Austen Moths

I'm not quite sure why I put the moth trap out during a storm. But I did, and with Storm Austen producing gusts of 75mph at Portland Bill, it was a bit of a gamble that I didn't lose the moth trap during the night.

So it was good to see that the lights were still glowing in the morning rain and that there were a few moths and lots of "micro-flies" taking shelter in the trap.

The numbers. Well there were 18 moths of 7 species, and unsurprisingly no firsts for the year or lifers. That would have been asking a lot!!

  *First for year
**Lifers

2026 Moth List Here.


Moths recorded:

#1   Tree-mallow Tortrix Crocidosema plebejana x1

#2   Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis x1

#3   Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana x3

#4   Flame Brocade Trigonophora flammea x8

#5   Turnip Moth Agrotis segetum x1
#6   Feathered Ranunculus Polymixis lichenea x3
#7   Beaded Chestnut Agrochola lychnidis x1

#1 Tree-mallow Tortrix Crocidosema plebejana

#2 Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis

#3 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana

#3 Another Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana

#4 Flame Brocade Trigonophora flammea

#4 Another Flame Brocade Trigonophora flammea

#4 And another Flame Brocade Trigonophora flammea

#5 Turnip Moth Agrotis segetum

#6 Feathered Ranunculus Polymixis lichenea 

#6 Another Feathered Ranunculus Polymixis lichenea 

#6 And another Feathered Ranunculus Polymixis lichenea 

#7 Beaded Chestnut Agrochola lychnidis 

#7 As above but up close. Beaded Chestnut Agrochola lychnidis 

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Also in the trap were many small flies, a plant bug and a bee.

A Black fly Simulium angustitarse. AKA Buffalo Gnat

A Sap fly Minettia inusta

Having used three different ID apps, the consensus was, that this is most likely to be a Nymphalid parasite fly Sturmia bella. However other suggestions were Lypha dubia and Panzeria anthophila.

This is the Plant Bug Pinalitus cervinus

Now I'm not saying it is, but this could well be a Hairy Yellow-face Bee Hylaeus hyalinatus. This species has been found at the Portland end of Chesil Beach in the past, and given the strength of the winds last night, this species could well have ended up in my back garden.

Now this species is normally found between July and September, but then we have had some extreme weather. The only other Hylaeus that could possibly be seen at this time of year is the Shingle Yellow-face Bee Hylaeus annularis. However this species flight time ends at the end of August, so highly unlikely.