'Marvellous Moths' at Strumpshaw Fen

Saturday September 4

The RSPB event at Strumpshaw was advertised as a moth trap opening event. Having spent two previous successful sessions there - before Covid - with our Butterfly Conservation group, Pam and I signed up. And paid up. Up at 6 a.m. for an 8 o'clock start, we arrived in good time, waiting outside the Centre as asked. Two very pleasant men, Adrian and Sam, arrived, introducing themselves as temporary, volunteer, assistant wardens. I'd expected the session to be led by warden Ben, who is a keen and knowledgeable moth-er.

Only nine of us present plus the two leaders. No-one else had any experience of moth-ing at all.

We were led to the outdoor aducation area, where two Robinson traps were set up separately, one under the yurt, one in the open. After a short introduction, the group divided into two. a leader plus at each trap..It soon became obvious that the leaders' knowledge was slim, using a phone and Obsidentify for many of the moths in the trap. 

A Gypsy Moth, Gold Spot, 

 

Coronet, and an Old Lady 

 

 were the best of the catch.

We took a Vapourer, trapped at home, along with us to share with the group.

It as all very pleasant, we enjoyed the unquenchable enthusiasm of the others. They loved it. They all took part in taking out the egg boxes, using their phones to photograph the moths, and then releasing the moths into the bushes.

BUT. It should have been advertised as a group for beginners.

An interesting bug in one of the traps, we later identified as an Ichneumon wasp, probably a Black-tipped Darwin Wasp, with iridescent wings.

Sunday September 5

An eventful morning at home. First of all, an extremely worn Convolvulus Hawkmoth in the Actinic trap. We could identify it by the red marks, which barely show, at the back of the head. At least the eggbox photo shows this. My decent photo doesn't. 

This is how a fresh specimen looks.

Whilst Pam was answering the phone, a Wren appeared in the doorway, jumped onto the edge of the moth box, saw me and went just as quickly. 

A short while later, two Wood Pigeons bathing in the pond, attracted our attention to a Green Woodpecker, feeding on the edge of the surrounding stones. Ants I guess. A Pigeon saw it off before I could take a photo.