Friday July 14

Despite a slightly cooler night the moths keep arriving, and they are not getting any easier to identify.

Last night's arrivals were two micros and a macro.  I immediately identified one of the micros as Ypsolopha scabrella and did not detain it as I caught one last week. The other looked a toughy, so more about that later.

The macro was actually resting on the outside of the window, but in reaching around to try to pot it I caused it to fly in, where it was quickly detained. It was a small wave type moth, and it has taken me a considerable amount of time to identify it as a pale example of Small Fan-footed Wave.

Small Fan-footed Wave

Small Fan-footed Wave out of the pot

An apparent extra spot on the left forewing is I think a hole in the wing, the moth being rather worn.

The micro turned out to be a clothes moth and, I think, it is Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella, although this is a species which cannot be safely identified without examining their private parts. Further proof that it was a clothes moth came when it was released as it fluttered straight towards me and may still be nestled somewhere in my Moleskin trousers.

Tinea pellionella

Having recently discovered several holes in my favourite birding shirt, I am currently under wifely pressure to apply moth spray to the bedroom carpet. I may have caught this moth just in the nick of time.

During a morning of meetings and an afternoon  of shopping the birding time got squeezed out and I was left to glance occasionally at the buddleia, noting two Red Admirals and a Large White.

Large White

We are once again the custodians of my sister's tortoise. It found itself being mobbed by Magpies this afternoon, and was then sharing the lawn with the first juvenile Woodpigeon of the season.