Moths on Ivy, October 2021

Welcome to our new blog! This first entry features moths that can be found on ivy, an extremely important plant at this time of year, as it flowers and provides an excellent late pollen and nectar source for many species. Later in the winter its berries also provide food for other species.

Angle shades Phlogophora meticulosa

A common and widespread species, whose populations are boosted by immigration. It also produces two generations a year, and it is the second autumnal generation that is a common visitor to the ivy blossom.  It has exceedingly bright eye shine, making it very easy to pick out at night.

 

 Barred sallow Tiliacea aurago

 A common typically autumnal species throughout England south of the Mersey. Its caterpillars feed predominantly on beech and field maple.

 

Beaded Chestnut  Agrochola lychniis

A once common species that has recently declined in abundance since 1970, but its range has reduced far less. Its caterpillars feed on  broad range of herbaceous plants

 

Beautiful plume moth Amblyptilia acanhadactyla

A widespread and common plume mothwhich has two generations – the first occurs on July and the second in September and then persists until the following June. It is found throughout England and in the central belt of Scotland. Its caterpillars feed on the flowers and seeds of many types of herbaceous plants.

 

Boxworm moth Cydalima perspectalis

This crambid  micromoth was accidentally imported with plant from China in around 2008. It is a major garden pest as it defoliates box useedd for topiary. In regions where box is an important plant in natural plant communities it can have a severe impact of the local plant communities. Fot example around Sochi box was planted to hedge roads in the the olympic village, and this moth is having a devestating ecological impact on the vegetation of the Caucasas Mountains.

Brick Agrochola circellaris

A moth of woodland and gardens that is quite common and widespread in most of the throughout most of England and Wales. Its caterpillarsfeed on ash, aspen, poplsrs, willows and wych elm. Worn specimens may be confused with some sallow species.

 

Brindled green Drybotodes eremita

A common autumnal species That is widepread in Southern England but progressively sparser further north. It has been spreading northwards recentl;y. Its caterpllars feed mainly on various oaks, but have been found feeding on hazel growing under oaks.

 

Broad-bordered yellow underwing Noctua fimbriata

A common and widesprad species mainly of woodlands. It caterpillars feed on a broad range of herbaceious plants includubg nettles, primroses and bramble. It is on the wing from mid-June until mid-October. The males tend to be darker brown.

Buttoned snout Hypena rostralis A species that is mainly confined to the South-east of England, and until recenly condidered to be of conservation concern becauser it had declined in abundance so much. Iy is most abundant in early summer, but is quite abundant in autumn. Its caterpillars d=feed on hop, and the decline in commercial hop-growing in Britain may account for its former decline. Commercial hop fields are now being re-established in the Farnham area.

 

 

Clifden non-pareil Catacala fraxini This large handsome moth was considered to have gone extnct in Britain in the 1960’s, but in 2015 I caught one in Farnham and since then individuals have been caught annually locally every year. Recently it has been caught across a greater area of Southern England. Its caterpillars feed on aspen and other poplars. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common plume moth Emmelina mondactyla

This little moth (13mm wing-span) is easily mistaken for a mosquito when in flight, and can be encountered by dat as well as by night in midsumer and then from August throughout the winter and spring months. It will also visit ripe blackberries and other flower blosson. It caterpillars feed on the leaves and flowers of bindweed.

 

 

 

Common rustic Mesapamea secalis agg.

There are two species that are virtually identical and highly variable in appearance and are equally common (hence the agg. or aggregate attached to the scientific name. The caterpillars of both species feed inside the stems of grasses. Both are predominanly summer moths with only a few surviving until the flowering season of the ivy.

 

 

 

Commn wainscot Mythimna pallens

A common wodespreas species that has two overlapping generations a year, occurring from May until October. Since 1970, along with otheer moth species, its abundance has declined, and so the importance of the autumnal boost to its food supplies provided by ivy has become far more important.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Grass moth Agriphila inquinatella

Grassmoths are group of crambid micromoths which are very abundant in grassslands during summer until September, and are relatively uncommon visitors to ivy.  Those that do survive until the ivy blooms tend to be rubbed and not easy to identify. Their caterpillars feed on the leaves and roots of man common grasses.

 

 

Dark Chestnut Conistra ligula

Widespread throughout England, but much less abundant than the chestnut, but the wing tips are more pointed and the wings are more shiny. Its food plants include birches, oaks and willows initially on flower buds and catkins and later on leaves.

 

 

 

 

Dark sword grass Agrotis ipsolon

Ubiquitous in Britain and as a migrant it can occur at any time, but occus most commonly in autumn. If it does breed in the UK its foodplants are unknown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dotted chesnut Conistra rubiginosa

A species that is confined to woodlands in southern England and is most common in the Spring. It occurs quite frequently in autumn when it feeds on ivy. It has also increased in abundance during recent years. Amongst its food plants are apple and some herbaceous plants. It appears to have some sort of relationship with black ants whichis not understood.

 

 

Frosted orange Gortyna flavago

 Widespread autumnal species that is widely distributed in Britain in woodland and rouh pastures. However, it is not very common around Farnham. Its larvae feed inside the stems of plants like foxglove, burdock and ragwort causing them to wilt.

 

 

 

 

Green brindled crescent Allophyes oxycanthae

A widespread autumnal mmoth in woodland, scrub and gardens,through most of th UK. Itss abundance has declined substantially in recent years. Its peak abundance is in October. Its food plants include Rosaceous shrubs including hawthorn, blackthorn,

 

 

 

 

 

Grey shoulder-knot Lithophane ornitopus

A widespread woodland moth with two generations per year in early spering and late autumn. Recently it has increased in abundance and move northwards to colonise parts of northern England. Its larval foodplants are oaks. It will also feed on over-ripe blackberries.

 

 

 

Heart and club Agrotis clavis

A common and widespread species which is very variable in its coloration.It is pricipally a summer moth and is replaced by the rather similar turnip moth towards autumn. Its larval food lants pare herbaceous plnts such as fat hen and docks.

 

 

 

 

Heart and dart Agrotis exclamaionis

A very abundant summertime species of which only a very few survive until the ivy starts to flower. Its coloration is highly variabel but the black collar is a charactrisitic feature. Its larval food plants include a wide range of herbaceous wild and garden species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Large ranunculus Polymixis flavicincta

A relatively large autumnal species that only occurs south of the Wash in England, in a variety of habitats including gardens. It has a wide range of larval food plants including ivy. It is not a very common species in the Farnham area.

 

 

 

 

 

Large yellow underwing Noctua pronuba

A large very abundant species that is on the wing from summer into autumn. It is a vey variable moth that occurs in most habitats throughout the British Isles and has a very broad variety of larval foodplants. Its caterpillars known as cut worms can often be found when digging the garden. as they hibernate underground.

 

 

 

 

Lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing Noctua janthe

Another very common and ubiquitous yellow underwing in Britain. It is mainly a late summer species and only just persists into the ivy flowering season, but when the ivy starts to flower it is one of the more abundnat species exploiting it. Its larval food plants include a broad selection of species.

 

 

 

 

Lesser yellow underwing Noctua comes

Another very common and ubiquitous yellow underwing species that occurs in most habitats. It is intermediate in size between the prcvios two species, and like those species it has a very broad range of larval food plants.        

 

 

 

 

Light brown apple moth Epiphyas postvittana

This is a moth that was introduced from Australia and was first recorded in Britain in 1936. It is now ubiqutous year-round in Britain but more common in the south. It has also been acidentally introduced into the USA where is a a serious pest in the Californian apple orchards. Its colour pattern is highly variable and it caterpiilars will feed on the leaves of almost any plant.

 

 

 

Light emerald Campaea margaritaria

A common and ubiquitous species that  has two generations a year.  It is prodominantly a wood land speecies but can occur almost anywhere including gardens. Moths of the autumnal generation tend to be smaller, and do feed on ivy blosssom. Like so many green moths the colour fadess with age, so some specimens look almost white.

 

 

 

 

Lunar underwing Omphaloscelis lunosa

This is a common and widespread autumnal species in England and Wales that is often seen visiting ivy blossom and overripe blackberries. Its caterpillars feed on grasses such as cock's-foot, annual meadow-grass and yorkshire-fog.

 

 

 

 

Nettle tap Anthophila fabriciana

This is a small micromoth that is ubiquitous in the UK and is usually to be seen by day flying over stinging nettles. It has two generations a year but seeing it visiting ivy was unexpected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old lady Mormo maura

This large moth (35mm long) occurs locally in woods and gardens throughout Britain and will often be found roosting in sheds. It tends to be under-recorded because it is reluctant to come to light. It is best seen either or Ivy or feeding  on rotting blackberries. Its cate4rpilllars feed at night on a very wide range of herbaceouss plants in the autumn and woody plants in spring such as blackthorn, birches, elms, willows and even ivy.

 

 

 

Pink-barred sallow Xanthia togata

This is a common and widesspread autumnal moth in Britain, occurring in damp woodland, heathland and gardens. It is a regular visitor both to ivy and to blackberries at night. It caterepillars initially feed on the catkins of sallows and poplars and later on herbaceous plants on the woodland floor.

 

 

 

 

Red-green carpet Chloroclysta siterata

The upper wings of this geometrid moth are bright green, but when feeding on ivy blossom it holds it wing vertically like a butterfly making it difficult to recognise. It is an abundant late autumnal woodland moth which is ubiquitous throughout Britain. The females hibernate and reappear in small naumbers in April and May. Its abundance has increased recently. The food plants of its looper caterpillars  include a variety of shubs and trees

 

Red-line quaker Agrochola lota

A late autumnal moth that is ubiquitous throughout most of Britain in woods, wetlands and gardens, but is less common in the north. The foodplants of its caterpillars are willows, initially on the catkins and later on the leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

Rosy rustic Hydraecia micacea

A common late summer to autumn moths that is ubiquitous in Britain in gardens and woodland. Its caterpillars feed on a wide variety of plan species including som commercial crops – feeeding in the lowerstems, roots and rhizomes.

 

 

 

Satellite  Eupsilia transversa

A common ubiquitous species througout Britain, but is less common in the north. The kidney mark on each forewing with the acessory satellite dots can be white (as illustrated) or fawn in colour. It hibernates so reappears in early spring in wood, heathland and gardens. Its caterpilars feed not only on a wide variety of plants but also carnivorously om aphids and other math caterpillars.

 

Small dusty wave Idaaea seriata

This small (10mm) geometrid moth has two generations a year. The first in mid-summer and the second in September. It is the latter that can occassionally be encountered on Ivy  blossom. It is mostly confived to England, sincce 1970 has been extending its range northwards. Its caterpillars have been beaen from ivy, but in captivity they willl feed on withered leaves.

 

 

 

 

Snout Hypena proboscidalis

This is a common and almost ubiquitous moth in Britain which is on the wing from early May until late October in the south but has only a single generation in the north. Its larval foodplant is stinging nettle, so it is unsurprising that it is so widespread and abundant. It is easily recognised by its long snout.

 

 

 

 

Brimstone moth Opisthograptis luteolata

This is one of the most abundant and easil recognised moths in the Farnham area, and is ubiquitous in Britain. In the south there are at least two overlaping generations so that it is on the wing from the beginning of April until the end of October. Its caterpillars feed predominantly on blackthorn, hawthorn and rowan.

 

 

 

 

Square-spot rustic Xestia xanthographa

A common and nearly ubiquitous autumnal moth in Britain that is mainly a grassland species. It is quite variable in colour and the square mark on the wing is not always very obvious. There has been a largenincrease in its abundance recently.

 

 

 

 

 

Nut bud moth Epinotia tenerana

This s a common micromoth which is 5.5-7.5mm long and occurs throughout Britain. It is single-brooded  and in flight from June until October, so just overlaps with thw ivy blosson season, at a time when there aew relatively few othe micromoth about. Its food plants ae hazel and alder; the carepillars initially feed on ther catkins and later on on the buds.

 

 

Turnip moth Agrotis segetum

A common species in most habitats throughout England with two generations peaking in June/July and later in September/October. It occurs regulaly in gardens as well as natural habitats. The caterpillars feed on the roots and leaves of a variety of plants including commercial crops. It has been decling in abundance recently although its range has not changed.

 

 

Vine’s rustic Hoplodrina ambigua

This moth colonised southern Briatin in the 1940’s and is still moreless confined to south of the line between the Wash and the Severn estuary. Within this area it is common in a wide range of habitats from grsasslands, heaths and woods to gardens. Its caterpillars feed on herbaceous plants such as dandelion and primrose.

 

 

 

 

Yellow shell Camptogramma bilineata

This yellow geometrid moth has a widespread distribution throughout Britain in most habitats. Its abundance seems to have declined in many areas, but this moth is relauctant to come to light, so this decline may be because there is now greater reliance beng placed on light trapping for sampling. Its flight season is drawing to a close when the ivy starts to bloom. It flies at dusk and visits many species of plant. Its food polants include cleavers, bedstraws and docks.

 

 

 

Yellow-line quaker Agrochola macilenta

This is a common late autumn species that may be under-recorded because it flies so lat in the season. It occurs throughout most of Britain and seem to be increasing in both range and abundance. It occurs regularly in woodland and gardens. It initially feeds on thr catkins and floweerss of various trees, but late drops to the ground and therafter feeds on arange of herbaceoius plants.

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