Invertebrates in July

various Blue Damselflies

possible Comma butterfly

Capel moth trap overnight on 4/5th July:

 

1 Cochylis atricapitana (966) (if correct this would be a new species for the area)
2 Pyrausta aurata (1361)

1 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth (1428)
1 possibly Ephista unicolorella ssp. woodiella (1474) (if correct this would be a new species for the area)

 

1 Least Carpet (1699)
1 Dwarf Cream Wave (1705)
1 Lime-speck Pug (1825)
1 Scalloped Oak (1920)
1 Willow Beauty (1937)

1 Common Footman (2050)
1 Heart and Club (2088)

3 Heart and Dart (2089)
1 Clay (2193)

1 Bird's Wing (2301)
1 Pale Mottled Willow (2389)

1 Snout (2477)

 

Lakehouse catch for 4/5 July: 39 moths of 17 species.

Underlined species names = new for the trap for this year.

5 Hofmannophila pseudospretella - Brown House Moth (647)
1 Endrosis sarcitrella - White-shouldered House Moth (648)
7 Epiphyas postvittana - Light Brown Apple Moth (998)
1 Lozotaeniodes formosana (1001)
1 Chrysoteuchia culmella (1293)
2 Crambus pascuella (1294)
2  Aphomia sociella - Bee Moth (1428)

1 Dwarf Cream Wave (1705)
2 Garden Carpet (1728)
2 Foxglove Pug (1817)
1 Brimstone Moth (1906)
2 Willow Beauty (1937)
1 Mottled Beauty (1941)
2 Common Footman (2050)
5 Heart and Dart (2089)
1 Dingy Shears (2314)
1 Dark Arches (2321)
2 Pale Mottled Willow (2389)

Lakehouse catch for 8/9 July: 13 moths of 9 species

1 Least Carpet (1699)
1 Small Fan-footed Wave (1702)
2 Garden Carpet (1728)
1 Scalloped Oak (1921)
2 Willow Beauty (1937)
1 Common Footman (2050)
1 Short Cloaked Moth (2077)
2 Heart and Dart (2089)
2 Large Yellow Underwing (2107)

Poor weather deterred from the moth traps being put out at either Lakehouse or Capel Road for many nights. However, out and about, grasshoppers were beginning to really make their presence felt, with seemingly hundreds jumping around in the grass by the edge of the City of London Cemetery fence and wall. As well, there were numbers of Small Heath, Meadow Brown and Skipper butterflies, making at least the 12th July feel summery in a very un-summery seeming summer. Other butterflies seen on that day were a few Red Admirals and some Large Whites. Two moths were encountered: just two caterpillars of the Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaeae)on Ragwort by the City of London Cemetery and a Burnet Companion moth (Euclidia glyphica)in the luxurient meadows of Webster's Land in Little Ilford.

The moth trap was put out at Lakehouse on 15/16th, and the catch was as follows:

1 Hofmannophila pseudospretella - Brown House Moth (647)
1 Epiphyas postvittana - Light Brown Apple Moth (female) (998)
1 Cydia pomonella - Codling Moth (1261)
2 Crambus pascuella (1294)
1 Eudonia  (Dipleurina) lacustrata (1338)
1 Aphomia sociella - Bee Moth (male) (1428)
1 Emmelina monodactyla - Common Plume (1524)

1 Garden Carpet (1728)
1 Foxglove Pug (1817)
1 Scalloped Oak (1921)
1 Common Footman (2050)
1 Large Yellow Underwing (2107)
1 Dark Arches (2321)

On 17th, the first Summer Chafers (Amphimallon solstitialis) (pic) - sometimes known as Solstice Bugs, though they are beetles and this year it is way beyond the Solstice - were seen flying around the Oak tree-tops in Capel Road. This is an annual event in the evenings, when the beetles emerge, fly around the oak-tops looking for a mate and disconcertingly fly at you if you try to walk across the Flats. Thye are quite big and noisy. The EOL Encyclopedia of Life website states that the "Plant / resting place / swarming adult of Amphimallon solstitialis may be found on live canopy of Ulmus" (Elm). It also mentions Poplar and Lime - but here it is Oak.

On 17/18th at Capel Road:

1 Cydia pomonella - Codling Moth (1261)
1 Chrysoteuchia culmella (1293)
1 Eudonia mercurella (1344) (pic)
1 Eurrhypara hortulata - Small Magpie  (1376)
1 possibly Ephestia  sp. (1473)
1 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla (1497) ?

2 Dwarf Cream Wave (1705)
1 Single-dotted Wave (1708)
2 Willow Beauty (1937)
1 Marbled Beauty (2293)
1 Bird's Wing (2301)
1 Cloaked Minor (2341)
4 Common Rustic (2343)
1 Uncertain (2381)

 

and at Lakehouse:

1 Hofmannophila pseudospretella - Brown House Moth (647)
5 Chrysoteuchia culmella (1293)
6 Eudonia mercurella (1344)
1 Pyrausta aurata (1361)

2 Riband Wave (1713)
1 Common Carpet (1738)
1 Lime-speck Pug  (1825)
1 worn and unidentified pug
1 Scalloped Oak (1921)
1 Common Footman (2050)
3 Heart and Dart (2089)
1 Large Yellow Underwing (2107)
1 Dun-bar (2318)
1 Dark Arches (2321)
1 Common Rustic agg. (2343)
1 Uncertain (2381)
1 Pale Mottled Willow (2389)

 

There was wind and light showers on Wanstead Flats around mid-day on 18th, but still Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Essex and Small Skippers and the first noted  Large Skipper were occasionally flying (pic). On just a few Common Ragwort plants, the black and yellow larvae of Cinnabar Moths (pic) were seen, but I would have expected a lot more to be evident by now.

 

Capel Road moth trap on 19/20th July:

 

1 Eudonia mercurella (1344)
1 Pleuroptya ruralis  Mother of Pearl (1405)

1 Early Thorn (1917)
1 Large Yellow Underwing (2107)
1 Marbled Beauty (2293)

 

  1 possibly Chrysoteuchia culmella (1293)
1 Eudonia mercurella (1344)
1 possibly Ephestia parasitella (1474)

1 Least Carpet (1699)
1 Dwarf Cream Wave (1705)
1 Single-dotted Wave (1708)
1 Riband Wave (1713)
1 Yellow Shell (1742)
1 Lime-speck Pug (1825)
1 Common Rustic (2343)
1 Nut-tree Tussock (2425)

 

Lakehouse moth trap 21/22 July:

1 Notocelia uddmanniana  - Bramble-shoot Moth (1174)
2 Cydia pomonella - Codling Moth (1261)
2 Crambus pascuella  (1294)
1 Eudonia mercurella  (1344)

1 Least Carpet
1 Dwarf Cream Wave
1 Common Carpet
1 Scalloped Oak
1 Peppered Moth Biston beltularia (1931)
2 Dingy Footman Eilema griseola (2154)
1 Common Footman
1 Heart and Dart
1 Large Yellow Underwing
3 Dark Arches
1 Pale Mottled Willow

Butterflies listed on 21st and 22nd :

Essex Skipper: seemed to be the more common of the two species that were out in very large numbers (100s) on Spear Thistle, Ragwort, Yarrow etc near Centre Road, east of Alexandra Lake, on the Plain and in the Old Sewage Works.
Small Skipper: plentiful, though not - I think - as plentiful as the above.
Small Heath: a few only on Flats (21/7) and on the Plain (22/7).
Small Copper: 10 counted on eastern Plain on 21/7 and others on western Plain on 22/7.
Meadow Brown: large numbers on all the grassland areas visitited (near Centre Road, near Alexandra Lake, on the Plain and in the Old Sewage Works).
Gatekeeper: aboubt 10 seen on the Plain and in the Old Sewage Works, 22/7; all seemed very fresh.
Specked Wood: just 1 seen on 21/7, near the entrance to the CoL Cemetery fence.
Red Admiral: 2 seen (1 by Jubilee Pond; 1 in OLW), 21/7; about 12 seen on 22/7.
Large White: 1 in City of London Cemetery, 21/7.
small white sp.: several individuals seen on 21/7 and 22/7 but not approachable.

Odonata (Damselflies and Dragonflies) listed on 21st and 22nd :

Banded Demoiselle: 1 on Shoulder of Mutton; at least 10 by Roding.
Common Blue Damselfly/Azure: many of these species; both present but most not assigned to species.
Blue-tailed Damselfly: a few around east end of Perch, 21/7 and 22/7.
Red-eyed Damsefly: seen on Jubilee (21/7), Perch, Heronry and Ornamentals (22/7).
Black-tailed Skimmer: 2 on Jubilee (21/7), with others around Heronry and Ornamentals (22/7).
Brown Hawker: at least 10 seen on 22/7, with individuals around Shoulder, Heronry, Perch, Ornamentals and over Old Sewage Works.
Southern Hawker: at least 6 seen on 22/7, with individuals around Heronry and Ornamentals.
Common Darter: 1 at south end of Jubilee, 21/7.

 Capel Road moth trap 23/24 July:

2 Hofmannophila pseudospretella - Brown House Moth 647
1 Cydia pomonella - Codling Moth 1261
1 Catoptria falsella 1316
1 Dipleurina  (Eudonia) lacustra 1338
1 Eudonia mercurella 1344
1 Eurrhypara hortulata - Small Magpie 1376
2 Pleuroptyla ruralis - Mother of Pearl 1405
2 Orthopygia glaucinalis  1415
1 Emellina monodactyla 1454

2 Oak Hook-tip 1646
5 Least Carpet 1699
2 Single-dotted Wave 1708
3 Riband Wave 1713
1 Lime-speck Pug 1825
1 Common Footman 2050
1 Large Yellow Underwing 2107
2 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 2110
1 Common Rustic agg. (2343)
1 Uncertain 2381

Lakehouse moth trap 23/24 July:

1 Roeslerstammia erxlebella  447

1 Hofmannophila pseudospretella - Brown House Moth 647

2 Endrosis sarcitrella - White-shouldered House Moth 648

4 Epiphyas postvittana - Light Brown Apple Moth 998

1 possible Zeiraphera isertana 1165

4 Cydia pomonella - Codling Moth 1261

3+ Chrysoteuchia culmella - Garden Grass Veneer 1293

1 Crambus pascuella 1294

5 Eudonia mercurella 1344

1 Phycita roborella 1452 (a new species for the area)

1Emmelina monodactyla - Common Plume 1524

 

1 Oak Hook-tip 1646

6 Riband Wave 1713

2 Lime Speck Pug 1825

1 Peppered Moth 1931

3 Dingy Footman 2044

3 Common Footman 2050

2 Tree-lichen Beauty 2292

2 Old Lady 2300

1 Dark Arches 2321

2 Uncertain 2381

 

Lakehouse trap on 27/28 July. What was most striking was the big reduction in the number of micros cf. the night of 25/26...

1 Yponomeuta evonymella Bird-cherry Ermine 424
2 Epiphyas postvittana - Light Brown Apple Moth 0998
3 Cydia pomonella - Codling Moth 1261
1 Endotricha flammealis  1424

1 Oak Hook-tip 1646
5 Least Carpet 1696
2 Single-dotted Wave 1708
4 Riband Wave 1713
4 Garden Carpet 1728
1 pug sp.
1 Peppered Moth 1931
2 Common Footman 2050
2 Large Yellow Underwing 2107
1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 2111
1 Cabbage Moth 2154
1 Clay 2193
1 Knot Grass 2289
1 Tree-lichen Beauty 2292
1 Marbled Beauty 2293
1 Dun-bar 2318
1 Dark Arches 2321
1 LIght Arches 2322
1 Double-lobed 2336
1 Uncertain 2381
1 Nut-tree Tussock 2425

 

 

Capel Road trap on 28/29 July; this was a slightly cooler night than of late, and the moon was bright - perhaps reasons for a less productive catch than of late.

 

1 Tinea trinotella 247
1 Hofmannophila pseudospretella  Brown House Moth 647
1 Crambus perlella 1302 (a new species for the area) (pic)
1 Pleuroptyla ruralis  Mother of Pearl 1405

1 Endotricha flammealis 1424

 

2 Dwarf Cream Wave 1705

3 Riband Wave 1713

1 Marbled Beauty 2293

1 Mottled Rustic 2387

1 Silver Y 2441

 

The Capel Road trap on 29/31 July didn't produce many specimens, but there were two new species records for the area amongst them:

 

1 Coleophora  sp. 568 (a new species for the area)
1 Cydia pomonella - Codling Moth 1261
1 Lyonetia clerkella 1263
1 Crambus perlella 1302 (a new species for the area)

1 Endotricha flammealis 1424

 

2 Riband Wave 1713
2 Common Carpet 1738
1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 2111
1 Tree-lichen Beauty 2292

 

 

The catch at Lakehouse on 31st July/1st August: 1 Tree-lichen Beauty 2292

 

For June click here

For August click here