Atropos migrant insect review – Mid-June 2010

The first half of June has seen increasing numbers of Painted Lady Vanessa cardui arriving, particularly in the south of England.

There has been a noticeable arrival of commoner immigrant moths with Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella and Silver Y Autographa gamma now appearing in good numbers. A few more Humming-bird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum and Pearly Underwing Peridroma saucia have also arrived on our shores.

Further records of Striped Hawk-moth Hyles livornica have come from Shapwick, Dorset, on 9th, Cury, Cornwall, (F. Johns) and Lizard Village, Cornwall, on 11th (T. Thirlaway). The first Convolvulus Hawk-moth Agrius convolvuli of the season was light trapped at Ballycotton, Co. Cork on the night of 11th.

The first half of June has seen the season’s first records of Gem Orthonama obstipata (Portland on 1st), Delicate Mythimna vitellina (Land’s End, Cornwall on 9th), Small Mottled Willow Spodoptera exigua (Land’s End on 3rd) and Bordered Straw Heliothis peltigera (Maenporth, Cornwall and Ballycotton, Co. Cork on 11th).

In keeping with the last two years, June records of Rannoch Looper Itame brunneata have occurred with two records in Kent (Biddenden on 14th – S. Broyd and Dungeness on 16th – P. Bereat).

East Anglian records of Silver Barred Deltote bankiana at coastal sites are believed to relate to migrants and one such record at St. Osyth, Essex, on 9th was noteworthy (R. Arthur).

We have also heard reports of Cosmopolitan Mythimna loreyi in Sussex last weekend and Ni Moth Trichoplusia ni recently in Cornwall.

Atropos would like to thank you for your contributions to the Flight Arrivals webpage. Please keep posting your migrant news and we look forward to an exciting second half of June.

Humming-bird hawk-moth this morning 17 June 2010 working along hedgerow.

Night of 11 June:

1 Convolvulus Hawk-moth, 1 Pearly Underwing & 1 Bordered Straw. Also Rush Veneer & Silver Y noted.

(M. Deans, J. Chainey, J. Spence & S. Whitehouse).

Dark Swordgrass last night

Red-necked Footman to 125W Robinson last night, first record for the site.

Night of 12 June: 1 Delicate, 3 Dark Sword-grass, 1 Pearly Underwing. Also Northern Rustic, Barrett's Marbled Coronet and L-album Wainscot.

Night of 11 June: 1 Striped Hawk

2 Dark Sword Grass, 7 silver Y in Haugh Wood last night.(VC36)
1 Dark Sword Grass recorded by Sally Webster at Putley Mill(VC36)
There is definitely some movement going on.

2 Bordered Straw, single Dark Sword Grass, Silver Y and a Rush Veneer.
1 Humming-bird hawk-moth by day yesterday.
All recorded in F4 Northerlies!

On the night of 11 6, 1 Striped Hawk 1 Rusty Dot Pearl 1 Silver Y and 1 Diamond- backed moth.