In the past couple of days I have found five moths that I have not knowingly seen before. All were on Raasay but only one here at home to add to my list of West Suisnish moths.
Clouded Silver
Neofaculta ericetella (Heather Groundling)
Red Twin-spot Carpet
Small Argent and Sable
Striped Twin-spot Carpet
The Clouded Silver came to light at home and the Striped Twin-spot Carpet to light when I took my trap to Leac. The other three were caught on the way to or from putting the trap out. Both the Clouded Silver and the Small Argent and Sable are pretty rare locally. There are not that many records for Striped Twin-spot Carpet or Heather Groundling either, but at least in the latter case this is probably down to under-recording – it is small and fast moving and found on the moor.
It is still cold so plants are late in flowering and insects on the wing are few in number much of the time. However, it has still been possible to find interesting things…..
A single leaf of Dryas octopetala (Mountain Avens) from Gualann na Leac on Raasay had a gall and leaf spots.
I shall have to go and get the leaf and dig into the gall.
New 10 km square records have been made for Hedera hibernica (Atlantic Ivy), Hyacinthoides x massartiana (Hybrid Bluebell), Prunus avium (Wild Cherry or Gean) and, by David H, Scutellaria galericulata (Skullcap).
I seem to have an aphids day yesterday. Following a lead from Murdo of HBRG I went to check for aphids on Viburnum opulus (Guelder-rose). He had found the aphid Ceruraphis eriophor at Strathpeffer and noticed that there was only one dot on the NBN Atlas for this species. I have often registered that on Skye V. opulus is infested with aphids and indeed the first plant I looked at had these on it (awaiting final confirmation). Later: Confirmed
Ceruraphis eriophor on Viburnum opulus
Meanwhile, Neil had spotted some clumping of leaves on Acer platanoides (Norway Maple) in a garden at Dunan.
Acer platanoides with leaf nests
I suspect that this is caused by maple leaf-nest aphid Mimeuria ulmiphila, a taxon that appears on NBN but with no records. Someone is going to have to knock on the door and say “Please can we get a ladder to look at your rare aphids?”. Hope that goes well.
Elsewhere, this leaf spot on Epilobium montanum (Broad-leaved Willowherb) appears to be Venturia maculiformis which is probably common but if so, very under-recorded.
Venturia maculiformis on Epilobium montanum
I have converted my moth trap so that it can be battery-operated.
Moth trap at Brae, Raasay
Its first outing at Brae produced several moths I haven’t seen yet this year at home such as Early Thorn:
Early Thorn
Without the aid of a trap, I found a nice Scalloped Hook-tip at Fearns:
On Skye last week I spotted some impressive flies which turn out to be Empis borealis, a species of Dance Fly or Dagger Fly. Thanks to Tony and Seth for i.d. This particular species of fly exhibits sex-role reversal in its mating process, with female flies aggregating in swarms to compete for male choice. Female fly swarms change their flying behaviour in the presence of males, who present nuptial gifts to females before mating. The name Dagger Fly comes from the long downward-pointing probosis used for spearing other insects.
Empis borealis
Prior to this year Pammene giganteana (Early Oak Piercer) was known in Scotland from just four VC’s and a handful of records. However, it is known that it comes to lures for Grapholita molesta (MOL), Grapholita lobarzewskii (SKI) and Grapholita funebrana (FUN). Use of these lures has resulted in many new records in England and southern Scotland.
The larvae feed on spongy oak galls but oak trees are scarce on Raasay. There are a few near Eyre and some near Dun Borodale and in both places I have had a go with a MOL lure. The weather has been irritatingly cold, only reaching 6 or 7 C most days – the absolute minimum for these micromoths to fly, and I have not succeeded. Maybe next year I will try in Sleat where there is a lot more oak.
Micromoths have continued to provide interest though it has turned cold in recent days which is limiting what’s about -not just in terms of micromoths. This one is Philedonides lunana (Heath Twist), not a rare moth but one with very few records locally. I spotted two in the Manish area of Raasay.
Philedonides lunana (Heath Twist)
More interesting was this little female Heringocrania (Eriocrania) unimaculella (White-spot Purple) with a forewing length of just 5 mm found near Kinloch on Skye
As ever I am grateful to NIgel Richards for i.d.s.
I have a variety of larvae that I am trying to rear so that their identification can be confirmed. My Bucculatrix nigricomellais now a pupa, so I wait with bated breath for this rather smart little moth to emerge.
I have been checking numerous stands of Vaccinium vitis-idaea (Cowberry) on Raasay and Skye in the hope of finding lepidopterous leaf mines, but with no luck so far.
Butterflies seen so far this year are Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Green-veined White and Green Hairstreak.
Green Hairstreak
I spotted a Common Groundhopper and a Common Green Grasshopper nymph at Fearns on Raasay, the former being something I have seen very rarely hereabouts.
Common Groundhopper (Tetrix undulata)
I also have a number of bugs that I hope to get help with e.g.:
Plants of Skye, Raasay & The Small Isles 