Report for 1997

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Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - September 1998 - No 3
S Lucas

1997 could best be described as a fairly uneventful year for moth recording. The prolonged winter delayed the emergence of many early spring flying moths, but a short warm spring witnessed emergence times returning to normal.

With Barry and Sandra Stewart now firmly entrenched in Glamorgan, the volume of records has greatly diminished despite the continuity of the author's long term trapping station at his home at Betws. A number of other sites however, were targeted. The country park at Gelli Aur was once again visited in the vain hope that the very attractive lime hawk-moth Mimas tilae might be present, but-alas-to no avail. In mid June, an introduction to moths was held at the invitation of Mr. and Mrs. Gibbons, who were joined by interested members of the Llangynog Gardening Club, at their grounds at Llangynog, which yielded 37 species. At Trawsmawr near Carmarthen, Mr. Jon Baker borrowed an MV trap and recorded some 62 species during a cool and wet week in August.

Unless indicated, all records are those of the author. Grid references for sites are given at the end of this report.

Migrants

Unlike 1996, migratory species were infrequent. At the beginning of the year, a humming-bird hawk-moth was seen on 10 April by Mrs. Owen at Maesycrugiau and at Trawsmawr on 24 July, JB caught a white speck Mythimna unipuncta using a torch and net, a technique he employed elsewhere. Two individuals of dark sword-grass Agrotis epsilon were recorded in August and two specimens, one rather well worn, of convolvulus hawk-moth Agrius convolvuli were brought to the author's attention by residents of Ffairfach and Betws.

  1. Macroglossum stellatarum, humming-bird hawk-moth, Maesycrugiau 10/4 (Mrs. Owen)
  2. Mythimna unipuncta, white speck, Trawsmawr 24/7 (JB)
  3. Agrotis epsilon, dark sword-grass, Betws 10/8; Trawsmawr 22/8 (JB)
  4. Agrius convolvuli, convolvulus hawk-moth, 1/9 Ffairfach, 15/9 Betws (both determined by author)

Microlepidoptera

No significant records of the microlepidoptera were made during 1997 although Lozotaeniodes formosanus, a beautifully-marked tortricoid, was caught at Betws. This is the second county record, the first having been recorded at Pembrey Forest in 1995. This species is associated with Scot's pine Pinus sylvestris. The following microlepidoptera have a "local" distribution:-

  1. Lozataenia forsterana, a tortrix moth, 11/7 Betws
  2. Lozotaenoides formosanus, a tortrix moth, 20/7 Betws
  3. Acleris cristana, a tortrix moth, 10/3 Fforest, (BSS)
  4. Agriphila selasella, a pyralid moth, 12/7 Betws; 9/8 Pendine (BSS)
  5. Agriphila latistria, a pyralid moth, 12/7 & 17/7 Betws
  6. Catoptria pinella, a pyralid moth, 31/7, 10/8 & 15/8 Betws
  7. Pyrausta purpuralis, a pyralid moth, 9/8 Pendine (BSS)
  8. Myelosis cribrella, thistle ermine, 4/7 & 28/7 Betws

Macrolepioptera

A reasonable number of species that have "Local" and "Notable" status were recorded and these are detailed in the list below. Some of these can be singled out for special mention.

Deilephila porcellus, small elephant hawk-moth, is an attractive moth normally associated with chalk downland and coastal sandhills where the larva feed on Galium. Previous records would indicate that it does not appear frequently, at least here in Carmarthenshire; none the less, it was taken no fewer than eight times at Betws this year. In July, Mr. J. Humphrey reported seeing a "clump" of Zygaena trifolii decreta, five-spot burnet at Llansadwrn. He thought that there must have been at least 50 or more individuals presumably mostly males vying for the attention of females. In 1995, the author planted a small root stock of Symphytum officinale (Comfrey), the main larval foodplant of Callimorpha dominalla, scarlet tiger, at Betws. It was a great surprise that, towards the end of July, a female was recorded on the plant where she remained for about a week. Whilst the moth was brought into captivity for a period of 24 hours, a number of eggs were laid and these were scattered under the plant when she was released.

Pechipogon strigilata, common fan-foot, is not, as the name suggests, a common moth. It is a woodland species whose larva feed on withered leaves, and has only previously been recorded twice in Carmarthenshire (BSS), but is generally thought to be confined to the southern counties of England.

Mythimna turca, double line, again a woodland species although in this case the larva feed on various grasses, is regularly recorded in most years. The same cannot be said of Furcula bicuspis, alder kitten, which was only discovered in the county in 1994 (BSS) at Tycroes less than five miles from Betws. It was recorded there again in 1995 (BSS).

Local Species

  1. Hepialus fusconebulosa, map-winged swift, 14/7 Gors Goch Llanllwch NNR
  2. Hepialus hecta, gold swift, 7/7 Taliaris (AC)
  3. Zygaeana trifolii decreta, five-spot burnet, 14/7 Ffrwd Farm Mire SSSI, 17/7 Glyn Tai Pond, 29/7 Parc Ynys Dawela; July Llansadwrn (JH)
  4. Lasciocampa quercus, oak eggar, 9/8 Pendine (BSS)
  5. Scopula immutata, lesser cream wave, 24/7, 26/7, 30/7 & 19/8 Trawsmawr (JB)
  6. Orthonama vittata, oblique carpet, 14/8 Trawsmawr (JB)
  7. Rheumaptera undulata, scallop shell, 15/8 Kidwelly Quay (JB)
  8. Euphyia unangulata, sharp-angled carpet, 15/8 Betws
  9. Epione repandaria, bordered beauty, 7/8 Taliaris (AC)
  10. Eupithecia fraxinata, ash pug, 21/5, 25/5 & 30/5 Betws
  11. Aplocera plagiata, treble bar, 15/8 Trawsmawr
  12. Euchoeca nebulata, dingy shell, 30/5 Betws, 14/7 Cors Goch Llanllwch NNR
  13. Semiothisa alternaria, sharp-angled peacock, 30/5, 16/6, 4/7 & 11/7 Betws, 15/6 Beacon Bog SSSI; 28/7 Trawsmawr (JB); 9/8 Pendine (BSS)
  14. Plagodis dolabraria, scorched wing, 4/6 & 11/6 Betws
  15. Epione repandaria, bordered beauty, 28/7 Trawsmawr (JB)
  16. Ennomos erosaria, September thorn, 21/8, 22/8 & 23/8 Trawsmawr (JB)
  17. Cleorodes lichenaria, Brussels lace, 3/6 Betws
  18. Ectropis crepuscularia, small engrailed, 2/5 Gelli Aur Country Park
  19. Deilephila porcellus, small elephant hawk-moth, 30/5, 3/6, 4/6, 9/6, 16/6, 6/7, & 17/7, Betws
  20. Furcula bifida, poplar kitten, 30/5 Betws
  21. Drymonia ruficornis, lunar marbled brown, 25/4 & 1/5 Betws, 2/5 Gelli Aur Country Park
  22. Miltochrista miniata, rosy footman, 28/6, 6/7, 9/7, 11/7, 12/7, 17/7, 20/7, 31/7, 2/8, 6/8, 15/8, Betws; 24/7 & 30/7 Trawsmawr (JB)
  23. Cybosia mesomella, four-dotted footman, 14/7 Cors Goch Llanllwch NNR
  24. Callimorpha dominula, scarlet tiger, 22/7 Cors Goch Llanllwch NNR, 14/7 Cwm Coch Farm, 29/7 Betws; 7/7 Halfway (IKM); 27/7 Waunclunda (SA); 17/7 Nantsaise Farm (GM/JaB); 15/6 Taliaris (AC)
  25. Papestra biren, glaucous shears, 1/5 & 24/5 Betws
  26. Mythimna pudorina, striped wainscot, 6/7 Betws, 14/7 Cors Goch Llanllwch NNR
  27. Acronicta alni, alder moth, 30/5 & 4/6 Betws
  28. Acronicta menyanthidis, light knot grass, 15/5 Betws
  29. Craniophora ligustri, coronet, 9/6, 16/6 & 20/7 Betws 14/6 Llangynog
  30. Ipimorpha subtusa, olive, 10/8 Betws
  31. Apamea scolopacina, slender brindle, 25/7 Trawsmawr (JB); 10/8 Betws
  32. Mormo mormo, old lady, 23/8 Taliaris (AC)
  33. Oligia versicolor, rufous minor, 3/6-31/7 Betws, 14/6 Llangynog; 4/7 Taliaris (AC)
  34. Coenobia rufa, small rufous 15/8 Betws
  35. Pyrrhia umbra, bordered sallow, 11/7 & 12/7 Betws
  36. Deltote uncula, silver hook, 14/6 Rhos Cefn Bryn
  37. Bena prasinana, scarce silver-lines, 11/7 Betws
  38. Euclidea glyphica, burnet companion, 24/5 Pont Abraham
  39. Lygephila pastinum, blackneck, 11/7 Betws

Notable A

  1. Lasciocampa trifolii, grass eggar, 9/8 Pendine (BSS)
  2. Pechipogon strigilata, common fan-foot, 9/7 Betws

Notable B

  1. Lampropteryx otregiata, Devon carpet, 17/8, 19/8, 14/8 & 21/8 Trawsmawr (JB)
  2. Eupithecia expallidata, bleached pug, 28/7 Trawsmawr (JB); 6/8 Betws
  3. Discoloxia blomeri, Blomer's rivulet, 4/6 Betws
  4. Furcula bicuspis, alder kitten, 1/5, 15/5, 27/5 & 30/5 Betws
  5. Atolmis rubricollis, red-necked footman, 30/5, 6/6 & 9/6 Betws
  6. Mythimna turca, double line, 11/6, 16/6, 28/6, 5/7, 6/7, /97, 11/7, 12/7 17/7 & 20/7 Betws
  7. Cucullia asteris, star-wort, 12/7 Betws

Recorders

My thanks are extended to all those who contributed their lepidoptera records during 1997, 11 of which were returns from the Butterfly Conservation/Biological Records Centre Millennium Atlas Project.

Sarah Andrews

Mr. Jamie Bevan (JaB)

Mr. Jon Baker (JB)

Mr. Tony Braithwaite

Mr. Alan Clark (AC)

Mrs Jan Crowden

Mr. David Foot

Mr. J. Friese

Ms Lin Gander

Mrs. E. Grey

Mr. John Humphrey (JH)

Jill Ilsley

Mrs. Ann Jones

Mr. Graham Motley (GM)

Mr. Ian Morgan (IKM)

Mrs. Owen Mari Roberts

Dr. S. Spencer

Mr. and Mrs. Barry and Sandra Stewart (BSS)

Dr. Nigel Stringer

Mr. John Treherne

M. Williams

Mrs. Shirley Wynn-Davies

All butterfly & moth records should be submitted to the County Lepidoptera Recorder:

Steve Lucas, 35 Maesquarre Road, Betws, Ammanford, SA18 2LF.

I should also like to thank Mr. And Mrs. Gibbons for their warm welcome at their home at Llangynog and with suitable refreshments this made a particularly memorable evening.

Grid References

Betws SN642121

Pendine SN2308

Trawsmawr SN365238

Llangynog SN346175

Pont Abraham SN580075

Cors Cogh Llanllwch NNR SN364185

Beacon Bog SSSI SN353166

Cwm Coch Farm, Carmarthen SN358184

Waunclunda SN675319

Halfway SN654298

Rhos Cefn Bryn, Llannon SN550072

Ffairfach SN6221

Maesycrugiau SN474414

Gelli Aur Country Park SN5919

Kidwelly Quay SN398065

Nantsaise Farm, Hermon SN346335

References

Bradley, J.D., Tremewan, W.G. & Smith, A., (1973) British Tortricoid Moths, 1. The Ray Society. - , 1979. British Tortricoid Moths, 2. The Ray Society.

Heath, J. (Ed.), (1976) The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland 1. Curwen Press, London.

Heath, J. & Emmett, A.M. (Eds.), (1985) The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland 2. Harley Books, Colchester. - , (1985)

The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland 7(2. Harley Books, Colchester. - , (1983)

The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland 9. Harley Books, Colchester.- , (1983)

The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland 10. Harley Books, Colchester.

Goater, B., (1986) British Pyralid Moths - a Guide to their Identification. Harley Books.

Lucas, S., (1994) A Check List of the Microlepidoptera of Carmarthenshire (VC44). Entomologist's. Rec.

J. Var., 106, pp.161-169.

Skinner, B., (1984) Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles. Viking

Stewart, B., (1993) A Review of Microlepidoptera in Carmarthenshire. Dyfed Invertebrate Group Newsletter, 27, Autumn 1993.

Waring, P., (1993) National Moth Conservation Project. News Bulletin 5. Butterfly Conservation