Ceredigion Moths
As you should know by now, a recent moth trapping night at Ynyslas Nature Reserve prompted us to look into buying a moth trap. Well, the trap arrived yesterday so we put it out last night and it worked, we had a nice collection of moths in the trap this morning. Along of course with hundreds of ‘daddy long-legs’.
Morgan was pretty excited about it all and helped me set the trap up, collect the moths this morning and go through our copy of the Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland in order to identify some of them. He’s actually really observant and pretty good at it for a four year old.
We’re new to this and don’t really know one moth from another, so, here are a few that we caught along with our attempts at identification. If you know better (and that won’t take much in the way of expertise) then feel free to comment and put me right.
I’m also new to taking photos of moths too, so need to make some adjustments to my set up and maybe buy a dedicated macros lens, hopefully the photography and the identification skills will improve.
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- Setaceous Hebrew Character
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- Black Rustic
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- Red Line Quaker
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- Lunar Underwing
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- Silver Y
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- Feathered Ranunculus
I’m fairly confident about the the Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra), Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum), and the Red Line Quaker (Agrochola lota). There were a few of the latter two in the trap. I’m not so sure about the Beaded Chestnut and think I’ve probably got that one wrong. I’m not sure about the Silver Y (Autographa gamma) either, but once I know what it is it should be quite distinctive. As far as the sixth one goes then I’m not sure yet. There are lots of options, possibly a Ranunculus (Polymixis sp.) but I’ll wait for an ‘expert’ to help me out on that one.
I’m sure there will be more to come soon and if I learn to identify one or two each day I’ll soon be an ‘expert’ myself.
5 Responses
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Is moth number 6 a common marbled carpet?
Just had a reply from someone more experienced than me:
On your moths: yes to your first three, then you have a Lunar Underwing and indeed a Silver Y
And the final one has been identified now as well:
Hi Al
I also am fairly new, but very keen. Like your blog site.
The last photo is a Feathered Ranunculus. Good luck with your trapping.
Hi Alan,
Congrats on getting your trap and doing pretty well on your first nights trapping and ID. I agree with your other respondent (is it someone local?) on the lunar underwing and silver Y. Not sure about the feathered ranunculus though. It may well right but its not easy to be sure from a pic that size. Can it be enlarged?
If you get anything uncommon or difficult to ID you could always give me a ring and I’ll call and have a look since I pass most days.
Thanks Mike…. If you click on the image it should enlarge… I do have a better photo of it now though I think which I might post if I get time today.