Pinion-spotted Pug (Eupithecia insigniata)

Finally, the first outing this your for my moth trap. The star of the show was a Pinion-spotted Pug (Eupithecia insigniata, #982), top left. This is not a common moth, usually only a few caught per year in Glos, so the most unusual moth I’ve caught in a while and a great start for the year. Otherwise there were not many moths flying, but a Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac) is always welcome. The small grey cranefly, maybe a Monophilus species, was likely a new species, but not sure if I’ll ever confirm any ID for it.

#982 Pinion-spotted Pug (Eupithecia insigniata)

#747 Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac)

#729 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola)

Molophilus sp?

New Crane Fly - Tipula fascipennis

This Cranefly, Tipula fascipennis (#867) is a species flying in May-June. It has a rather plain, black-tipped body, and on this photo it doesn’t show that well, but if you look closely enough there is a pattern of dark & opaque white towards the tip of the wings. Along with many craneflies its larvae live in damp grass / turf.

Daddy Long Legs

Although they are around most of the time from spring onwards, Autumn is really crane fly season and it’s unusual not to find a few on the house walls or in the house (where the cat likes to catch and eat them). There were many, including this brown-coloured Marsh Crane Fly, around until early in the month, whereas this Tipula confusa with its lace patterned wings is a late flier, attracted to the moth trap this week. The third species looks superficially like a crane fly, but it’s actually a moth which rolls up its wings at rest. The Common Plume Moth (Emmelina monodactyla) flies right through the Autumn and Winter from September to May, and like crane flies it is often attracted into houses by the light.

#565 Marsh Crane Fly (Tipula oleracea)

#364 Tipula confusa

#349 Common Plume (Emmelina monodactyla)

Marsh Crane Fly (Tipula oleracea) & Spotted Crane Fly (Nephrotoma appendiculata)

These two crane flies, are two species that appear during April. With it’s dark brown front to the wing and its large size Marsh Crane Fly (Tipula oleracea) is a common enough species, but a new one for my garden none-the-less (#565). This species has two generations in a year, the first in April-June and the second in August-October. The glossy black coloration on the thorax of this individual is a little unusual; not sure what has caused that. The Spotted Crane Fly (Nephrotoma appendiculata, #230) is the commonest “tiger” crane fly in April/May - so called because of the yellow and black marks on the thorax. Both of them live in grassy fields with their leather-jacket ;larvae munching the roots.

#565 Marsh Crane Fly (Tipula oleracea)

#230 Spotted Cranefly (Nephrotoma appendiculata)

Quiet Season

It’s not a great season for garden wildlife, but anyhow I added a couple of new species to the list. The damp weather probably contributes to a growth of Rose Powdery Mildew fungus on my climbing rose and this small crane fly, with mottled wings and stripey legs is Limonia nubeculosa, a new one for the garden.

#549 Rose Powdery Mildew (Sphaerotheca pannosa)

#550 Limonia nubeculosa

Daddy Long Legs

As is usual at this time of the year, several craneflies have come into the house in the last few days. This one is a new species for the list, #344 Tipula paludosa. Like many insects, when viewed close-up they are really quite impressive. One of two similar common species of brown-coloured cranefly, T. paludosa is common in the Autumn and has a shorter wings vs its body length, compared to the other common species Tipula oleracea (Marsh Crane Fly). From the pointy tail you can see this is a female, ready to lay its eggs in the lawn.