23/07/2013
973	Stenophylax permistus	(caddisfly)	23/07/2013
974	Scoliopteryx libatrix	Herald	26/07/2013
975	Mompha raschkiella	(micromoth)	26/07/2013
976	Yponomeuta rorrella	Willow Ermine	26/07/2013
977	Noctua interjecta caliginosa	Least Yellow Underwing	26/07/2013
978	Dicranopalpus ramosus	(harvestman)	26/07/2013
979	Noctua janthe	Lsr. Broad-bord. Yell. Underwing	31/07/2013
980	Eilema depressa	Buff Footman	31/07/2013
981	Pandemis corylana	Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix	31/07/2013
982	Orgyia antiqua	Vapourer	01/08/2013
983	Eupithecia icterata subfulvata	Tawny Speckled Pug	01/08/2013
984	Mompha propinquella	(micromoth)	01/08/2013
985	Scotopteryx chenopodiata	Shaded Broad-bar	01/08/2013
986	Dichrorampha simpliciana	(micromoth)	01/08/2013
987	Phyllonorycter platanoidella	(micromoth)	01/08/2013
988	Nemapogon wolffiella	(micromoth)	01/08/2013
989	Hydriomena furcata	July Highflyer	01/08/2013
990	Hepialus sylvina	Orange Swift	01/08/2013
991	Pyralis farinalis	Meal Moth	01/08/2013
992	Amphipyra pyramidea	Copper Underwing	01/08/2013
993	Nabis ferus	(bug)	01/08/2013
994	Bembidion quadrimaculatum	(beetle)	01/08/2013
995	Curculio glandium	Acorn Weevil	01/08/2013
996	Miridius quadrivirgatus	(bug)	01/08/2013
997	Scaeva pyrastri	(hoverfly)	01/08/2013
998	Blepharidopterus angulatus	(bug)	01/08/2013
999	Orthotylus marginalis	(bug)	01/08/2013
1000	Pseudoloxops coccineus	(bug)	01/08/2013
1001	Cosmia pyralina	Lunar-spotted Pinion	02/08/2013
1002	Cydia splendana	(micromoth)	02/08/2013
1003	Agrotis ipsilon	Dark Sword-grass	02/08/2013
1004	Thalpophila matura	Straw Underwing	02/08/2013
1005	Agapeta zoegana	(micromoth)	02/08/2013
1006	Balclutha punctata	(leafhopper)	02/08/2013
1007	Phytocoris varipes	(bug)	02/08/2013
1008	Agriphila geniculea	(micromoth)	03/08/2013
1009	Ennomos alniaria	Canary-shouldered Thorn	03/08/2013
1010	Xanthorhoe ferrugata	Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet	03/08/2013
1011	Argyresthia albistria	(micromoth)	03/08/2013
1012	Aphrophora alni	Alder Spittlebug	03/08/2013
1013	Serica brunnea	Brown Chafer	03/08/2013

Stenagostus rhombeus

Hypera nigrirostris

Allygus mixtus

Eucallipterus tiliae

Phytocoris ulmi

Acorn Weevil

Balclutha punctata

Miridius quadrivirgatus

Incidentally, as far as I know all VC55 records of this species (<10) are from just two garden moth traps - mine and one in a certain high-scoring Sapcote garden ...

Scaeva pyrastri

You expect the odd bug and beetle in the moth trap, wasn't expecting to add this one via the trap though

Brown Chafer

Well chuffed to have joined the 1000 club, and making absolutely no predictions on where I'll end up. After a duff start to the year the mothing has been ridiculously good during July, and there is still some leaf-mining to do. Insects are accounting for the bulk of my total as expected, and my pants plant skills in a botanically challenged square is not a surprise. Still some birds to turn up (one or two I missed in the winter still possible, and stuff like House Martin I usually only see on reverse passage). Some obvious mammals missing (still haven't included the dead Badger and Mole, plus Fox and Hedgehog still not seen). Maybe some fungal surprises to come. Think I'll start getting back into the square as the moth trap quietens down and just see what I can find.

SP5595ish joins the 1000+ club

Passed the post with the garden moth traps on 01/08/2013, but only worked this out today as I was a few days behind with my MapMating. I'll need to post a full update in due course, but I am now on 1013. No. 1000 was this beauty from the moth traps (like a large %age of my additions since the start of the July heatwave).

Pseudoloxops coccineus - No. 1000

Sand Point = 1000for1ksq

Just squeezed in the 1000th species before my hols. I must give thanks to the Clevedon moth team for notching up an incredible 211 moths on my patch back on 26th July. I had a boost of 45 ticks that night instead of the 5-6 I was expecting. I guess 9 traps are far better than 1.
Today's highlights came from finding Common Fleabane, Hedge Bedstraw, Wild Parsnip, Rhingia rostrata and Tree Wasp. The Wild Parsnip I've been walking past for weeks before realising what it was. The Rhingia rostrata was a welcome addition after checking so many campestris earlier in the year.
I must also give thanks to Andy Musgrove for creating this challenge as it was just the incentive I needed to start learning about the local flora which I have been too lazy to do up until now. I'll never look at my patch the same way again after this challenge.
Some of the totals:
Moths = 355
Birds = 118
Flora = 166
Hoverflies = 31
Hemiptera = 26

Hoary Footman

Tree Wasp

White Satin Moth

Necrodes littoralis

For several years before I set out on this challenge I had recorded all of the wildlife etc. in my parish in Leicestershire, and I not only had a good idea of where various plants etc. could be found, but also had a good network of people who were willing to help me with identification of various groups. To some of the participants in the challenge this help with id is perhaps not in the true spirit of things, but it has meant that I have managed to record and pass on to county recorders numerous species which would otherwise have been passed over as unidentified.

It is thanks to the results from one such batch (this time of micromoths needing gen det) that my total has suddenly shot up to 1,146 including 11 Coleophora species!  These results don't make for the posting of many pretty pictures as part of my blog entry, but I will include an image of Coleophora milvipennis (confirmed by gen det) which was new for my area VC55.

900+Lincolnshire

Now reached 918 and with almost everyone else the predominant species is moths. New moth garden records include Coleophora vestianella, Brown-veined Wainscot and Agonopterix angelicella and many that I have only recorded once before. A few photos below:

The Lackey

Brown-veined Wainscot

Agonopterix angelicella

Ledra aurita - Strange looking beast

True Lover,s Knot

Thank goodness for moths

My Leicestershire list continues to grow slowly, thanks in very large part to a very active moth trap and I have now reached 1,111 species for my SP4993 square as at 2nd August.

To be honest most of my best records have again been moths, but in the interests of variety I'll include images of the water beetle Rhantus suturalis which found it's way into the moth trap, and the spider Anelosimus vittatus which was sufficiently well patterned and different to get itself noticed.

 



Once again though, I have to finish with a moth image - this is the small moth Gypsonoma minutana which is a first for my Vice County VC55 - it really couldn't get much more pattern on such small wings!

grahamc

1000. That's one THOUSAND!!

Well, it's been a while. Things have happened. Kicked off big time. At the start of July I was sitting just shy of 700 species, metaphorically wrestling with ground beetles. The moth trap was doing quite nicely, producing a few new species each night, but things hadn't really moved into top gear. That changed with the onset of warmer weather, and on 7th July I added four new odonata, namely broad-bodied chaser, blue tailed damsel, hairy dragonfly and banded demoiselle. These were followed later by southern hawker, ruddy darter and emperor, the ruddy darter on my still pretty new pond.

 

The pond has also produced some water beetles (seem very hard to identify), and greater and lesser water boatmen. Otherwise, it's all introduced bits and pieces I think. However, the list of arable weeds has become quite impressive, with the addition of small toadflax and sharp-leaved fluellen, and the list of sedges, which I expected to be non-existent, has grown to six (hirta, caryophyllea, otrubae, divulsa, muricata, remota). However, it's the Lepidoptera that have been the real stars of the show, with 179 new additional species of moth (and butterfly) in July alone. King among these was the stray female dark green fritillary I picked up, many miles from the nearest colony I know of:

The evening before I had seen purple hairstreaks fluttering round some nearby oak tree, and a six-spot burnet moth feeding on some teasel by the stream. All in beautiful, warm, summery conditions, a truly golden couple of days. Anyway, by last weekend, I found I was in a position to make an assault on the magical thousand, but with limited time due to ICC (imprtant child commitments). A quick poke around in the local plantation gave me a few more beasts in pots to ID, including this violet ground beetle:

So, at the last gasp, which species was going to tip the thousand for me? I toyed with the idea of counting Homo sapiens, as my daughter Zena really wanted to be No 1000. But I resisted that temptation, and made her No 1001, my reasoning being that humans are no more of a species than any other. So, here it is, No 1000, the (dead) hairy darkling beetle. Hoorah! What will No 2000 be?

 

PS I will put some moth photos on the garden moth challenge blog. Latest score 1007:-)

 



Update from TM0025

Well it's mainly the moth-trap again, with a few other bits and pieces thrown in. I need to get out and about in the square again, so as not just to rely on the moths (however good-looking many of them are).

Bees

503. Lasioglossum leucozonium

504. Lasioglossum morio

Hoverflies

505. Sphaerophoria scripta

Damselfly

506. Blue-tailed damselfly, Ischneura elegans

Caddisflies

507. Mystacides nigra

508. Phryganea grandis

Beetles

509. Necrodes littoralis

510. Rhagonycha fulva

511. Rose chafer, Cetonia aurata

512. Serica brunnea

Moths

513. Acleris notana

514. Acrobasis suavella

515. Agapeta zoegana

516. Apple ermine, Yponomeuta malinellus

517. Argyresthia goedartella

518. Argyrotaenia ljungiana

519. Barred red, Hylaea fasciaria

520. Brimstone moth, Opisthograptis luteolata

521. Bryotropha domestica

522. Buff footman, Eilema depressa

523. Celypha cespitana

524. Clepsis consimilana

525. Common emerald, Hemithea aestivari

526. Common plume, Emmelina monodactyla

527. Dark fruit-tree tortrix, Pandemis heparana

528. Dichrorampha alpinana

529. Dioryctia abietella

530. Dipleurina lacustrata

531. Dusky brocade, Apamea remissa

532. Ear moth, Amphipoea oculea

533. Endotricha flammealis

534. Epiblema foenella

535. Eudonia lacustrata

536. Eudonia mercurella

537. Green pug, Pasiphila rectanglulata

538. Hedya salicella

539. July highflyer, Hydriomena furcata

540. Kent black arches, Meganola albula

541. Knot-grass, Aeronicta rumicis

542. Lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing, Noctua janthe

543. Lesser common rustic, Mesapamea dydima

544. Lesser yellow underwing, Noctua comes

545. Lozotaeniodes formosana

546. Monopis crocicapitella

547. Oak eggar, Lasiocampa quercus

548. Oak hook-tip, Watsonella binaria

549. Phycita robarella

550. Red twin-spot carpet, Xanthorhoe spadicearia

551. Ringed china-mark, Parapoynx stratiota

552. Ruby tiger, Phragmatobia fuliginosa

553. September thorn, Ennomos erosaria

554. Short-cloaked moth, Nola cucullatella

555. Shuttle-shaped dart, Agrotis puta

556. Silver-Y, Autographa gamma

557. Small angle shades,  Euplexia lucipara

558. Small china-mark, Cataclysta lemnata

559. Small dusty wave, Idaea seriata

560. Spilonota laricana

561. Timothy tortrix, Aphelia paleana

562. Tree-lichen beauty, Cryphia rumicis

563. Twenty-plumed moth, Alucita hexadactyla

564. V-pug, Chloroclystis v-ata

565. Whitepoint, Mythimna albipunctata

566. Willow ermine, Yponomeuta rorella

Plants

567. Arrowhead, Sagittaria sagittifolia

568. Great willowherb, Epilobium hirsutum

569. Meadowsweet, Filipendula ulmaria

570. Short-fruited willowherb, Epilobium obscurum