Portland Bird Observatory - wildlife diary

31st August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 148 *Nomophila noctuella, 27 Dark Sword Grass, 18 Pearly Underwing, 14 Udea ferrugalis, 7 White-point, 5 Silver Y, 3 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 1 Bordered Straw, 1 White-speck and 1 Vestal*.
30th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 165 *Nomophila noctuella, 7 Dark Sword Grass, 6 Silver Y, 6 Udea ferrugalis, 5 Pearly Underwing, 2 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 2 Small Mottled Willow, 1 White-point, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Bordered Straw, 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth* and 1 Vestal.
28th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 20 *Nomophila noctuella, 11 Dark Sword Grass, 10 Silver Y, 4 Udea ferrugalis, 3 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 3 Plutella xylostella, 2 White-point, 1 Pearly Underwing, 1 Small Mottled Willow* and 1 Vestal.
27th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 107 *Nomophila noctuella, 37 Silver Y, 37 Udea ferrugalis, 14 Dark Sword Grass, 8 White-point, 4 Pearly Underwing, 3 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 3 Plutella xylostella, 3 Hummingbird Hawk-moth, 2 White-speck, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Nephopterix angustella* and 1 Gem.
Beech-green Carpet - 26th August 2003 © Jon Stokes/Martin Cade
26th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 112 Silver Y, 64 *Nomophila noctuella, 46 Udea ferrugalis, 19 Dark Sword Grass, 11 White-point, 3 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 2 Plutella xylostella, 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth, 1 Bordered Straw, 1 Pearly Underwing, 1 White-speck* and 1 Small Mottled Willow. Additionally, an actinic trap run on the West Weares near Chesil Cove produced very good numbers of local specialities, including 107 Beech-green Carpet, 100 Annulet, 34 Galium Carpets, 2 Chalk Carpets, a Portland Ribbon Wave and the first Beautiful Gothic of the year.
Purple Marbled - 25th August 2003 © Martin Cade
25th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 57 Silver Y, 43 *Nomophila noctuella, 22 Dark Sword Grass, 14 White-point, 11 Udea ferrugalis, 5 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 2 Plutella xylostella, 2 Pearly Underwing, 1 White-speck* and 1 Purple Marbled.
24th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 800 Silver Y, 186 *Nomophila noctuella, 77 Dark Sword Grass, 65 Udea ferrugalis, 13 White-point, 8 Small Mottled Willow, 3 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 5 Delicate, 2 Plutella xylostella, 2 White-speck, 2 Scarce Bordered Straw, 2 Ni Moth, 5 Pearly Underwing, 1 Bordered Straw, 1 Small Wainscot, 1 Narrow-winged Pug, 1 Vapourer, 1 Endothenia quadrimaculana, 1 Gem, 1 Eudonia pallida, 1 Cataclysta lemnata* and 1 *Elophila nymphaeata*.
23rd August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 157 Silver Y, 52 *Nomophila noctuella, 39 Dark Sword Grass, 30 Udea ferrugalis, 10 White-point, 5 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 3 Delicate, 2 Plutella xylostella, 2 Small Mottled Willow, 2 White-speck, 1 Pearly Underwing, 1 Bordered Straw, 1 Small Wainscot* and 1 *Elophila nymphaeata*.
White-point and White-speck - 20th August 2003 © Martin Cade
22nd August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 32 Silver Y, 11 *Nomophila noctuella, 9 Dark Sword Grass, 8 Udea ferrugalis, 4 White-point* and 2 White-speck.
21st August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 326 Silver Y, 82 *Nomophila noctuella, 37 Dark Sword Grass, 25 Udea ferrugalis, 6 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 5 White-point, 5 Plutella xylostella, 3 Pearly Underwing, 3 White-speck, 1 Bordered Straw, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Small Rufous, 1 Jersey Tiger* and 1 Small Mottled Willow.
Bordered Straw and Scarce Bordered Straw - 20th August 2003 © Martin Cade
20th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 209 *Nomophila noctuella, 167 Silver Y, 42 Dark Sword Grass, 23 Udea ferrugalis, 7 White-point, 6 Plutella xylostella, 3 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 3 Bordered Straw, 3 Pearly Underwing, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw* and 1 *Palpita vitrealis*.
19th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 197 Silver Y, 123 *Nomophila noctuella, 41 Dark Sword Grass, 17 Udea ferrugalis, 16 Plutella xylostella, 11 White-point, 9 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 3 Bordered Straw, 1 White-speck, 1 Pearly Underwing* and 1 *Evergestis extimalis*.
*Diasemiopsis ramburialis* - 18th August 2003 © Martin Cade
18th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 256 Silver Y, 110 *Nomophila noctuella, 53 Udea ferrugalis, 17 White-point, 14 Dark Sword Grass, 8 Plutella xylostella, 4 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 2 Ostrinia nubilalis, 1 Small Mottled Willow, 1 Endothenia quadrimaculana, 1 White-speck, 1 Jersey Tiger, 1 Diasemiopsis ramburialis, 1 Bordered Straw* and 1 Scarce Bordered Straw.
Convolvulous Hawk-moths - 17th August 2003 © Martin Cade
17th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 46 Silver Y, 17 *Nomophila noctuella, 11 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 8 Dark Sword Grass, 7 White-point, 8 Plutella xylostella, 3 Udea ferrugalis, 2 Small Mottled Willow, 1 Vestal, 1 Bordered Straw* and 1 Scarce Bordered Straw. (click here for a Langmaid's Yellow Underwing photo-page illustrating the three specimens caught earlier in the month at PBO).
*Ancylosis cinnamomella* - 12th August 2003 © Martin Cade
16th August	Very exciting news today that a pyralid moth caught in the Obs garden moth-traps on 12th August and tentatively identified as Ancylosis cinnamomella, has been confirmed after dissection by Dr Phil Sterling as being a specimen of that species - the first record for Britain (click here for more photographs). Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-trap this morning: 139 Silver Y, 32 *Nomophila noctuella, 10 Dark Sword Grass, 11 Udea ferrugalis, 6 White-point, 4 Plutella xylostella, 3 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 1 Small Mottled Willow, 1 Bordered Straw* and 1 Horse Chestnut.

15th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 292 Silver Y, 69 *Nomophila noctuella, 33 Dark Sword Grass, 30 Udea ferrugalis, 10 Plutella xylostella, 4 White-point, 3 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 1 Pearly Underwing, 1 White-speck* and 1 Vestal.
Porter's Rustic - 14th August 2003 © Martin Cade
14th August	A small, almost featureless noctuid trapped in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning is presumed to be specimen of Porter's Rustic (the sixth British record?). Additional Immigrant and dispersive moths in the traps: 595 Silver Y, 142 *Nomophila noctuella, 30 Dark Sword Grass, 21 Plutella xylostella, 16 Udea ferrugalis, 10 White-point, 3 Small Mottled Willow, 3 Bordered Straw, 3 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 2 Ni Moth, 1 Endothenia quadrimaculana, 1 Pearly Underwing* and 1 Delicate.
13th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 851 Silver Y, 180 *Nomophila noctuella, 87 Udea ferrugalis, 44 Plutella xylostella, 39 Dark Sword Grass, 12 Small Mottled Willow, 12 White-point, 3 Bordered Straw, 2 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 1 Evergestis extimalis, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Small Rufous* and 1 Delicate.
Four-spotted Footman - 12th August 2003 © Martin Cade
12th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 1560 Silver Y, 239 *Nomophila noctuella, 113 Plutella xylostella, 81 Udea ferrugalis, 57 Dark Sword Grass, 24 Small Mottled Willow, 9 White-point, 6 Bordered Straw, 4 Pyla fusca, 2 Coloephora salicorniae, 2 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 1 Sitochroa palealis, 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth, 1 Brown-veined Wainscot, 1 Webb's Wainscot, 1 Vestal, 1 White-speck, 1 Four-spotted Footman* and 1 Delicate.
11th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 880 Silver Y, 392 *Nomophila noctuella, 249 Plutella xylostella, 93 Udea ferrugalis, 33 Dark Sword Grass, 6 White-point, 7 Small Mottled Willow, 6 Bordered Straw, 3 Coloephora salicorniae, 2 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 1 Jersey Tiger, 1 Sitochroa palealis, 1 Gold-spot, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Southern Wainscot, 1 Pearly Underwing, 1 Evergestis extimalis* and 1 Delicate.
Jersey Tiger - 10th August 2003 © James Lees
10th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 132 *Plutella xylostella, 65 Nomophila noctuella, 58 Silver Y, 14 Udea ferrugalis, 9 Dark Sword Grass, 7 White-point, 2 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Bordered Straw, 2 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 2 Jersey Tiger, 1 Sitochroa palealis, 1 Webb's Wainscot* (the second island record) and 1 Oblique Carpet.
*Ancylosis oblitella* - 9th August 2003 © Martin Cade
9th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 143 Silver Y, 47 *Nomophila noctuella, 41 Plutella xylostella, 19 Udea ferrugalis, 18 Dark Sword Grass, 8 Small Mottled Willow, 8 White-point, 3 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 2 Gold-spot, 1 Sitochroa palealis, 1 Small Rufous, 1 Gem* and 1 Vestal. Additionally, trapping overnight at Freshwater Bay produced many commoner immigrants and a single *Ancylosis oblitella*.
Convolvulous Hawk-moth - 8th August 2003 © Martin Cade
8th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 764 Silver Y, 69 *Nomophila noctuella, 38 Plutella xylostella, 28 Udea ferrugalis, 24 Dark Sword Grass, 14 Small Mottled Willow, 5 White-point, 3 Bordered Straw, 1 Gold-spot, 1 Gem, 1 White-speck, 1 Southern Wainscot, 1 Crescent, 1 Bulrush Wainscot* and 1 *Phycita roborella. At dusk, a Convolvulous Hawk-moth* was nectaring at honeysuckle in the Obs garden.
7th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 186 Silver Y, 109 *Nomophila noctuella, 42 Dark Sword Grass, 39 Udea ferrugalis, 24 Plutella xylostella, 7 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Pine Hawk-moth, 2 White-point, 2 Convolvulous Hawk-moth,1 Sitochroa palealis, 1 Vestal, 1 Brown-veined Wainscot* and 1 *Catoptria falsella; also a single Red Admiral* butterfly.
*Cydia amplana* and Tebenna micalis - 6th August 2003 © Martin Cade
6th August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 144 Silver Y, 100 *Nomophila noctuella, 38 Plutella xylostella, 29 Dark Sword Grass, 19 Udea ferrugalis, 3 White-point, 14 Small Mottled Willow, 3 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 2 Langmaid's Yellow Underwing, 1 Jersey Tiger, 1 Gold-spot, 1 Sitochroa palealis, 1 Cydia amplana, 1 Tebenna micalis, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Pediasia contaminella* and 1 *Catoptria falsella; also a single Red Admiral* butterfly and a single Common Darter dragonfly. Additionally, trapping overnight at Freshwater Bay produced 3 Striped and 1 Convolvulous Hawk-moth amongst good numbers of commoner immigrants, and 2 more Convolvulous Hawk-moths were trapped at Cheyne Weares.
Langmaid's Yellow Underwing - 5th August 2003 © Martin Cade
5th August	Highlight in the Obs garden moth-traps was the first island record of Langmaid's Yellow Underwing. Other immigrant and dispersive moths in the traps this morning: 32 Silver Y, 29 *Plutella xylostella, 15 Nomophila noctuella, 13 Dark Sword Grass, 4 Udea ferrugalis, 4 White-point, 2 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Convolvulous Hawk-moth, 1 Jersey Tiger, 1 Southern Wainscot* and 1 Red Admiral butterfly; also 14 Four-spotted (the highest count so far this year). Another single Clouded Yellow was at the Bill.
4th August	A single Clouded Yellow was at the Bill. Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 90 *Nomophila noctuella, 67 Silver Y, 42 Dark Sword Grass, 17 Plutella xylostella, 7 Small Mottled Willow, 6 Udea ferrugalis, 3 Pyrausta cingulata, 2 White-point, 1 Gold-spot, 1 The Gothic, 1 Lesser-spotted Pinion, 1 Crescent* and 1 *Pediasia contaminella*;
3rd August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 67 *Nomophila noctuella, 59 Silver Y, 24 Dark Sword Grass, 9 Small Mottled Willow, 7 Plutella xylostella, 5 Udea ferrugalis, 3 Convovulous Hawk-moth, 1 Dark Spectacle, 1 Vapourer, 1 Small Wainscot, 1 Jersey Tiger, 1 White-point* and 1 *Pediasia contaminella; also the first Phoenix* of the year.
Tree-lichen Beauty - 2nd August 2003 © Martin Cade
2nd August	At dusk, 4 Convolvulous Hawk-moths were nectaring at honeysuckle flowers at the Higher Lighthouse. Painted Ladies and Red Admirals remain very numerous everywhere on the island, smaller numbers of Hummingbird Hawk-moths are being seen and a single Clouded Yellow was at the Bill. Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 43 *Nomophila noctuella, 13 Silver Y, 7 Plutella xylostella, 4 Dark Sword Grass, 4 Udea ferrugalis, 2 Convovulous Hawk-moth, 2 Small Mottled Willow, 1 Pediasia contaminella* and 1 Tree-lichen Beauty; also 1 Painted Lady butterfly.
1st August	Immigrant and dispersive moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 12 *Nomophila noctuella, 3 Silver Y, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Plutella xylostella, 1 Nut-tree Tussock* and 1 Small Mottled Willow; also 1 Red Admiral butterfly.