Cheshire Macro-Moth Report - 1988

Few lepidopterists will remember the weather of 1988 with any relish but it was not all bad! The start was quite promising and I had recorded more species in my garden trap before the end of April than in nay other recent year. The next two months or so saw many bright sunny days but the nights were cold and moths were at a premium and many of the commoner early summer insects were not recorded. I was not alone in this disappointment but did record 120 species before the middle of the year. Before the end of June the day-time weather deteriorated with little improvement at night to compensate until a spell in August when there were some quite good catches. The Autumn came early and was not notable apart from the arrival of several good migrants in the first week of September.

We had only two additions to our post 1960 County list. The first, a big surprise, was when Sir Cyril Clarke found a Scarlet Tiger in his trap at Caldy on the Wirral; we may never discover whether this was a survivor of a colony that was introduced some 20 years ago or whether someone had been breeding the species and had released it. It is most unlikely to be a 'natural' occurrence as it was of the very rare form f. bimacula. The other species recorded for the first time was a single Stout Dart. We hope that this heralds a spread such as we have recently experienced with the very similar Dotted Rustic.

There were few surprises among the 375 or so other records, the most notable seem to be: Oblique Carpet at Jodrell Bank, well away from its known strongholds; Galium Carpet in two localities, previously this has looked like a vagrant species in Cheshire but the specimen from Swettenham laid fertile eggs which suggests it is established there; Argent and Sable from Bickerton Hill, previously only known from Delamere Forest; Autumn Green Carpet from Birchwood; Sloe Pug, now clearly quite widespread but it needs looking for; Waved Umber from Frodsham; Round-winged Muslin in two new localities both far from Hockenhull Platts its only previously known locality; Red Sword Grass from Padgate, this fine moth is always a notable catch in Cheshire; Clouded Brindle in Cheadle Hulme, one of several additions to the list for SJ88 which already has the highest total; Saltern Ear at an inland site near Northwich (but it is a salty area!); and Butterbur in Bramhall, the first record in the county for many years, it needs looking for along river valleys.

In early September we had two Convolvulus Hawks, one Vestal and three Scarce Bordered Straws, all good migrants though there is a suspicion that the last mentioned may have been imported with tomatoes!

Finally, in the numbers game the weather also held us back, only one new square reached 300 (SJ64 where Paul Griffiths' trap did as well as most). The garden trap run by Eric Rudge at Birchwood brought the total for SJ69 up past 200 while four of the remaining seven squares with totals below 200 got into the 190's and would have broken the barrier in a better season.

We welcomed several new recorders to our ranks, John Tuffrey of Poulton Lancelyn (SJ38), Roger Wilkinson of Upton by Chester (SJ46), Roger Robinson of Combermere Park (SJ54), Ray Bertera in Frodsham (SJ57), and Barry Shaw of Cheadle Hulme (SJ88), have all contributed to the year's records which reflect a lot of hard work in sometimes very discouraging conditions.

Mainly to help those who travel around the county with portable equipment I am producing some seasonal 'wants' lists to show where there is most scope for new records.

C.I. Rutherford - (01625-583683)                                                                                                                                                                 February 1989
Longridge, Macclesfield Road
Alderley Edge, Cheshire


The following new records were received for Vice-County 58 (Cheshire) in 1993: - an asterisk (*) indicates a new species for the county; the number at the extreme left is the Bradley & Fletcher code from their publication: "A Recorder's Log Book or Label List of British Butterflies and Moths" - J.D. Bradley and D.S. Fletcher (1979) :-
 
Code English Name
10Km Squares (SJ)
15 Orange Swift
SJ67
161 Leopard Moth
SJ28, 58
371 Lunar Hornet Clearwing
SJ38
1631 December Moth
SJ55
1638 Fox Moth
SJ28
1643 Emperor
SJ99
1648 Pebble Hook-tip
SJ86
1651 Chinese Character
SJ86
1652 Peach Blossom
SJ45
1653 Buff Arches
SJ86
1654 Figure of Eighty
SJ57, 68
1657 Common Lutestring
SJ55, 86
1659 Yellow Horned
SJ45
1663 March Moth
SJ45, 55, 69, 86
1665 Grass Emerlad
SJ68
1666 Large Emerald
SJ86
1667 Blotched Emerald
SJ38, 55
1669 Common Emerald
SJ45, 69
1674 Little Emerald
SJ38, 55
1693 Cream Wave
SJ55, 64
1707 Small Dusty Wave
SJ69
1708 Single-dotted Wave
SJ68, 69
1715 Plain Wave
SJ65
1716 Vestal
SJ64
1719 Oblique Carpet
SJ87
1722 Flame Carpet
SJ99
1728 Garden Carpet
SJ86
1732 Shaded Broad-bar
SJ68
1733 Lead Belle
SJ69, 98
1734 July Belle
SJ99
1740 Galium Carpet
SJ46, 86
1742 Yellow Shell
SJ68
1746 Shoulder Stripe
SJ69
1747 Streamer
SJ88
1749 Dark Spinach
SJ57
1750 Water Carpet
SJ45
1752 Purple Bar
SJ55
1754 Phoenix
SJ98
1756 Northern Spinach
SJ54
1757 Spinach
SJ69
1758 Barred Straw
SJ36, 86, 99
1759 Small Phoenix
SJ99
1760 Red-Green Carpet
SJ27, 46, 88
1761 Autumn Green Carpet
SJ69
1765 Barred Yellow
SJ45, 55, 69
1767 Reddish Pine Carpet
SJ65
1768 Grey Pine Carpet
SJ55, 99
1769 Spruce Carpet
SJ27, 99
1771 Juniper Carpet
SJ99
1773 Broken-barred Carpet
SJ86, 99
1776 Green Carpet
SJ45, 55
1778 May Highflyer
SJ55
1787 Argent and Sable
SJ45
1788 Scarce Tissue
SJ77
1789 Scallop Shell
SJ86
1795 November Moth
SJ69, 86
1797 Autumnal Moth
SJ77, 88
1799 Winter Moth
SJ86
1800 Northern Winter Moth
SJ77, 86
1802 The Rivulet
SJ86
1803 Small Rivulet
SJ27, 46, 99
1808 Sandy Carpet
SJ45, 55
1816 Toadflax Pug
SJ57, 66
1817 Foxglove Pug
SJ99
1819 Mottled Pug
SJ86
1821 Valerian Pug
SJ64
1822 Marsh Pug
SJ67
1830 Wormwood Pug
SJ65
1832 Currant Pug
SJ36, 99
1834 Common Pug
SJ86
1835 White-spotted Pug
SJ46
1837 Grey Pug
SJ37
1838 Tawny Spotted Pug
SJ57, 68, 86, 99
1852 Brindled Pug
SJ45, 65, 99
1853 Oak-tree Pug
SJ86
1854 Juniper Pug
SJ69, 99
1857 Dwarf Pug
SJ99
1858 V-Pug
SJ45
1859 Sloe Pug
SJ77, 86
1860 Green Pug
SJ46, 57
1862 Double-striped Pug
Sj46, 58
1864 The Streak
SJ69, 86, 99
1870 Chimney Sweeper
SJ76
1874 Dingy Shell
SJ64, 65, 86
1875 Small White Wave
SJ45
1876 Small Yellow Wave
SJ77, 86
1881 Early Tooth-striped
SJ37, 45, 67, 99
1887 Clouded Border
SJ86
1893 Tawny-barred Angle
SJ45
1894 Latticed Heath
SJ57, 86
1904 Scorched Wing
SJ55, 86
1914 Dusky Thorn
SJ86
1915 September Thorn
SJ58
1920 Scalloped Hazel
SJ36, 55, 86
1923 Feathered Thorn
SJ36, 55, 57, 69
1926 Pale Brindled Beauty
SJ45, 55, 56, 86
1927 Brindled Beauty
SJ65
1930 Oak Beauty
SJ45, 55
1931 Peppered Moth
SJ45, 55, 86
1932 Spring Usher
SJ55, 56, 86
1933 Scarce Umber
SJ55
1934 Dotted Border
SJ69
1936 Waved Umber
SJ57
1948 Small Engrailed
SJ55, 86
1954 Bordered White
SJ69
1957 White Pinion Spotted
SJ45
1958 Clouded Silver
SJ86
1972 Convolvulus Hawk-moth
SJ64, 87
1979 Lime Hawk-moth
SJ55, 69
1980 Eyed Hawk-moth
SJ55
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth
SJ55
1984 Humming-bird Hawk-moth
SJ38
1992 Small Elephant Hawk-moth
SJ77
1994 Buff-tip
SJ55
1996 Alder Kitten
SJ55, 58
2000 Iron Prominent
SJ86
2003 Pebble Prominent
SJ36, 86
2007 Swallow Prominent
SJ55, 68, 99
2020 Figure of Eight
SJ55, 86
2026 Vapourer
SJ66, 69
2028 Pale Tussock
SJ37, 45, 88
2035 Round-winged Muslin
SJ64, 65
2060 White Ermine
SJ55
2061 Buff Ermine
SJ55, 86
2063 Muslin Ermine
SJ55, 69, 88
2068* Scarlet Tiger
SJ28
2069 Cinnabar
SJ86
2077 Short-cloaked
SJ99
2082 Garden Dart
SJ46, 57
2087 Turnip
SJ69
2098 Flame
SJ45, 69
2102 Flame Shoulder
SJ36
2110 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
SJ86
2112 Least Yellow Underwing
SJ57
2113* Stout Dart
SJ88
2114 Double Dart
SJ69, 86
2119 Pearly Underwing
SJ58
2120 Ingrailed Clay
SJ36
2123 Small Square Spot
SJ99
2128 Double Square Spot
SJ36, 69
2134 Square Spot Rustic
SJ45
2136 Gothic
SJ69, 86
2139 Red Chestnut
SJ45, 55, 99
2147 Shears
SJ64
2154 Cabbage Moth
SJ57
2158 Pale Shouldered Brocade
SJ55, 86
2159 Dog's Tooth
SJ58
2162 Glaucous Shears
SJ99
2166 Campion
SJ55
2167 Tawny Shears
SJ27, 64
2173 Lychnis
SJ46, 57
2179 Pine Beauty
SJ99
2182 Small Quaker
SJ45, 99
2186 Powdered Quaker
SJ55
2187 Common Quaker
SJ45
2188 Clouded Drab
SJ45
2189 Twin-spot Quaker
SJ45, 99
2190 Hebrew Character
SJ45
2192 Brown-line Bright-eye
SJ64
2205 Shoulder-striped Wainscot
SJ55, 77, 86, 99
2214 Chamomile Shark
SJ46
2231 Deep Brown Dart
SJ64, 77, 98
2241 Red Sword Grass
SJ27
2245 Green Brindled Crescent
SJ55
2247 Merveille Du Jour
SJ86
2248 Brindled Green
SJ55
2250 Dark Brocade
SJ46
2254 Grey Chi
SJ46, 47
2256 Satellite
SJ45, 55
2258 Chestnut
SJ45
2259 Dark Chestnut
SJ55, 86, 99
2263 Red-line Quaker
SJ55, 57
2264 Yellow-line Quaker
SJ86, 99
2265 Flounced Rustic
SJ86, 98
2266 Brown-spot Pinion
SJ55, 58
2267 Beaded Chestnut
SJ57
2269 Centre-barred Sallow
SJ86
2270 Lunar Underwing
SJ55, 69
2271 Orange Sallow
SJ86
2273 Pink-barred Sallow
SJ99
2274 Sallow
SJ55, 99
2278 Poplar Grey
SJ57, 68
2280 Miller
SJ45, 68
2281 Alder Moth
SJ55
2284 Grey Dagger
SJ86
2293 Marbled Beauty
SJ36
2297 Copper Underwing
SJ86
2298 Svensson's Copper Underwing
SJ99
2299 Mouse
SJ99
2301 Bird's Wing
SJ46, 57, 69
2302 Brown Rustic
SJ86
2303 Straw Underwing
SJ69
2305 Small Angle-shades
SJ45, 55
2306 Angle-shades
SJ55
2312 Olive
SJ27
2318 Dun-bar
SJ99
2326 Clouded-bordered Brindle
SJ36, 37, 45, 86
2327 Clouded Brindle
SJ88
2329 Confused
SJ55
2330 Dusky Brocade
SJ86
2331 Small Clouded Brindle
SJ86, 99
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot
SJ37, 55, 57, 64
2335 Slender Brindle
SJ54, 64, 86
2337 Marbled Minor
SJ57, 86
2338 Rufous Minor
SJ57
2339 Tawny Minor
SJ46, 55, 57
2340 Middle-barred Minor
SJ55, 99
2342 Rosy Minor
SJ86
2353 Flounced Rustic
SJ57, 86
2358 Saltern Ear
SJ67
2361 Rosy Rustic
SJ36
2362 Butterbur
SJ98
2364 Frosted Orange
SJ46, 57
2369 Bullrush Wainscot
SJ66
2375 Large Wainscot
SJ55
2381 Uncertain
SJ57, 69, 86
2382 Rustic
SJ46, 86
2387 Mottled Rustic
SJ36, 46, 86
2389 Pale Mottled Willow
SJ46, 57, 69
2397 Small Yellow Underwing
SJ69, 75, 97, 99
2400* Scarce Bordered Straw
SJ88, 98
2421 Scarce Silver-lines
SJ38, 88
2439 Gold Spot
SJ99
2442 Beautiful Golden Y
SJ45
2443 Plain Golden Y
SJ45, 57, 69
2444 Gold Spangle
SJ77, 86, 99
2449 Dark Spectacle
SJ55
2450 Spectacle
SJ45
2452 Red Underwing
SJ38
2462 Mother Shipton
SJ58
2463 Burnet Companion
SJ38
2469 Herald
SJ55
2474 Straw Dot
SJ45, 98
2484 Pinion-streaked Snout
SJ86
2489 Fan-foot
SJ45



 

Home 

 

Education 

 

Invertebrates 

 

Computing 

 

Links 

 


© Consult-Eco - 1998-2002 - All rights reserved
4 Priory Close, Halton, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 2BN
Tel: 01928-573697

WebMaster:  Steve J. McWilliam
Rev. 1.0    Change-Date: 08/03/2000

For assistance with Entomology, Education, Invertebrates, Surveying, Local Record Centres or Web Design/Construction
please contact Steve J. McWilliam  at Consult-Eco:- stevemc@consult-eco.ndirect.co.uk

http://www.consult-eco.ndirect.co.uk/entomol/mr-1988.htm