Some Moths during June

 The weather throughout June was predominantly hot and sunny, with overnight temperatures well into the teens (degrees centigrade).

Good numbers of moths were attracted to the light, including a few first records for my garden.

Elephant Hawkmoth (Deilephila elpenor)

Lackey (Malacosoma neustria) (male)

This is a first record for my garden.

Buff Arches (Habrosyne pyritoides)

Common Lutestring (Ochropacha duplaris)

Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata)

Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata)

Cypress Carpet (Thera cupressata)

July Highflyer (Hydriomena furcata)

Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)

Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) (female)

Mottled Beauty (Alcis repandata repandata) (form conversaria)

Brussels Lace (Cleorodes lichenaria)

Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum) (male)

Grey Arches (Polia nebulosa)

Obscure Wainscot (Mythimna obsoleta)

This is a first record for my garden.

Shoulder-striped Wainscot (Mythimna comma)

Another first record for my garden.

Coronet (Craniophora ligustri)

Bird's Wing (Dipterygia scabriuscula)

A first record for my garden.

Clouded Brindle (Apamea epomidion)

Green Silver-lines (Pseudoips prasinana britannica)

Beautiful Hook-tip (Laspeyria flexula)

Small Magpie (Anania hortulata)

Beautiful Demoiselle

 With predominantly hot and bright weather during June, butterflies were far too active during the heat of the day to settle for a photograph. I have been walking mainly along shady but sun-dappled rides and pathways in my local woods, to see what I might find.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo)

This large damselfly is very much at home in sun-dappled woodland, close to running water. The male is a stunning creature with dark blue wings and a metallic blue body. The understated female has a metallic green body with brown wings.

Male.

Female.

Many moth larvae are nocturnal feeders and rest in the undergrowth during the day.

Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) (larva at rest on dock sp.)

The adult moth is on the wing during late February and March and its larvae can occasionally be found at rest during the day in May-July.

Frosted Green (Polyploca ridens) (larva moving up an oak trunk)

This larva was found in mid-afternoon heading up an oak trunk to resume feeding.

 

Some Moths during May

 The start of May produced very changeable weather, with blustery showers and cool nights reducing moth-trapping opportunities. By the latter half of the month, we were basking in heatwave conditions, with temperatures nudging 30 degrees centigrade and this greatly increased the number of moths being attracted to my garden light-trap.

Oak Hook-tip (Watsonalla binaria)

(male)

(female)

Pebble Hook-tip (Drepana falcataria falcataria)

Peach Blossom (Thyatira batis)

Figure of Eighty (Tethea ocularis octogesimea)

Portland Ribbon Wave (Idaea degeneraria)

Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata)

Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata)

Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata)

Broken-barred Carpet (Electrophaes corylata)

Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)

May Highflyer (Hydriomena impluviata)

Foxglove Pug (Eupithecia pulchellata pulchellata)

Freyer's Pug (Eupithecia intricata arceuthata)

Green Pug (Pasiphila rectangulata)

Scorched Carpet (Ligdia adustata)

Scorched Wing (Plagodis dolabraria)

Waved Umber (Menophra abruptaria)

Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria)

Great Oak Beauty (Hypomecis roboraria)

Pale Oak Beauty (Hypomecis punctinalis)

Alder Kitten (Furcula bicuspis)

Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac)

Coxcomb Prominent (Ptilodon capucina)

Marbled Brown (Drymonia dodonaea)

Buff-tip (Phalera bucephala)

Great Prominent (Peridea anceps)

Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda)

(male)

(female)

Red-necked Footman (Atolmis rubricollis)

Poplar Grey (Acronicta megacephala)

Miller (Acronicta leporina)

Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha)

Treble Lines (Charanyca trigrammica)

Small Mottled Willow (Spodoptera exigua)

(migrant)

Bordered Straw (Heliothis peltigera)

(migrant and episodic breeder in Sussex)

Nematopogon schwarziellus (Longhorn sp.)

(This is a first record for my garden)