St. Agnes, Isles of Scilly, moth trapping results - October 14th - 21st 2006.

The Isles of Scilly are recognised as one of the best places in Great Britain for recording migrant moths and this year (2006) was no exception. There is now a permanent Moth Recording Station at Longstones, St.Mary’s and Mick Scott is trapping almost every day of the year. The quantity of rare species is staggering and new species to Britain are being added each year from the archipelago.

This year we were lucky enough to have near perfect weather conditions throughout the week and despite strong southerly to south-easterly winds, this proved excellent for migrant moths.

From the 14th to the 17th the wind was fairly strong, blowing up from the south to south east, with a little rain overnight. The air temperature was quiet warm for the time of year.

We were able to trap on 6 occasions but the moth catches deteriorated during the week due mainly to the strong wind conditions turning south westerly towards the end of the week. A Blended Mercury Vapour Light and Skinner Trap was used on the evenings of 14th; 15th; 16th 17th 18th and 19th October located at Troy Town Farm. Other traps were run from 3 other locations on St.Agnes.

The following table on page 2 shows the results of the six traps, along with a selection of images of the better moths that were caught. I would like to thank Barry Staley for his help and assistance during the week and to Dave Grundy & Mike Hicks for their help and advice and for additional trapping on the island which provided the opportunity for extra species. Also to Mick Scott from St.Mary’s for the Crimson Speckled, Grass Webworm, Herpetogramma centrostrigalis, The Mallow and Dark Mottled Willow.

Convolvulus Hawkmoth - Agrius convolvuli
1 of 3 trapped in the week
Large numbers have reached the islands this year.

The Delicate - Mythimna vitellina
St.Agnes, Troy Town, October 2006
An attractive and now regular migrant species on the Islands.

The Cosmopolitan - Mythimna loreyi
St.Agnes - Troy Town, October 2006.
A scarce migrant which is now trapped annually on the Isles of Scilly.

Dark Sword-grass - Agrotis ipsilon
St.Agnes - Troy Town, October 2006.
A common and regular migrant to Britain

Antigastra catalaunalis
St.Agnes - Troy Town, October 16th 2006
A scarce vagrant to southern Britain. It is a tropical species and only a handful of records from Scilly.

Blair’s Mocha - Cyclophora puppillaria
St.Agnes, Lower Town Barn, October 18th 2006
The 2nd record for St.Agnes of this rare & irregular migrant.

Crimson Speckled - Utetheisa pulchella
St.Mary’s, Longstones, October 20th 2006
A rare vagrant to Britain from the southern mediterranean.

Dark Mottled Willow - Spodoptera cilium
St.Mary’s, Longstones, October 2006
A rare vagrant to the Isles of Scilly. The first record was October 2005.

Identified as Palpita testalis - 11.1.2007.
St.Mary’s, Longstones, October 18th 2006.
A first for record for Britain of this species..

Hymenia recurvalis.
St.Agnes, Lower Town Barn, October 18th 2006
The 2nd record for St.Agnes of this National vagrant from the tropics.

Hymenia recurvalis.
St.Agnes, Lower Town Barn, October 18th 2006
2nd record for St.Agnes.

Old World Webworm - Hellula undalis
St.Agnes, Lower Town Barn, October 18th 2006
First trapped on the Isles of Scilly in 1995. This one was trapped by Dave Grundy and is the usual sandy brown variety.

Merveille du Jour - Dichonia aprilina - A 1st record for the Isles of Scilly.
St.Agnes, Troytown, October 15th, 2006. Known as “The Wonder of the Day”, it was certainly my Wonder of the Week!!.

Pale Pinion - Lithophane hepatica
St.Agnes, On Ivy, Parsonage, October 2006.
A small population on St.Agnes

Palpita vitrealis
St.Agnes, Troytown, October 2006
Now a regular immigrant on the Isles of Scilly. This
Year hundreds have been caught on the islands.

Scarce Bordered Straw - Heliothis armigera
St.Agnes, Troytown, October 2006
Now an annual and common migrant species to the islands.

Small Mottled Willow - Spodoptera exigua
St.Agnes, Troytown, October 2006.
A regular and fairly common migrant in the right conditions.

White-speck - Mythimna unipuncta
St.Agnes, Troytown, October 2006.
A common migrant, hundred caught this year.

The Gem - Orthonama obstipata - female left & male right
St.Agnes, Troytown, October 2006.
A frequent but scarce migrant.

The Vestal - Rhodometra sacraria
St.Agnes, Lower Town Barn, October 2006.
A sub-tropical migrant due to the intensive pink ground colour and pink cross-band.