JULY MOTH MEDLEY

The warm weather has been good for moths with a nice variety being found in the moth trap during July at the country park. One of the strikingly marked moths is the black arches, just a couple noted during the month.

The bordered beauty lives up to its name, just one noted mid month.

The newest addition to the moth list for the park is this oak processionary moth, a pest species that has been spreading out from the London area in recent years. Its caterpillars are serious defoliators of oaks and move between feeding areas in a long single file.

The fourth boxworm moth of the month suggests there might be a small population locally. Another alien species and defoliator of box bushes, it is rapidly spreading north.

A canary-shouldered thorn was seen in mid July on two nights.

The bulky looking drinker moths were a regular feature in the first half of the month.

The small festoon has become a regular to the trap in the summer since its first appearance in 2013.

A large oak eggar was fluttering at the window to the house.

An old lady moth was discovered hiding in the gents toilets in the park one morning and was gently ushered out.

A pebble hook-tip showing the hooked points to its wings.

Several tree-lichen beauties have been seen throughout the month, up until ten years ago a very scarce moth.

Three white-lined darts were seen one night mid month, normally its just one at a time.

A slightly faded rosy-striped knot-horn - Oncocera semirubella, has been recorded for the third year running. This scarce micro-moth feeds on birds foot trefoil and clovers.