Early Winter on Pevensey Levels

 The weather this December has been mostly wet and breezy but has been relatively mild for early winter, with the occasional sunny day. 

On Pevensey Levels, my attention has mainly been focused on the horizon, looking for winter raptors. However, there have also been some interesting butterfly encounters.

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

On 30th November, a nice sunny day, this Red Admiral was active along a field edge. It stopped to bask on a clump of ivy and then flew down to a nettle patch. Looking at the photograph when I got home it looks like she may have been ovipositing.

I saw another Red Admiral flying along a hedgerow on 13th December but it didn't stop.

Large White (Pieris brassicae) (larvae on rape)

On 19th December, another sunny day, I came across a colony of Large White larvae feeding on a patch of Rape (Brassica napus), growing in a sheltered corner of a field.

The larvae were a mixture of 4th and 5th instar caterpillars and there is little doubt that they are the progeny of a third brood pairing from late-September or early October.

Jelly Ear (Auricularia auricular-judae)

Some Moths during November

 Regarding suitable weather for moth trapping, November turned out to be a month of two halves. The first two weeks were mild and often sunny, with night-time temperatures holding up well. The second half of the month was much more changeable with wet and blustery conditions prevailing. 

Overall, a good selection of moths were attracted to the garden light.

Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria) (male)

Mottled Umber (Erannis defoliaria) (male)

The Epirrita species.

Separating the November Moth from the Pale November Moth can be tricky. However, I have been moth-trapping in my garden for nearly twenty-eight years and I have become familiar with the types of November Moths that I see. 

November Moth (Epirrita dilutata) (or Epirrita sp.) 

The majority of November Moths that I get are predominantly plain grey or grey-brown with very little barring on the wings.

Pale November Moth (Epirrita christyi) (or Epirrita sp.)

The lozenge shaped spot detached from the central cross bar on the forewing in this specimen, together with more defined wing barring, suggests to me that it may be christyi.

Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum) (male)

Sprawler (Asteroscopus sphinx)

Grey Shoulder-knot (Lithophane ornitopus lactipennis)

Oak Rustic (Dryobota labecula)

This once rare migrant is now probably breeding in Sussex.

This is a first record for my garden.

Brick (Agrochola circellaris)

Udea ferrugalis (Rusty-dot Pearl)

A very common migrant.

Early November on Pevensey Levels

 During the last week of October it seemed that the butterfly season was coming to an end. I hadn't seen a Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) since August and there had been no signs of an Autumn brood appearing on Pevensey Levels. 

However, the first two weeks of November were very mild, with some lovely sunny days and a few Clouded Yellows started to appear.

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) (female, form helice)

On 6th November, this was the only butterfly (of any species) that I saw, on a warm, sunny, still day.

On 8th November, on the same walk, I saw another five Clouded Yellows. These looked very fresh and consisted of  3 males and 2 females (including another helice). 

The weather is now about to turn much cooler and wet. I saw what will probably be my last Clouded Yellow of the year, a male, on 13th November.

The only butterfly that stopped for a photograph was a Red Admiral, basking about 15 feet up in an Oak tree.

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) (female) (8th November)

There were still plenty of Common Darters about, including 3 mating pairs seen ovipositing and at rest.

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) (mating) (8th November) 

Here are some images of fungi seen in the last couple of weeks.

Petticoat Mottlegill (Panaeolus papilionaceus)

Brown Mottlegill (Panaeolina foenisecii)

Peziza vesiculosa  (a species of cup fungus)

Some Moths during October

 Night-time weather conditions remained favourable for moth-trapping during October and although some expected species failed to appear, there was nonetheless a good variety of autumn species attracted to the garden.

Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata)

Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata)

Pine Carpet (Thera firmata)

Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica)

Cypress Carpet (Thera cupressata)

Autumnal Rustic (Eugnorisma glareosa)

White-point (Mythimna albipuncta)

Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri hesperica)

Green-brindled Crescent (Allophyes oxyacanthae)

Merveille du Jour (Dichonia aprilina)

Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii)

Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota)

Yellow-line Quaker (Agrochola macilenta)

Brown-spot Pinion (Agrochola litura)

Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago)

Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella)

This micro-moth is a very common migrant.