Regarding the moth recording session, it should be noted from the start that the traps we used on this evening, were all set up on private land & no public access is allowed. A couple of traps were left in specially cut field margins alongside hedgerows and shrubbery, whilst we went off and used two lights mounted on tripods, over white sheets, down one of the private lanes.
When it was decided we would be heading to the Causeway, the weather forecast looked perfect, however on arrival, it seemed we had been deceived by a sneaky breeze that had arisen making it slightly cooler than we had hoped. However, not to be deterred we cracked on lighting up around 2215. As the session started, thankfully, the wind did drop and noticeably moths started to appear. It was interesting to note how at certain times, certain species would appear - for example the night started very strong with lots of Yellow-Tail being the first to be drawn in - then we would have flurries of other species such as Light Emeralds, Swallow-Tailed & Common Footman.
 |
| One of the Tripod Lights |
Numbers wise - the top 5 moths recorded were:
Smoky Wainscot 42
Yellow-Tail 30
Common Footman 21
Eucosma Cana 20
Uncertain/Rustic 20
The rest of the pictural highlights will come in the form of the newer moths for the year & maybe the odd "better looking" moths.
First up is Beautiful China-Mark. 3 of these little stunners were recorded over the evening.
 |
| Beautiful China-Mark |
Size: 18-22mm Wingspan
Flight Season: July - August
Larval Foodplant: Bur-reed & other water plants
Total Records: 820 Total Specimens: 2,440
Confusion Species: Brown China-Mark & Ringed China-Mark
This distinctive and well marked species is another where its larvae are aquatic based and spend their time feeding on aquatic plants such as Bur-reed. Unsurprisingly, given this information, the adults can then be found in habitats featuring waterways such as rivers, lakes and ponds. Within Yorkshire, Beautiful China-Mark is still a scarce and localised resident with it only being recorded in VC65 for example as recently as 2000. The species has seen a real upward trend over the last decade with 2,024 of the 2,440 specimens recorded in those last 10 years. 2015 was a booming year with 555 specimens recorded in just 1 year.
Our second species to have a closer look at will be Double Lobed. A single specimen was recorded.
 |
| Double Lobed |
Size: 13-16mm Forewing
Flight Season: June - August
Larval Foodplant: Grasses
Total Records: 2,680 Total Specimens: 4,479
Confusion Species: n/a
Double Lobed is a fairly common resident across Yorkshire and up until writing this report, I believed it was a species I hadn't encountered before, however I noticed there was a record around RSPB Bempton Cliffs and it turns out I had recorded this moth on 1 occasion - 15/07/2022 - making up 1 of the 6 records for the Flamborough Headland. At Wykeham Causeway however there are slightly more records - 23 since 2017. Across Yorkshire, between 2014 & 2021 records sit between 113 & 376 specimens each year and the species hit a new peak in 2022 of exactly 500! For some reason though, this species has gone on a large downward trend since then - 2023 gave 148 specimens and 2024 only mustered up 63 - a staggering 87% decrease in 2 years.
For our 3rd species we will switch it up size wise & head "Micro". This moth comes in the form of Zeiraphera isertana - and most importantly this record is a new species for the site!!
 |
| Zeiraphera isertana |
Size: 14 -19mm Wingspan
Flight Season: July - August
Larval Foodplant: Oak
Total Records: 319 Total Specimens: 425
Confusion Species: Zeiraphera griseana
Whilst a fairly common species across the UK, featuring pretty much anywhere that there is Oak present for the larvae to feed on, Z. isertana remains a rare and local resident within Yorkshire, taking until 2004 to finally appear in VC65. The closest previous records to Wykeham Causeway are 2 records on the edge of Scarborough in 2024, 1 record near Malton in 2021 & 1 record towards the Hole of Horcum in 2019. Since the turn of the century, this species has been on a fairly steady upward curve and now receives between circa 20 & 40 specimens each year across the county. Overall certainly nice to get something new for the site. 😃
Our 4th moth to take a more in-depth look at is definitely one I haven't recorded before - Large Twin-Spot Carpet.
 |
| Large Twin-Spot Carpet |
Size: 14 - 16mm Forewing
Flight Season: June - August
Larval Foodplant: Herbaceous Plants
Total Records: 4,017 Total Specimens: 7,046
Confusion Species: Dark-barred Twin-Spot Carpet
Large Twin-Spot Carpet is mostly found in areas of damp woodland and was actually a later arrival into the county of Yorkshire - having only been found as recently as 1978 and since then has gone about its business spreading northwards. The larvae tend to feed on low growing plants such as bedstraw (Galium). Year on year, this is a species that generally continues on an upward trend having started at around 45 specimens in 2000, dipping to 23 in 2003, before continuing up to its peak in 2022 at 649 specimens. However like Double Lobed earlier it then has declined over the last couple of years - 212 specimens in 2023 & 233 in 2024.
The final moth we will take a look at, is another that always provides a nice bit of colour. One that Allan rightly described as "if it was a butterfly, people would travel miles to see it".
 |
| Large Emerald |
Size: 24 - 29mm Forewing
Flight Season: June - August
Larval Foodplant: Birch, Hazel & Alder
Total Records: 2,113 Total Specimens: 3,469
Confusion Species: n/a
Large Emerald is a common and widespread species across Yorkshire. Wykeham Causeway actually holds the record for the most specimens recorded at 1 site in a session. 26 were recorded by Allan Rodda & Jackie Holder on 30/06/2020. Generally the species has an upward trend since 2000. There are several peaks & troughs however it has gone from 25 specimens in 2000 to 148 in 2024 with the largest peak in 2021 with 362.
Overall a fantastic couple of hours and I think you'd agree any session where you can find moths you've never seen before and also moths that are new for the recording area, are exactly why you record data like this and put in the longer nights or early mornings.
Full list of species recorded below:
Agapeta hamana 3
Anania coronata 2
Barred Fruit-Tree Tortrix 1
Barred Straw 6
Beautiful China-Mark 3
Beautiful Hook-Tip 6
Bird-Cherry Ermine 10
Bright-Line Brown-Eye 1
Broad-Bordered Yellow Underwing 1
Brown Rustic 1
Buff Arches 3
Carcina quercana 1
Chrysoteuchia culmella 4
Clay 5
Clouded Border 4
Clouded Silver 1
Common Footman 21
Common Lutestring 1
Common Wainscot 2
Common White Wave 2
Coxcomb Prominent 4
Dark Arches 3
Dingy Footman 7
Dingy Shears 4
Double Lobed 1
Double Square-Spot 9
Drinker 3
Dun-Bar 1
Engrailed 2
Eucosma cana 20+
Euzophera pinguis 1
Fan Foot 1
Flame 1
Flame Shoulder 3
July Highflyer 3
Large Emerald 5
Large Fruit-Tree Tortrix 1
Large Twin-Spot Carpet 3
Light Arches 2
Light Emerald 2
Marbled Minor Agg. 1
Middle Barred Minor 1
Mother of Pearl 5
Mottled Rustic 3
Narrow-Winged Pug 1
Peach Blossom 2
Plain Golden Y 2
Poplar Grey 2
Poplar Hawk-Moth 1
Purple Clay 1
Pyrausta despicta 1
Riband Wave 1
Ruby Tiger 1
Sandy Carpet 4
Scarce Footman 2
Scoparia ambigualis 3
Setaceous Hebrew Character 1
Short-Cloaked Moth 1
Shoulder-Striped Wainscot 3
Silver-Ground Carpet 2
Single Dotted Wave 1
Small Blood-Vein 3
Small Fan Foot 1
Small Fan-Footed Wave 8
Small Magpie 8
Small Rivulet 3
Small Yellow Wave 1
Smokey Wainscot 42
Snout 9
Spectacle 1
Straw Dot 3
Swallow-Tailed Moth 3
Udea olivalis 3
Uncertain/Rustic 20
Water Veneer 2
White Satin 2
Willow Beauty 4
Yellow-Tail 30
Zeiraphera isertana 1
If you have made it this far, thank you once again for taking the time out of your day to have a read - any suggestions on format etc are greatly appreciated.
Thanks must be added to the following organisations/websites where some of this data has been extracted:
All of the moth recorders, County Recorders, Vice County Co-ordinators and website admins who make all of this data - make sense!
No comments:
Post a Comment