Sunday 20 December 2009

December Mothing - 1

Weather has been a bit temperamental during December, with a lot of wind and cold nights. No point putting the sheet out in those conditions! Here are a few caught during a couple of warm, still nights.

(Click images to enlarge)

A Plume Moth, Stangeia xerodes
PTEROPHORIDAE



Possibly Thrincophora signigerana
TORTRICIDAE : Tortricinae

This one was taken inside. Apologies for lack of quality of image but that's what happens when short people stand on stools trying to photograph moths on the ceiling!! :-)

Unfortunately, the moth expired before I could catch it to take outside.
Pyralid of some kind, maybe?
Here's an unidentified Noctuid.
If anyone knows what these two are, please let me know.



7 comments:

Denis Wilson said...

Hi JL.
.
My moths are irregular at present. Some warm nights they swarm around. Cold nights, zip, nada, niente!
.
Not sure what you did to the squashed one. Poor little guy.
.
Liked the really dark one.
No Plume Moths here yet. I shall keep an eye out for them.
Cheers
Denis

Junior Lepid said...

Hello Denis,

Found it had dropped off the perch on top of the wood heater which hasn't been in operation for some time! Still hoping for an ID! :-)

The weather here has been rotten for mothing. Cold and windy for most of December.

However, I'm having a bit of fun observing what's coming into feed on the Buddleia davidii which has gone berserk this year! Good Autumn and Winter rains, I suspect!

A number of moths are enjoying the nectar.

Denis Wilson said...

Hi JL
.
My Buddlejas are attracting huge numbers of Butterflies and beetles during the day.
My Brother suggested they also bring in Hawk Moths, but I have not seen any around the house lights.
But those plants certainly earn the reputation as "Butterfly Bushes".
Cheers
Denis

Junior Lepid said...

Denis, I photographed Hippotion scrofa (badly) feeding on Buddleia davidii nectar a few days ago. They are utterly amazing! Like Hummingbirds, they are able to hover, fly forward, backward and then zap around at a rate of knots.

This Buddleia has flowered at the time it should this season, rather than two months later - as it did last year.

I also photographed the Plume Moth, Stangeia xerodes feeding on the nectar for at least 10 minutes the other evening.

A good plant to have if you are into watching moths and butterflies, certainly!

Denis Wilson said...

Hi JL
Thanks for the encouragement.
I got a Hawk Moth at my front porch light last night (warm air, with lots of scent from my Christmas Lilies just a few steps away).
I haven't processed images yet. Soon, I promiose.
As for photographing Plume Moths in the dark, feeding on Buddlejas, I don't begin to know how you do that?
Do you have a huge portable Flood Light?
Cheers
Denis

Junior Lepid said...

Hello Denis,

Sorry again for the delay in publishing your comment!

Re. the Plume Moths on the Buddleia. This one landed right in front of me! Thought it was a mozzie at first! :-) The plant is lit via my porch light. No high-tech. stuff here!

macs said...

Great collections!