Nationally Scarce B

There has been no let-up in mothy prizes since the previous post, with three more species new for the garden among 12 new for the year. Sunday night was pretty decent, but last night was in a different league...

Sunday night

The stand-out for me was an Eyed Hawk-moth, our second. Unfortunately it started warming up rapidly from the moment I opened the trap, and was very soon ready for take-off. I didn't want it battering itself to bits in a box, so let it go with no pics. It was one of six species new for the year. Other highlights...

Clouded-bordered Brindle. Second for the garden, after one at this time last year.

The Miller. Had a few of these in 2022.

Very similar to Gypsonoma dealbana, a moth we've had before. This species is seemingly less common in Dorset, and can be separated by its obvious white 'forehead'. A garden first.

Monday night

In any moth field guide you will notice how each species is given a status, such as 'common, 'local', 'migrant' etc. It seem these labels are not assigned according to whatever the author(s) think might be appropriate, rather they are official designations assigned by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, which oversees such things within the UK. One status designation is 'Nb', which stands for 'Nationally Scarce B', and tells the reader that the species has been recorded in 31-100 10km squares (hectads) since 1980. Considering the UK apparently comprises more than 2,800 hectads, that's not many. I've been fortunate to catch a small number of 'Nb' moths here, and added another last night. A particularly smart one too.

Almost exactly a year ago, I was invited to join in a moth-trap emptying session at Mapperton Wildlands, a few miles up the road. Among the mind-blowing 163 species were five that are nationally scarce. I photographed two of them, including this one...

Cloaked Carpet. Of course, a pot shot doesn't do it justice.

For some reason I was ever so impressed by this particular moth, and it stuck in my brain. Though I realised it was highly unlikely ever to turn up in our garden, I mentally tucked away that search image. And literally two days later, I briefly thought the unthinkable had happened...

Close, but no cigar. Still our only Sharp-angled Carpet, which sits right next to Cloaked Carpet in the field guide

Sharp-angled Carpet is the obvious confusion species but, in Manley's British & Irish Moths, it says this about Cloaked Carpet:

'Striking shades of green aid ID. In humid, mossy woods, wooded stream beds, sunken lanes with high banks.'

All of which helps conjure an image of an almost mossy moth.

Which basically it is...

Cloaked Carpet. What an absolute belter! A moth that looks like it spends its life on the north side of tree trunks. I hope the photo does it justice.

And, as if that weren't sufficient, there were several more stunning beauties to enjoy...

Peppered Moth. Not the first this year, but this one behaved nicely for the camera.

Scorched Wing. Terrific name for a terrific moth. The garden's second.

Continuing the 'overheated' theme, this is Scorched Carpet. Another that we've only seen once previously.

White Satin Moth. The garden's first. Soft, shiny fluffball. Not at all common locally.

Our second Poplar Hawk-moth of the year.

Among last night's micros was one of those tiny tripod moths that I like so much. I know we caught one of this species last year, but there is no photo. After ages trying to get this one to behave, I understand why not. Here is the best I could manage...

Quite an easy one to ID, but almost impossible to photograph!

And finally, one of those frustrating little moths where there are countless species that look identical...

Coleophora sp. Characterful little things, but I believe plain ones like this are unidentifiable without surgery.

'Cloaked Carpet in habitat' shot. Though admittedly not a humid, mossy wood, wooded stream bed, or sunken lane with high banks.

It's been hot all day, and I see no reason why the moth trap will be any less entertaining tonight. More sleep deprivation...