Cornish nightlife

I posted recently about flogging around the Dorset heaths hoping to find an Emperor moth sat out on the heather. Despite seeing many males flying energetically past, I had been unsuccessful so it was a pleasant surprise to discover that a female had come to light at our holiday cottage on The Lizard last Monday morning. Such an impressive creature. The Emperor, and some other Cornish nightlife which was attracted to the moth trap last week, pictured below:

Female Emperor

Great Prominent

Hebrew Character - the most common moth attracted to the light during the week

Least Black Arches - one of two seen over the course of a week

Twin-spot Quaker - familiar from my trip to Scotland last Easter

Early Grey - another common moth seen last Easter in Scotland

I tentatively identified this as Galium Carpet - seduced by the slightly concave shape on the leading edge of the forewing - but have been advised since by no less an authority than Martin Cade that it's a Water Carpet - a more worn specimen than the one which appears below - many thanks to Martin.

The Streamer - a visitor on our last night in Cornwall

Garden Carpet

Water Carpet - another attractive carpet

Lunar Marbled Brown - a well-marked individual

March moth

Muslin moth

Brimstone moth

Flame Shoulder

Oak Beauty

Rowan inter-acting with an Oak Beauty



More Scottish nightlife

After a reasonably successful first night's moth trapping on our Loch Creran holiday last week I persevered despite some pretty unpromising weather. Highlights below - I confess I had to revert to my estimable friend and colleague Dr Phil Sterling for help with the ID on a few of these - thanks Doc. And you'll have to forgive the poor quality in some of these shots - they were generally taken in the slightly chilly half-light of a Scottish morning, shivering in my PJs. Hence high ISO ratings and some camera shake!

The tidiest Oak Beauty of several seen over the course of a week

One of two Twin-spotted Quaker to grace the garden during our stay

A smart Early Grey - a few were attracted to the trap on the first night, this was the only one for the rest of the trip

A fresh Yellow Horned showing the orange antennae nicely

Mottled Grey. We were both shivering when I took this one.

Another reasonably common moth during our stay - Hebrew Character.

Chestnut - the only one seen all week

Clouded Drab - ditto, it turned up with the Chestnut on an otherwise unproductive night

Brindled Pug, still in the egg box

And representing the micros, Diurnea flagella

Another form of Diurnea flagella

This intricately patterned Eriocrania sp. (not identifiable to species level from photos) was so small I didn't dare lift it out of the trap, hence the attractive (!) aluminium backdrop

Depressaria sp, probably ultimella, I am advised - a local species which  feeds in the flowers and stems of Fool's Water-cress, so potentially one of the more interesting finds of the week, if not the most eye-catching.

An unsuccessful search for Chequered Skipper larvae in a likely spot did at least produce this Drinker moth caterpillar

This gave a whole new meaning to moths in an egg box - I bought these from the local shop and a green caterpillar confronted me when I opened the lid. Even Phil was stumped by this one so suggestions as to species welcome - please leave a comment.

Enjoying the Scottish night life

An Easter break in Scotland with the family sees us in a cottage on the shores of Loch Creran, a marine Special Area of Conservation for which my friend and colleague Dr Ken Buchan wrote the management plan when he lived in these parts. And a fine job of it he did too, it looks in pretty good shape, albeit I can't quite see below the inky surface to see what's going on with the Serpalid reefs and other features for which the area is designated.

When I first met him, I remember asking Ken about the differences he noticed in moving from Oban to Dorset. ''I find people a bit more positive down here'' he said. ''If we had a nice, sunny day up there, folk would say 'Oh no, we'll pay for this next week!' '' I haven't had the opportunity to verify this yet in conversation with the locals as it's been reassuringly dreich since we arrived.

Not that we're complaining, it's been a good excuse to stay indoors and gaze at the Loch from the window, and, in any case, it's a bit early for the migrant birds to arrive, and much too early to see the Chequered Skipper, whose stronghold is just around the corner from where we're staying, on the wing (we made a pilgrimage in May a few years ago to see them). So we've been happy to let the moth trap do the hard work, wildlife wise. Nothing spectacular so far, but some nice specimens all the same.

Oak Beauty, a slightly worn individual

Hebrew Character - a couple of these in and around the light

Early Grey - the commonest species so far

Engrailed - a couple pitched up on the wall overnight

Yellow Horned - a lover of the birch which surrounds our temporary home 

And finally one from the archive when the sun was shining: Chequered Skipper at Glasdrum Wood, seen on my last visit to these parts in May 2008