14th July 2012: Rye Meads RSPB Nature Reserve, Herts This was our input to the “Bioblitz” organised by the RSPB on their nature reserve. The night session was combined with a trap opening the following morning when we were accompanied by a hordes of kids who had camped out in the visitor centre overnight. So, we drove in the Landrover to the farthest point of the reserve and set out the first light - a Robinson trap that we planned to ignore until the morning. Just as we pulled the cord on the generator the rain started. We drove back towards the visitor centre, dropping off lights as we went, but by the time number three was running the rain was so heavy that we thought the sky had collapsed. Nine of us spent 20 minutes huddled in the Landrover until we remembered that there was a coffee machine in the visitor centre .... so off we went to use it. An hour later, after having also taken on board a free baked potato with beans and cheese, kindly provided by the RSPB volunteers, we decided that the rain had passed and set off out again to put up another three light traps. The rain did hold off, apart from a few spots, but in the morning it was clear that the first three traps had caught rather more than the last three. Could this be habitat? Or could it be that the moths flew just before the rain? RSPB staff ran another trap near the visitor centre catching just one species (Agonopterix alstromeriana) that we did not see in our own traps. Joan Childs, the RSPB Reserve Manager and also a Herts Moth Group member, has asked me to convey her thanks to those who turned up and helped out with the event (and her apologies to Roger, who got locked out of the car park!). A total of 103 species was recorded, plus 1 pug and 2 tortrix, currently with other people, still to be named. The number sounds good, but in a “normal” year we might easily record 100 macros rather than needing the micros to get the numbers up. There was, unsurprisingly, a good complement of wetland species. Those marked * in the list were named by genitalia dissection. Two species were recorded as pupae (noted in the list). As seems to be the norm this year, most species were represented by single figure numbers, though Southern wainscot seemed more plentiful than others. I gather that the youngsters who "helped" to open that traps in the morning were suitably impressed by the catch - especially the hawk moths! Perhaps my future replacement as County Recorder might be amongst them? The full list is below. Depressariidae 0695 Agonopterix alstromeriana (Clerck, 1759) Gelechiidae 0819 Scrobipalpa costella (Humphreys & Westwood, 1845) 0866 Brachmia blandella (Fabricius, 1798) 0868 Helcystogramma rufescens (Haworth, 1828) Blastobasidae 0874 Blastobasis lacticolella Rebel, 1940 Tortricidae 0926 Phalonidia manniana (Fischer von Röslerstamm, 1839) * 0937 Agapeta hamana (Linnaeus, 1758) 0972 Pandemis heparana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix 0993 Clepsis spectrana (Treitschke, 1830) Cyclamen Tortrix 0998 Epiphyas postvittana (Walker, 1863) Light Brown Apple Moth 1010 Ditula angustiorana (Haworth, 1811) Red-barred Tortrix 1032 Aleimma loeflingiana (Linnaeus, 1758) 1063 Celypha striana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) 1076 Celypha lacunana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) 1082 Hedya pruniana (Hübner, 1799) Plum Tortrix 1086 Hedya salicella (Linnaeus, 1758) 1115 Ancylis achatana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) 1159 Rhopobota naevana (Hübner, 1817) Holly Tortrix 1175 Epiblema uddmanniana (Linnaeus, 1758) Bramble Shoot Moth 1178 Epiblema roborana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) 1201 Eucosma cana (Haworth, 1811) 1205 Spilonota ocellana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Bud Moth Crambidae 1290 Chilo phragmitella (Hübner, 1805) 1292 Calamotropha paludella (Hübner, 1824) 1293 Chrysoteuchia culmella (Linnaeus, 1758) Garden Grass-veneer 1328 Schoenobius gigantella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) 1329 Donacaula forficella (Thunberg, 1794) 1344 Eudonia mercurella (Linnaeus, 1758) 1354 Cataclysta lemnata (Linnaeus, 1758) Small China-mark 1376 Eurrhypara hortulata (Linnaeus, 1758) Small Magpie Pyralidae 1424 Endotricha flammealis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) 1439 Trachycera advenella (Zincken, 1818) 1470 Euzophera pinguis (Haworth, 1811) Pterophoridae 1504 Platyptilia pallidactyla (Haworth, 1811) Lasiocampidae 1640 Euthrix potatoria (Linnaeus, 1758) Drinker Thyatiridae 1652 Thyatira batis (Linnaeus, 1758) Peach Blossom 1653 Habrosyne pyritoides (Hufnagel, 1766) Buff Arches Geometridae 1669 Hemithea aestivaria (Hübner, 1799) Common Emerald 1682 Timandra comae (Schmidt, 1931) Blood-vein 1690 Scopula imitaria (Hübner, 1799) Small Blood-vein 1699 Idaea rusticata Lempke, 1967 Least Carpet 1702 Idaea biselata (Hufnagel, 1767) Small Fan-footed Wave 1705 Idaea fuscovenosa (Goeze, 1781) Dwarf Cream Wave 1713 Idaea aversata (Linnaeus, 1758) Riband Wave 1738 Epirrhoe alternata (Müller, 1764) Common Carpet 1758 Eulithis pyraliata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Barred Straw 1777 Hydriomena furcata (Thunberg, 1784) July Highflyer 1802 Perizoma affinitata (Stephens, 1831) Rivulet 1862 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Haworth, 1809) Double-striped Pug 1887 Lomaspilis marginata (Linnaeus, 1758) Clouded Border 1906 Opisthograptis luteolata (Linnaeus, 1758) Brimstone Moth 1907 Epione repandaria (Hufnagel, 1767) Bordered Beauty 1917 Selenia dentaria (Fabricius, 1775) Early Thorn 1921 Crocallis elinguaria (Linnaeus, 1758) Scalloped Oak 1922 Ourapteryx sambucaria (Linnaeus, 1758) Swallow-tailed Moth 1931 Biston betularia (Linnaeus, 1758) Peppered Moth 1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Willow Beauty 1955 Cabera pusaria (Linnaeus, 1758) Common White Wave 1956 Cabera exanthemata (Scopoli, 1763) Common Wave Sphingidae 1981 Laothoe populi (Linnaeus, 1758) Poplar Hawk-moth 1991 Deilephila elpenor (Linnaeus, 1758) Elephant Hawk-moth Lymantriidae 2030 Euproctis similis (Fuessly, 1775) Yellow-tail 2031 Leucoma salicis (Linnaeus, 1758) White Satin Arctiidae 2035 Thumatha senex (Hübner, 1808) Round-winged Muslin 2044 Eilema griseola (Hübner, 1803) Dingy Footman 2047 Eilema complana (Linnaeus, 1758) Scarce Footman 2049 Eilema depressa (Esper, 1787) Buff Footman 2050 Eilema lurideola (Zincken, 1817) Common Footman 2061 Spilosoma luteum (Hufnagel, 1766) Buff Ermine 2064 Phragmatobia fuliginosa (Linnaeus, 1758) Ruby Tiger 2069 Tyria jacobaeae (Linnaeus, 1758) Cinnabar Noctuidae 2089 Agrotis exclamationis (Linnaeus, 1758) Heart and Dart 2098 Axylia putris (Linnaeus, 1761) Flame 2102 Ochropleura plecta (Linnaeus, 1761) Flame Shoulder 2107 Noctua pronuba Linnaeus, 1758 Large Yellow Underwing 2109 Noctua comes Hübner, 1813 Lesser Yellow Underwing 2126 Xestia c-nigrum (Linnaeus, 1758) Setaceous Hebrew Character 2128 Xestia triangulum (Hufnagel, 1766) Double Square-spot 2160 Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758) Bright-line Brown-eye 2192 Mythimna conigera ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Brown-line Bright Eye 2197 Mythimna straminea (Treitschke, 1825) Southern Wainscot 2198 Mythimna impura (Hübner, 1808) Smoky Wainscot 2199 Mythimna pallens (Linnaeus, 1758) Common Wainscot 2318 Cosmia trapezina (Linnaeus, 1758) Dun-bar 2321 Apamea monoglypha (Hufnagel, 1766) Dark Arches 2322 Apamea lithoxylaea ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Light Arches 2336 Apamea ophiogramma (Esper, 1793) Double Lobed 2361 Hydraecia micacea (Esper, 1789) Rosy Rustic 2368 Celaena leucostigma (Hübner, 1808) Crescent 2369 Nonagria typhae (Thunberg, 1784) Bulrush Wainscot (as pupae in reed stems) 2371 Archanara dissoluta (Treitschke, 1825) Brown-veined Wainscot 2373 Archanara sparganii (Esper, 1790) Webb's Wainscot (as pupae in reed stems) 2381 Hoplodrina alsines (Brahm, 1791) Uncertain 2382 Hoplodrina blanda ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Rustic 2387 Caradrina morpheus (Hufnagel, 1766) Mottled Rustic 2391 Chilodes maritimus (Tauscher, 1806) Silky Wainscot 2434 Diachrysia chrysitis (Linnaeus, 1758) Burnished Brass 2441 Autographa gamma (Linnaeus, 1758) Silver Y 2450 Abrostola tripartita (Hufnagel, 1766) Spectacle 2469 Scoliopteryx libatrix (Linnaeus, 1758) Herald 2477 Hypena proboscidalis (Linnaeus, 1758) Snout 2489 Zanclognatha tarsipennalis (Treitschke, 1835) Fan-foot 2492 Herminia grisealis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Small Fan-foot