[0436] Pseudoswammerdamia combinella

Description:

Roughdown Common and Gadesprings Field Trip report - 30/04/14I was joined by Roger and Lucy last night at Roughdown Common, for our first trip to this fantastic mixture of open chalk grassland with intersecting woodland.This is the earliest in the year that we have trapped this site, and we waited with baited breath to see what might turn up to the lights.Conditions were quite good with a faint breeze and a temperature of around 15c at dusk, dropping to 10c when driving home.We set 1 light up overlooking the lower grass field, the second one along the edge of the woodland and the third (MV) within the wood itself and under a large Oak.Interestingly my Mercury blended bulb did quite well on the edge of the field and attracted a good variety of species, equal to that of the Mercury vapour (this isn't always the case!)It was slow going at first, with a few Waved Umber's and Green Carpet's first to the trap, then the variety performance turned up and we started to accumulate a nice list.Lights were on at 8.45pm and by 11.15pm we were ready to pack up as there was a distinct chill in the air and the sky had cleared.In 2 and a half hours of trapping with 3 lights we had amassed 70 moths roughly of 38 species, a very pleasing result.Moth species were also very specific to which light they went to. Only Small Phoenix, Powdered Quaker and Sallow Kitten went to the Actinic.Most of the Brimstones favoured the 160w Blended bulb.To the MV we had Knot Grass.Common Marbled Carpet was my earliest ever, and I didn't expect a Twin-spotted Quaker either having last seen them a few weeks back now thinking that they had finished.All in all a very pleasing catch and nice to add some Spring species to the site list.On our way back from Roughdown Common, we checked to see how the trap had fared at Gadesprings...we couldn't believe it. Although there was only 14 moths present, 7 species were recorded here that did not feature in the catch at Roughdown Common!I look forward to coming over again soon.Thanks to Roger and Lucy for helping me set up, and for Roger being with me as always until the bitter end!Catch Report - 30/04/14 - Roughdown Common - Hemel Hempstead - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap, 1x 160w MBT Robinson Trap & 1x 80w Actinic Suitcase Trap.Macro Moths8x Brimstone Moth5x Green Carpet5x Red Twin-spot Carpet4x Waved Umber1x Streamer1x Knot Grass1x Common Pug1x Common Carpet2x V-pug3x Hebrew Character4x Least Black Arches2x Small Phoenix1x Common Marbled Carpet1x Common White Wave2x Scorched Carpet1x Spectacle1x Pebble Hook-tip1x Twin-spotted Quaker2x Brindled Pug1x Grey Dagger1x Yellow-barred Brindle1x Lesser Swallow Prominent1x Powdered Quaker1x Sallow Kitten1x Clouded Border1x Garden Carpet1x Light Brocade2x Nut-tree Tussock1x Shuttle-shaped Dart1x Coxcomb ProminentMicro Moths 2x Phyllonorycter quercifoliella2x Cochylimorpha straminea2x Alucita hexadactyla2x Phyllonorycter harrisella1x Nematopogon swammerdamella1x Agonopterix arenella2x Parornix sp1x Pseudoswammerdamia combinella----------------------------------------------------Catch Report - 30/04/14 - Gadesprings - Hemel Hempstead - 1x 125w MV Robinson Macro Moths1x Pale Tussock2x Pebble Prominent1x Grey-pine Carpet2x Clouded Drab3x Brindled Pug1x Oak-tree Pug1x Flame Shoulder1x Nut-tree Tussock1x Scalloped HazelMicro Moths None recorded!