Invertebrates in June 2012

The first day of June was a day of warm, somewhat humid and overcast weather, and insects were enjoying it. Speckled Wood butterflies were - as usual - visiting the garden, as well as Large Red Damselflies. But it was in Wanstead Park that a variety of insects could be seen during the morning. Surprisingly, perhaps, there were few butterflies - just Speckled Wood and one or two whites. Some moths were observed: Longhorn moths, Adela reaumurella, and a Grass moth Crambus lathoniellus (pic)

The first grasshopper of the year (at least for me) made an appearance by the Heronry Pond, and was well on its way to adult size. Not enough, really, for me to identify, but... having seen one, I became aware that there were others - albeit smaller - underfoot. On the plant leaves, low down, were numerous Wolf Spiders; higher up were Nursery-web Spiders Pisaura mirabilis. There were a few beetles too, including a Soldier Beetle Cantharis sp. and a new species record for the area: Attelabus nitens  - the Oak Leaf-roller (pic.). Erratically flying about from leaf to leaf were Scorpion Flies Panorpa species. Damselflies were Azure, Common Blue, Red-eyed, Large Red and - by Ornamental Waters - a few Banded Demoiselles.

On the 31st May/1st June at Capel Road, the moth trap caught

1 Epiphyas postvittana  Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261

1 Common Swift 17
1 Currant Pug 1832
2 Willow Beauty 1937
1 Large Yellow Underwing 2107
1 Lychnis 2173
2 Pale Mottled Willow 2389

Overnight on the 1/2 June at Lakehouse, the moth trap produced:

3 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998

1 Common Swift 17
1 Maiden’s Blush 1680
2 May Highflyer 1778
4 Common Marbled Carpet 1764
2 Cypress Carpet 1771a ( a new species for the area)
1 White-spotted Pug 1835
3 Willow Beauty 1937
1 Heart and Dart 2089
1 Shuttle-shaped Dart 2092
1 Shears 2147
1 Common Quaker 2187
2 Grey Dagger 2284
2 Knot Grass 2289
1 Rustic Shoulder-knot 2334
1 probable Marbled Minor, and another or the same Minor sp. 2337
3 Treble Lines 2380
13 Pale Mottled Willow 2389

On the 4/5 June, the same moth trap caught nothing at all (cool, and full moon)

A visit to Wanstead Park and the old Sewage Works site (Aldersbrook Exchange Lands) produced six species of damselfy: Common Blue, Azure, Large Red, Red-eyed, Blue-tailed and Banded Agrion - of which there were lots by the Roding, predominantly male but with some females. Also on the emergant flag-iris leaves were a few Small China-mark moths, Cataclysta lemnata, a creature which lives around slow-moving water and often lands and sits on duckweed. There were few butterflies in evidence, just a couple of Small Heath on the Plain plus a very bright and new-looking Red Admiral in the Sewage Works, and a white-one. Here too was a Dark Bush-cricket, minus one of its jumping-legs. In addition, there were Scorpion-flies about; these are somewhat moth-like creatures, quite easily seen on vegetation, and there are three common species in Britain. These can't be identified properly without detailed examination, so Panorpa sp. will have to do.

The Capel Road moth trap on 6/7 June had just four moths: a micro Aethes smeathmanniana (947), 1 Willow Beauty, 1 Pale Mottled Willow and 1 Magpie (Abraxa rossulariata 1884) (pic). The Magpie was a new species for the area, as was Aethes smeathmanniana

 The Lakehouse trap - as always - did better (I shall have to order a new lamp):

2 Epiphyas postvittana  Light Brown Apple Moth 998
2 Cydia pomonella  Codling Moth 1261
1 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1428

1 Common Swift
1 Garden Carpet
4 Common Marbled Carpet
1 Spruce Carpet
1 May Highflyer
4 Willow Beauty
4 Light Emerald
2 Heart and Dart
4 Shuttle-shaped Dart
1 Setaceous Hebrew Character
1 Common Quaker
1 Rustic Shoulder-knot
1 minor sp.
1 Pale Mottled Willow

Capel moth trap, 8/9 June : 1 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 3 Common Marbled Carpet, 1 White Ermine, 1 Pale Mottled Willow, 1 White-point (2194) (pic) The White-point is an immigrant species, increasing particularly in SE England. This is a new species record for the area.

On 9th June a visit to Wanstead Park followed by a walk through the sewage works, along Aldersbrook Bridle Path and round the cemetery boundary to the Flats produced the following invertebrates: In Wanstead Park, a micro-moth as yet unidentified but click here for a picture. There was a male Banded Demoiselle by the Ornamental Water and near the Grotto was a good selection of bees, a few hoverflies, some newly-emerged damselflies, a Green-veined White butterfly and a Holly Blue. Entering the Aldersbrook Exchange Lands, a Pill Millipede Glomeris marginata was making its way across the cycle route, but rolled up protectively when photograhed (pic). By the Roding there were many Banded Demoiselles on both banks. There were also a few Red Admiral butterflies about, a few Dark Bush-crickets at a young stage of development and a Xysticus cristatus spider carrying an ant (pic). Later on, at the point where the Aldersbrook goes underneath the railway lines, there was a female Black-tailed Skimmer - the first this year. (pic)

The Lakehouse moth trap on 9/10 produced:

1Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House Moth 648
1Epiphyas postvittana  Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261

1 Garden Carpet
1 Common Marbled Carpet
1 May Highflyer
1 White-spotted Pug
2 pug sp.
1 Brimstone
6 Willow Beauty
1 Turnip Moth
3 Shuttle-shaped Dart, 3 (inc. a female)
1 White-point
1 Common Wainscot
1 Shoulder-striped Wainscot
1 Rustic Shoulder-knot
2 probable Marbled Minor (but I'm advised to exercise caution with these!)
1 Vine's Rustic
7 Pale Mottled Willow

Capel moth trap, 9/10 June : 1 Green Oak Tortrix, 1 Common Marbled Carpet, 4 Pale Mottled Willow

Capel moth trap, 10/11 June : 1 White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella, 1 Common Swift, 1 Middle-barred Minor, 1 Pale Mottled Willow

Lakehouse moth trap, 13/14th June:

3 Common Marbled Carpet
1 Willow Beauty
1 Heart and Dart
2 Shuttle-shaped Dart
1 Shoulder-striped Wainscot
1 Bird's Wing
1 Minor sp. (probably Marbled Minor)
2 Vine's Rustic
7 Pale Mottled Willow

Lakehouse moth trap 15/16 June:

1 Treble Brown Spot
1 Lime-speck Pug
1 Dwarf Pug
6 Common Marbled Carpet
2 Willow Beauty
1 Light Emerald
1 Minor sp. (looks like the illustration of Rufous in Waring and Townsend)
3 Large Yellow Underwing
2 Heart and Dart
2 Vine's Rustic
2 Shoulder-striped Wainscot
1 Pale Mottled Willow

Lakehouse Moth trap 18/19 June, sky rapidly cleared and temp. fell, so a cool night:

1 Willow Beauty
1 Common Marbled Carpet
1 Spruce Carpet
2 Heart and Dart
4 Pale Mottled Willow 

Lakehouse Moth trap 19/20 June:

1Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House Moth 648
1 Celypha striana 1063
1 Archips podana Large Fruit-tree Tortrix 977
1 tortrix sp.
1 Aphomia sociellaBee Moth 1428

1 Garden Carpet
3 Cypress Carpet
2 pug sp.
4 Willow Beauty
1 Bird’s Wing
1 Dark Arches
1 Vine’s Rustic
1 Pale Mottled Beauty

Lakehouse Moth trap 22/23 June:

1 Archips podana  Large Fruit-tree Tortrix 977
1 Aphomia sociellaBee Moth 1428

1 Willow Beauty
1 Large Yellow Underwing
1 Marbled Minor
2 Pale Mottled Willow

On Saturday 23rd June the Wren Conservation and Wildife Group organised a moth-trapping evening in Wanstead Park, with experienced lepidopterist Colin Plant bringing a number of moth traps and his expertise to help out. Three traps were set up near the Temple from 10.30pm, and although rain threatened about 10 people attended. The catch included many midge-like flies, but surprisingly few biting ones, and after a hesitant start moths began arriving to be identified. By about midnight the rain began to come down heavily so we abandoned the Park before 1am. In the list of species that follows the numbers after the name are commonly used reference numbers for each species.

Archips podana Large Fruit-tree Tortrix 977
Aleimma loeflingiana  1032 (new species for the area)
Tortrix viridana  Green Oak Tortrix 1033
Chrysoteuchia culmella Garden Grass-veneer 1293

Common Swift (17)
China Mark (1345)
Yellow Shell (1742
Common Marbled Carpet (1764)
Freyer's Pug (1827) new species for the area
Green Pug (1860)
Double-striped Pug (1862)
Mottled Beauty (1941 )
Heart and Dart (2089)
Flame Shoulder (2102) new species for the area
Large Yellow Underwing (2107)
Shears (2147 )
Shoulder-striped Wainscot (2205 )
Light Arches (2322 ) new species for the area
Tawny Marbled Minor (2339 )
Middle-barred Minor (2340)
Bordered Sallow (2399) new species for the area
Silver Y (2441)
Straw Dot (2474)

Lakehouse moth trap 25/26 June

2 Brown House Moth 647
1 Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House Moth 648
1 Bramble-shoot Moth 1175
1 Codling Moth 1261
2 Garden Grass-veneer 1293
1 Scoparia pyralella 1333
1 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1428

2 Common Carpet (1738)
1 Common Marbled Carpet (1764)quite a tatty individual
1 Spruce Carpet (1769)
1 Foxglove Pug (1817)
1 Scalloped Oak (1921)
6 Heart and Dart (2089)
1 Uncertain (2381)
1 Pale Mottled Willow (2389) been coming to the trap since February! 

Lakehouse Moth Trap 27/28

6 Archips podana Large Fruit-tree Tortrix 977
1 Cnephasia stephensiana Grey Tortrix 1020 NFY
1 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261
1 Crambus pascuella 1294 NFY
1 Eudonia mercurella  1344 NFY

1 Grass Emerald (1665) NFY
1 Cream Wave (1693) NFY
1 Riband Wave (1713) NFY
2 Garden Carpet (1728)
1 Spruce Carpet (1769)
1 Foxglove Pug (1817)
1 Currant Pug (1832) NFY
1 Scalloped Oak (1921)
4 Willow Beauty (1937)
8 Heart and Dart (2089)
1 Shoulder-striped Wainscot (2205)
1 Bird's Wing (2301)
1 Uncertain (2381)
2 Pale Mottled Willow (2389)

Capel Moth Trap 27/28 (I hadn't put the trap out for some while in Capel Road as the catches had been so poor, then after this warm, overclouded night, the trap in the morning was more like it used to be - 30 or so species identified and 62 individuals, plus some that got away and many unidentified micros...)

1 Scythropia crategella 450 ? (pic)
1 Batia lunaris 640 (a new species for the area)
1 Pandemis  sp. 972?
1 Tortrix viridana Green Oak Tortrix 1033
2 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261
2 Pyrausta sp. (a small specimen) 1361
1 Hypsopygia costalis  Golden Triangle 1413
1 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1428
1 Homeosoma sinuella 1481 (pic)

1 Least Carpet (1699)
1 Small Dusty Wave (1707)
3 Satin Wave (1709)
3 Treble Brown Spot (1711)
5 Riband Wave (1713)
1 Garden Carpet (1728)
2 Lime-speck Pug (1825)
1 Double-striped Pug (1862)
1 Brimstone Moth (1906)
2 Willow Beauty (inc. perfumaria) (1937)
2 Common Footman (2050) (pic)
2 White Ermine (2060)
1 Turnip Moth (2087)
3 Heart and Club (2088)
8 Heart and Dart (2089)
1 Large Yellow Underwing (2107)
1 Lesser Yellow Underwing (2109)
1 Shoulder-striped Wainscot (2205)
2 Grey/Dark Dagger (2284) (pic)
1 Birds Wing (2301)
1 Dark Arches (2321) (pic)
1 Light Arches (2322) (pic)
1 Marbled Minor (2337)
1 Minor sp. (2337)
1 Rustic (2343)
2 Uncertain (2381)
5 Pale Mottled Willow (2389)
1 Straw Dot (2474)

Capel moth trap 28/29 June

1 Crassa unitella 642 (new species for the area) (pic)
1 Oegoconia sp. 870
1 Tortrix viridana  1033
1 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261
1 Ephestia parasitella  1474 (new species for the area) (pic)
1 Amblyptilia punctidactyla 1498

1 Common Emerald 1659
1 Small Dusty Wave 1707
1 Scalloped Oak 1921
3 Willow Beauty 1937
1 Light Emerald 1961
1 Short Cloaked Moth 2077
1 Heart and Club 2088
5 Heart and Dart 2089
1 Shears 2147
2 Minor sp. (one possibly a Middle-barred Minor, the other was very small)
2 Uncertain 2381
2 Pale Mottled Willow 2389

First records of a species for 2012

Attelabus nitens  - Oak Leaf-roller - Wanstead Park, 1 June. New species for the area. (pic)

Grass moth, Crambus lathoniellus  - Wanstead Park, 1st June (pic)

Maiden's Blush Cyclophora punctaria - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June.

May Highflyer Hydriomena impluviata 1778 - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June. New species for the area

Heart and Dart - Agrotis clavis - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June.

Shears Hada plebeja - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June.

Grey Dagger Acronicta psi - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June.

Rustic-Shoulder-knot Apamea sordens - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June. New species for the area

Marbled Minor Oligia strigilis - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June

Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June

Small China-mark moth Cataclysta lemnata 1758 - Perch Pond, 6 June

Dark Bush Cricket - 6 June, Aldersbrook Exchange Lands.

Magpie Abraxa rossulariata 1884 - Capel Road moth trap, 6/7 June. New species for the area. (pic)

Aethes smeathmanniana 647 - Capel Road moth trap, 6/7 June. New species for the area.

Setaceous Hebrew Character - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 6/7 June

White Ermine - Capel Road moth trap, 8/9 June

White-point (2194) - Capel Road moth trap, 8/9 June. This is a new species for the area (pic)

Pill-bug Armadillium sp. (probably A. vulgare) - Aldersbrook Exchange Lands (Redbridge Field), 9 June (pic)

Spider Xysticus cristatus - Aldersbrook Exchange Lands, 9 June (pic)

Black-tailed Skimmer - by the Alders Brook, 9 June

The bee-mimic hoverfly Volucella bombylans - Capel Road garden, 10 June (pic)

Small Emerald - Capel moth trap, 12/13 June

Common Blue - Aldersbrook Exchange Lands, 14 June

Burnet Companion (Euclidia glyphica) 463 - Aldersbrook Exchange Lands, 14 June

Celypha striana (1063) - Lakehouse moth trap 19/20 June (new species for the area)

moth Aleimma loeflingiana 1032, Wanstead Park, 23 June

Freyer's Pug 1827, Wanstead Park, 23 June

Flame Shoulder 2102, Wanstead Park, 23 June

Scythropia crategella (450) - Capel Road moth trap 27/28th June (pic)

Batia lunaris - Capel Road moth trap 27/28th June. This is a new species for the area

Crassa unitella - Capel Road garden 28/29 June (pic)

Ephestia parasitella - Capel Road moth trap 28/29 June (pic)

for invertebrates in May, click here

for invertebrates in Jan, Feb, March and April, click here

Paul Ferris, June 2012

top