tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4906757520837950642024-03-16T01:09:54.796+00:00NaturallyLocal places, plants and invertebrates, occasional ancient coins, some other stuff<a href="https://plus.google.com/108993965860565189688?rel=author">.</a>Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.comBlogger754125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-26932975990241136292018-09-07T05:30:00.000+01:002018-09-07T05:30:09.209+01:00A Rare Treat<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2hYEmou64PayV0r9xZ2sLg2umj3v-ZznNLsL_Idy1rjW8xwJt8kEoEfM-wFXqC6iUZn1LAshMKXtYrHYdY-cNYD1Ex3k2YoH1XaRK_5d0BIZqSoMZaVjK98jsuQmprP-_Tul0bYW2Kir/s1600/moth_nonpareil_clifden_2018.09.05_h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini. Crowborough, 4 September 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1500" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2hYEmou64PayV0r9xZ2sLg2umj3v-ZznNLsL_Idy1rjW8xwJt8kEoEfM-wFXqC6iUZn1LAshMKXtYrHYdY-cNYD1Ex3k2YoH1XaRK_5d0BIZqSoMZaVjK98jsuQmprP-_Tul0bYW2Kir/s640/moth_nonpareil_clifden_2018.09.05_h.jpg" title="Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini. Crowborough, 4 September 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini. Crowborough, 4 September 2018.</td></tr>
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This is a Clifden Nonpareil, sometimes called Blue Underwing. It was once resident in the UK, but died out, and was then seen only as an occasional immigrant. It is re-establishing itself, but still is only seen a few times a year away from the coast. So I was lucky that this specimen appeared on my garden fence above the light of my moth trap.<br />
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I saw it from my kitchen window before dawn and thought I might have a Red Underwing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL11gHwAEbhLTb4DvlOzsjBBfKmiv26Xwo3vPgK2lwZHpKV4SsxTGyhDXrthwdxoSGUF8mrC0xlP1SJtg2nnzz2fTtt8QVpFKeflI25HINE1hqE_MyMug8pxOOI9CCVXrb1StG092RPQCN/s1600/moth_underwing_red_2016.09.08_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Red Underwing, Catocala nupta. West Wickham Common, 8 September 2016." border="0" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="1300" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL11gHwAEbhLTb4DvlOzsjBBfKmiv26Xwo3vPgK2lwZHpKV4SsxTGyhDXrthwdxoSGUF8mrC0xlP1SJtg2nnzz2fTtt8QVpFKeflI25HINE1hqE_MyMug8pxOOI9CCVXrb1StG092RPQCN/s640/moth_underwing_red_2016.09.08_b.jpg" title="Red Underwing, Catocala nupta. West Wickham Common, 8 September 2016." width="608" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Underwing, Catocala nupta. West Wickham Common, 8 September 2016.</td></tr>
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That would have been good because although these are not scarce, they rarely come to light, and I have only seen two, both at West Wickham Common. But no! It was bigger and better than that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibJCRFk1ZKgzmwgoE9Mju4Efy3QonzGwv_grVgFvUO_3GroYOpqOR2LrOQzGHBN_uUBJ-oIJc-u70Zrb6_ZaXJBSOYIArnLvU8c9C6s2vcmGcvKs7NcWQP_XWoyOAw0nn1jheDI6OVUDe/s1600/moth_nonpareil_clifden_2018.09.05_g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini. Crowborough, 4 September 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1513" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibJCRFk1ZKgzmwgoE9Mju4Efy3QonzGwv_grVgFvUO_3GroYOpqOR2LrOQzGHBN_uUBJ-oIJc-u70Zrb6_ZaXJBSOYIArnLvU8c9C6s2vcmGcvKs7NcWQP_XWoyOAw0nn1jheDI6OVUDe/s640/moth_nonpareil_clifden_2018.09.05_g.jpg" title="Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini. Crowborough, 4 September 2018." width="634" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini. Crowborough, 4 September 2018.</td></tr>
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And it is big, one of our biggest moths. The Old Lady is quite sizeable:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UEkTgaEGrh9IMZUeqgqd1ymxVSvbu2wKanbgtB_83WPiMf8iJIobwsWJ56-jtEMYQMDE5kxZf59BmxeqGCFX-H0fT5qO9B1GoanRq2g08Yi4Z7q8pPkODof5uFqSAXKC4ebzw0mJNxIS/s1600/moth_lady_old_2015.08.28_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Old Lady, Mormo maura. Kelsey Park, 28 August 2015." border="0" data-original-height="1113" data-original-width="1500" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UEkTgaEGrh9IMZUeqgqd1ymxVSvbu2wKanbgtB_83WPiMf8iJIobwsWJ56-jtEMYQMDE5kxZf59BmxeqGCFX-H0fT5qO9B1GoanRq2g08Yi4Z7q8pPkODof5uFqSAXKC4ebzw0mJNxIS/s640/moth_lady_old_2015.08.28_a.jpg" title="Old Lady, Mormo maura. Kelsey Park, 28 August 2015." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Lady, Mormo maura. Kelsey Park, 28 August 2015.</td></tr>
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.. But it's not <i>as</i> big, and it lacks the flashy underwings. For size, you might consider Hawk-moths; they are pretty big, like this Privet Hawk-moth that some trappers brought to Sevenoaks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1g-ZYrX3xhIaOdp5_3z6QyxQ5HhaxGVMa02uhNHUH5PsA2k9Y3F_EIMHiLQ4fZrRiwd3xppDGMV4QfCTfj6NVzqXYJqZXD_vhtzwDJA-1jtFdiuzaIsYN85e5JtnIKn-a8AAN_PSdFcc/s1600/moth_hawkmoth_privet_2013.07.07_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Privet Hawkmoth, Sphinx ligustri. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 7 July 2013." border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="1300" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1g-ZYrX3xhIaOdp5_3z6QyxQ5HhaxGVMa02uhNHUH5PsA2k9Y3F_EIMHiLQ4fZrRiwd3xppDGMV4QfCTfj6NVzqXYJqZXD_vhtzwDJA-1jtFdiuzaIsYN85e5JtnIKn-a8AAN_PSdFcc/s640/moth_hawkmoth_privet_2013.07.07_a.jpg" title="Privet Hawkmoth, Sphinx ligustri. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 7 July 2013." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Privet Hawkmoth, Sphinx ligustri. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 7 July 2013.</td></tr>
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I saw one at Hayes the next year. These were very impressive. Incidentally, blue is a rare colour among moths. I only know one other in Britain with some blue, and it's another Hawk-moth:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wNQeZJ-OAIy6pBdX2CdxHh-kDNmgVY8qFyR_TflbgigjWHxWtJT-ypijcplFf1pu5zm7MwOFTVzXRP2ftLnG9vQInNHjqhuqn-IXkiItjYBPvmDq0QzLzONqZMOQ9fLuwh8fwp9oBAC-/s1600/moth_hawk_eyed_2017.07.03_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Eyed Hawk-moth, Smerinthus ocellata. Crowborough, 3 July 2017." border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1300" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wNQeZJ-OAIy6pBdX2CdxHh-kDNmgVY8qFyR_TflbgigjWHxWtJT-ypijcplFf1pu5zm7MwOFTVzXRP2ftLnG9vQInNHjqhuqn-IXkiItjYBPvmDq0QzLzONqZMOQ9fLuwh8fwp9oBAC-/s640/moth_hawk_eyed_2017.07.03_b.jpg" title="Eyed Hawk-moth, Smerinthus ocellata. Crowborough, 3 July 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eyed Hawk-moth, Smerinthus ocellata. Crowborough, 3 July 2017.</td></tr>
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All of these were a real pleasure to see and handle. But the Clifden nonpareil is the rarest.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHbpFKum0Mb3x6tSTWN9xTvK8h3nMZfxBctRseece1w3sDWMR89KQoI8KcR2y7ueMeXtSuspw12nZPAKWoOWPYOxOQELPpNhIsafKWsw4dDGB-Go4tKPbTwvqlZEuSdhkPDMnkRPUkcI7/s1600/moth_nonpareil_clifden_2018.09.05_i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini. Crowborough, 4 September 2018." border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1500" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHbpFKum0Mb3x6tSTWN9xTvK8h3nMZfxBctRseece1w3sDWMR89KQoI8KcR2y7ueMeXtSuspw12nZPAKWoOWPYOxOQELPpNhIsafKWsw4dDGB-Go4tKPbTwvqlZEuSdhkPDMnkRPUkcI7/s640/moth_nonpareil_clifden_2018.09.05_i.jpg" title="Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini. Crowborough, 4 September 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini. Crowborough, 4 September 2018.</td></tr>
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<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-37417912203830928312018-09-01T05:30:00.000+01:002018-09-01T05:30:04.958+01:00Sevenoak Moths August 2018<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXHqJy5ZUwEGz-VYPOCTxYH0hhOiiw9U3NXl23p_Iw_QLkvyl7jxp6ozYJqFSv7tnZtEZMv0PgLhBXr6rt-7q1wJfIPL0tG9571jbkvvtFC3q-iqoU1WgvVyVd-ZV_SUpaHw8gZSAjk4m/s1600/moth_acleris_emargana_2018.08.29_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Acleris emargana. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018" border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="1000" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXHqJy5ZUwEGz-VYPOCTxYH0hhOiiw9U3NXl23p_Iw_QLkvyl7jxp6ozYJqFSv7tnZtEZMv0PgLhBXr6rt-7q1wJfIPL0tG9571jbkvvtFC3q-iqoU1WgvVyVd-ZV_SUpaHw8gZSAjk4m/s640/moth_acleris_emargana_2018.08.29_b.jpg" title="Acleris emargana. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acleris emargana. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018</td></tr>
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There was a reasonable collection of late Summer moths in the trap at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve this month. One moth was sitting on top of the trap - this one, Acleris emargana.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO39_LoABVIvEKm83D3B_bYdICoh5hdG4tLqeDwnLLnYyfiTXLmpcQEQ7biPGrG_VZf1sVUKWRlGfeyMAfpsD4TLXvauGvV5ic08kJpcbmuMJkV3ajoNUB4oiUc05mG_GRv_7uCkEQ1rnz/s1600/moth_acleris_emargana_2018.08.29_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Acleris emargana. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="933" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO39_LoABVIvEKm83D3B_bYdICoh5hdG4tLqeDwnLLnYyfiTXLmpcQEQ7biPGrG_VZf1sVUKWRlGfeyMAfpsD4TLXvauGvV5ic08kJpcbmuMJkV3ajoNUB4oiUc05mG_GRv_7uCkEQ1rnz/s640/moth_acleris_emargana_2018.08.29_a.jpg" title="Acleris emargana. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018" width="496" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acleris emargana. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018</td></tr>
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It's a species I have not seen before. There is a confusion species, Acleris effractana, but as that lives in Scotland I think this identification is pretty safe.<br />
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Most of the others were quite common types. This one:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzCjz46L-rCPGwNKu8ojYKl4br4vLppyMGFkowIYkH2wJHnzjZ9kMfN8upWrgij4nb90lhmGAyMrXpElzrTDfEgJA49glPmSHVe9jweSdwITOUGRTrbS1XwP0NqITBdibcX2ygh3KvX4L/s1600/moth_snout_2018.08.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Snout, Hypena proboscidalis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018" border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="1300" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzCjz46L-rCPGwNKu8ojYKl4br4vLppyMGFkowIYkH2wJHnzjZ9kMfN8upWrgij4nb90lhmGAyMrXpElzrTDfEgJA49glPmSHVe9jweSdwITOUGRTrbS1XwP0NqITBdibcX2ygh3KvX4L/s640/moth_snout_2018.08.29.jpg" title="Snout, Hypena proboscidalis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snout, Hypena proboscidalis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018</td></tr>
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Does not look the way we normally expect because it is a second generation specimen, darker than the first generation and lacking some of the normal markings. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFlTkeOqGbptqhGsZKPp60h8rkfxRRL_BhbQd2XCigjVHfeVVveRuY_fk76Sg0_bnJX4nvGKvoc4NCxHDcvGg-ZMu4Cn55RqXWNzZllmEOanW81G_6S5GEyX3pusuSMI6tKl2ejcXKg6W/s1600/moth_rustic_squarespot_2018.08.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Square-spot Rustic, Xestia xanthographa. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="989" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFlTkeOqGbptqhGsZKPp60h8rkfxRRL_BhbQd2XCigjVHfeVVveRuY_fk76Sg0_bnJX4nvGKvoc4NCxHDcvGg-ZMu4Cn55RqXWNzZllmEOanW81G_6S5GEyX3pusuSMI6tKl2ejcXKg6W/s640/moth_rustic_squarespot_2018.08.29.jpg" title="Square-spot Rustic, Xestia xanthographa. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Square-spot Rustic, Xestia xanthographa. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018</td></tr>
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The Square-spot Rustic is an autumnal species, basically brown but often with rich reddish undertones. It's well named for its distinctive straight-edged spots.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUfPcN33BpgJJCl-jpZvTDgLPPV1GGjpQuuGQnFfWkWvNYVapJYr75jqRwnyFK0Rk8_TgnLl78d6Di5RqEVFYm0gcXV57bQKOW2nqeuQLCYBwXSewGh4mw8_gCwXR1D5Mil40FsnihhWW/s1600/moth_spectacle_2018.08.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Spectacle, Abrostola tripartita. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018" border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1500" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUfPcN33BpgJJCl-jpZvTDgLPPV1GGjpQuuGQnFfWkWvNYVapJYr75jqRwnyFK0Rk8_TgnLl78d6Di5RqEVFYm0gcXV57bQKOW2nqeuQLCYBwXSewGh4mw8_gCwXR1D5Mil40FsnihhWW/s640/moth_spectacle_2018.08.29.jpg" title="Spectacle, Abrostola tripartita. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spectacle, Abrostola tripartita. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018</td></tr>
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Spectacles crop up during most of the summer. This side view shows the prominent crests, formed of long scales.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SvrM0pU97AyOH3o628w2Ihy2Ay7M4DIji_sNcEpPtQZOzNai6HqWvrgtpYg0vSr3LZPztHojqZMesRQO2tP760VOyzRzQEJTBSZwzyePDw6QxU30UEGd9yarqf9VdXtnQAgzA-jG9ZAt/s1600/moth_cornborer_european_2018.08.29_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="European corn-borer, Ostrinia nubialis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 201" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1392" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SvrM0pU97AyOH3o628w2Ihy2Ay7M4DIji_sNcEpPtQZOzNai6HqWvrgtpYg0vSr3LZPztHojqZMesRQO2tP760VOyzRzQEJTBSZwzyePDw6QxU30UEGd9yarqf9VdXtnQAgzA-jG9ZAt/s640/moth_cornborer_european_2018.08.29_a.jpg" title="European corn-borer, Ostrinia nubialis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 201" width="592" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">European corn-borer, Ostrinia nubialis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 2018</td></tr>
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This European Corn-borer is one I don't see very often so I was glad of the chance to get a good clear photo. I took a mug-shot as well. It was just an occasional migrant until the 1930s but is gradually getting established in the UK. Over here, it actually lives on Mugwort rather than being a crop pest.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0zFwD0xWCO-xRf_Ql4GXz25aHxLAe4qD7sEV3B-Xxw_OfBSg5G3ezEjquHubDkWX-hrRERPOW78iBA0slKHDnln7D1JePvGib-otKbgYKdpNsi608sAdL8188salQ4I0FmcSXW5GbOek/s1600/moth_cornborer_european_2018.08.29_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="European corn-borer, Ostrinia nubialis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 201" border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1100" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0zFwD0xWCO-xRf_Ql4GXz25aHxLAe4qD7sEV3B-Xxw_OfBSg5G3ezEjquHubDkWX-hrRERPOW78iBA0slKHDnln7D1JePvGib-otKbgYKdpNsi608sAdL8188salQ4I0FmcSXW5GbOek/s640/moth_cornborer_european_2018.08.29_b.jpg" title="European corn-borer, Ostrinia nubialis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 201" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">European corn-borer, Ostrinia nubialis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 29 August 201</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-76477881418396370632018-08-28T05:30:00.000+01:002018-08-28T05:30:10.503+01:00Ashdown Woods<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wfEr713dfaPU4z8J4iPadNV70b5FWBI0Dz5l0nWQ5nNtwNUwP23OiIYcRwiAIzLy0D2YC2oOxFLvUgZlIRFVzWghMyw7DNho7LJpl3r1wAAo9_45YXEDAxbol_4MX09wYZ0NnOH1kPP1/s1600/view_ashdown_2018.08.19_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ashdown Forest looking south from below Church Hill car park, 19 August 2018" border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1463" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wfEr713dfaPU4z8J4iPadNV70b5FWBI0Dz5l0nWQ5nNtwNUwP23OiIYcRwiAIzLy0D2YC2oOxFLvUgZlIRFVzWghMyw7DNho7LJpl3r1wAAo9_45YXEDAxbol_4MX09wYZ0NnOH1kPP1/s640/view_ashdown_2018.08.19_01.jpg" title="Ashdown Forest looking south from below Church Hill car park, 19 August 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashdown Forest looking south from below Church Hill car park, 19 August 2018</td></tr>
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Hot and dry weather has been kind to this part of the Ashdown, which I think must never be entirely dry. Water runs down this slope into a stream at the bottom. Here, the heather is in full bloom (this is Ling, Calluna vulgaris) and there is plenty of bracken, broom and young silver birches. The larger trees are Scots Pine.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctSPeZwiusWi6uafoqjjOv5LVwhIcnaoqxYShDvHKUxsbxqiCKK5ePhSLDan09rp4IkwTm349eW3h8Y32IgEKM4xNi0uOvD3utcMnB1Gi5faqfzFxbp75O0coMr9-F9NTDmxuMRMYUkaS/s1600/view_ashdown_2018.08.19_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Path from Marden Hill to the Secret Lake, 19 August 2018" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1125" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctSPeZwiusWi6uafoqjjOv5LVwhIcnaoqxYShDvHKUxsbxqiCKK5ePhSLDan09rp4IkwTm349eW3h8Y32IgEKM4xNi0uOvD3utcMnB1Gi5faqfzFxbp75O0coMr9-F9NTDmxuMRMYUkaS/s640/view_ashdown_2018.08.19_02.jpg" title="Path from Marden Hill to the Secret Lake, 19 August 2018" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Path from Marden Hill to the Secret Lake, 19 August 2018</td></tr>
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This path runs parallel to the stream. Here the uphill slope is to the left, and lush Pendulous Sedges line the path on the damper side, where water tends to collect.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhys7DWsI_30jXyL4dOKs15BoLG2uHM0i19x5M0ZaKkj_wiOKIJ-GYSRZm6N9-qjqxV8iGrJjG294P9apPcn2KGkHfT40fH5f-n_L4vVWs__CPyfzc_hs6wniZ_4w-RwbJyTyZWbc-osDuu/s1600/view_ashdown_2018.08.19_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Part of the Old Mill, 19 August 2018" border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1500" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhys7DWsI_30jXyL4dOKs15BoLG2uHM0i19x5M0ZaKkj_wiOKIJ-GYSRZm6N9-qjqxV8iGrJjG294P9apPcn2KGkHfT40fH5f-n_L4vVWs__CPyfzc_hs6wniZ_4w-RwbJyTyZWbc-osDuu/s640/view_ashdown_2018.08.19_04.jpg" title="Part of the Old Mill, 19 August 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the Old Mill, 19 August 2018</td></tr>
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Some old stonework, overgrown with trees and their roots, is part of the Old Mill. I mentioned that in another post with photos from the same pathway, here: <a href="https://moremoth.blogspot.com/2017/10/ashdown-woodland-track.html" target="_blank">Ashdown Woodland Track</a>.<br />
<br />
There are several areas where one type of vegetation seems to run riot. The Pendulous Sedges above are an example.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8wk5ZRhZKmnG4H8ZMJb-PFz94TVdmd8rg2eOSiSA3i7sj1pGzaY4ckwhFDuVZnbY0muaAGQqWFgDeA01-VcvT2XCksW62WNM5yOZ5L0QgVIe9dJ-Il2wVJ8hxhZ3pB1jCF35PXu0apmcC/s1600/view_ashdown_2018.08.19_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Woodland grass. 19 August 2018" border="0" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8wk5ZRhZKmnG4H8ZMJb-PFz94TVdmd8rg2eOSiSA3i7sj1pGzaY4ckwhFDuVZnbY0muaAGQqWFgDeA01-VcvT2XCksW62WNM5yOZ5L0QgVIe9dJ-Il2wVJ8hxhZ3pB1jCF35PXu0apmcC/s640/view_ashdown_2018.08.19_03.jpg" title="Woodland grass. 19 August 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodland grass. 19 August 2018</td></tr>
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This is another. I don't know what grass this is. The smaller clumps at the front are Wood Melick, but I'm not good at identifying grasses so the larger one has me stumped. It is certainly doing well here, though.<br />
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Here's a photo from close by this spot, taken last year:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zXgARYd6n1gjtsr5CVzO9QoMm7yUHfbKJtnF5n4d3OrvY3AnRZ-BC97hgSFF1DNoYUcbzKVE2FsdnP8f1ppJKR-A7_b0D457UPyTnimAyXGGjPHktaLHV3FhG7Sa7ArnlwtU5bG3JcaO/s1600/fern_hard_2017.10.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hard Fern, Blechnum spicant. Ashdown Forest, 20 October 2017." border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="1300" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zXgARYd6n1gjtsr5CVzO9QoMm7yUHfbKJtnF5n4d3OrvY3AnRZ-BC97hgSFF1DNoYUcbzKVE2FsdnP8f1ppJKR-A7_b0D457UPyTnimAyXGGjPHktaLHV3FhG7Sa7ArnlwtU5bG3JcaO/s640/fern_hard_2017.10.20.jpg" title="Hard Fern, Blechnum spicant. Ashdown Forest, 20 October 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard Fern, Blechnum spicant. Ashdown Forest, 20 October 2017.</td></tr>
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To show that it's not just grass that can take over a section of woodland. These are Hard Fern, and I have not seen this many on one spot elsewhere.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IY7qgY5oh7vblCUJxfb-iHezAGnTRiM_IIFI1oDEDxwzmibpK-W5ir-GO_loNrronZFuK3CpFx2R261X-UUxVBR9Kx8Rts9UTDQvx3CWqcKWupF2GRaB9Hi0UeW-ITXyXJ6AY6u96sXI/s1600/view_ashdown_2018.08.19_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Track through the woods, Ashdown Forest, 22 August 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1125" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IY7qgY5oh7vblCUJxfb-iHezAGnTRiM_IIFI1oDEDxwzmibpK-W5ir-GO_loNrronZFuK3CpFx2R261X-UUxVBR9Kx8Rts9UTDQvx3CWqcKWupF2GRaB9Hi0UeW-ITXyXJ6AY6u96sXI/s640/view_ashdown_2018.08.19_06.jpg" title="Track through the woods, Ashdown Forest, 22 August 2018." width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Track through the woods, Ashdown Forest, 22 August 2018.</td></tr>
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Other inviting tracks lead off from this one. Here's one - with a row of rushes in its centre, another sign of damp ground.<br />
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<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-83157705880710173022018-08-22T05:30:00.000+01:002018-08-22T05:30:04.472+01:00A few views of Wakehurst<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXc0Eb4HX5288altODSt2Fk16PHICEDWzftRHncXTO8HsdQ0ET-b7VEh7iifW08falb46XROpn05ReLc2jsCb708rTcuvG0zyDuDWuBBGcGysSKq87Eb4g4mDd4U21_RFEzCI67SdjKYQL/s1600/view_wakehurst_2018.08.19_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A meadow at Wakehurst, West Sussex. 17 August 2018." border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="1461" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXc0Eb4HX5288altODSt2Fk16PHICEDWzftRHncXTO8HsdQ0ET-b7VEh7iifW08falb46XROpn05ReLc2jsCb708rTcuvG0zyDuDWuBBGcGysSKq87Eb4g4mDd4U21_RFEzCI67SdjKYQL/s640/view_wakehurst_2018.08.19_01.jpg" title="A meadow at Wakehurst, West Sussex. 17 August 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A meadow at Wakehurst, West Sussex. 17 August 2018.</td></tr>
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Wakehurst is a botanic garden in West Sussex, owned by the National Trust but run by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It's half an hour's drive from my current house and I joined as a friend soon after moving here.<br />
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These are just a few shots from a recent visit. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wpJqfCxQAjL3_wp35gC5ykDHRLrNFK4FA9ycrfu5sFAL5lQOcyALJvKlsixCyGsHLRYoGRdXvJCSp4d9jQ35lRSEOcn2XDD8INAylxTfjWgaIp2LMvekhIesH4vsxnG726CTyDpnWqOB/s1600/view_wakehurst_2018.08.19_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wpJqfCxQAjL3_wp35gC5ykDHRLrNFK4FA9ycrfu5sFAL5lQOcyALJvKlsixCyGsHLRYoGRdXvJCSp4d9jQ35lRSEOcn2XDD8INAylxTfjWgaIp2LMvekhIesH4vsxnG726CTyDpnWqOB/s640/view_wakehurst_2018.08.19_02.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A path at Wakehurst, West Sussex. 17 August 2018.</td></tr>
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It's styled as a "wild" botanic garden, but it only merits that name in comparison with Kew where almost everything is in glasshouses. It's intensively tended and kept up.<br />
<br />
On my way in I noticed some small Wollemi Pines for sale. This is a rare tree. (Wollemia nobilis, family Auracariaceae.<i>) </i>There are less than 100 specimens known in the wild. As you might expect, these small potted plants were very expensive. But later, on this path, I recognised the young conifers at either side - this is a Wollemi Pine pathway! They are doing very well. I don't think they would be selling them unless there were plenty of spares.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfVN7o0Szl8wPE-Xg_QbVQTWp8l_CCWOyjXwTkn7_Ko3-yvSUdoyTfhUBkD23SAY5A_O_j2hiuIqxbFB7vs5yl37fO7a6vG3qyYhjJPIAaIGt0rhMeM1Ep8J0DibWh4c9DfTGaiUWQ4Nu/s1600/view_wakehurst_2018.08.19_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sandstone at Wakehurst, West Sussex. 17 August 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1466" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfVN7o0Szl8wPE-Xg_QbVQTWp8l_CCWOyjXwTkn7_Ko3-yvSUdoyTfhUBkD23SAY5A_O_j2hiuIqxbFB7vs5yl37fO7a6vG3qyYhjJPIAaIGt0rhMeM1Ep8J0DibWh4c9DfTGaiUWQ4Nu/s640/view_wakehurst_2018.08.19_03.jpg" title="Sandstone at Wakehurst, West Sussex. 17 August 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandstone at Wakehurst, West Sussex. 17 August 2018.</td></tr>
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In common with many spots in Sussex, Wakehurst has several sandstone outcrops. Picturesque tree growth like this is easy to find. What's odd about this particular spot is that the path on this side of the wooden bridge does not seem to go anywhere.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ITlkL5vySgRvQYFTLk2LITPnDgFAAdCvtXrnS1hOj4iGv4utQKDl7Mqbu4SoPIBivTVQu_JohQOHgrDrqSdJPsH0vs-Egn2ITM07_pXBxphGu7fD1IdiHY2RjCglhUWSpyOevZHyYmim/s1600/view_wakehurst_2018.08.19_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, West Sussex. 17 August 2018." border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1500" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ITlkL5vySgRvQYFTLk2LITPnDgFAAdCvtXrnS1hOj4iGv4utQKDl7Mqbu4SoPIBivTVQu_JohQOHgrDrqSdJPsH0vs-Egn2ITM07_pXBxphGu7fD1IdiHY2RjCglhUWSpyOevZHyYmim/s640/view_wakehurst_2018.08.19_04.jpg" title="Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, West Sussex. 17 August 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, West Sussex. 17 August 2018.</td></tr>
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Outside the Millennium Seed Bank are a set of plots with different soil types - gravel, hillside, chalk, hay meadow, wet meadow and others. It is interesting to see examples of the different ecologies. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczMyoED_bQ9rtfG8NmDoNO-gJAbuCR1M1dPMYtC5UW9hnwr0rO32s6pUy85AjdTr2XkXPw35rBoX1odeuGbmpqywv9UDiYMgR78-8J8kqYsLLj9DYg2JMhCRaf4W7B8L7i8Wn_HDhs3O1/s1600/sign_wakehurst_2018.08.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sign showing various charges at Wakehurst, West Sussex. April and August 2018." border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="1600" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczMyoED_bQ9rtfG8NmDoNO-gJAbuCR1M1dPMYtC5UW9hnwr0rO32s6pUy85AjdTr2XkXPw35rBoX1odeuGbmpqywv9UDiYMgR78-8J8kqYsLLj9DYg2JMhCRaf4W7B8L7i8Wn_HDhs3O1/s640/sign_wakehurst_2018.08.20.jpg" title="Sign showing various charges at Wakehurst, West Sussex. April and August 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign showing various charges at Wakehurst, West Sussex. April and August 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But one thing they don't seem to be able to do is produce clear and unambiguous signage. The old version (on the left) just stopped my in my tracks. What, it costs £25 to get in if you're a Friend? And why is it free to enter the car park for a day, but also £10 to park for a day? <br />
<br />The new version (probably produced because rates had increased) does away with the first oddity. But it still says that an adult ticket is free. If only the sign had read "Adult Ticket Holders" it would have been quite clear ...<br />
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<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-13550559150636864512018-08-09T05:30:00.000+01:002018-08-09T05:30:01.385+01:00Catkins<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyHJ2VfN7Sa9jJVWKpprjsdzfhD0JzJg2fyfqDAj69B0BOvI1JQz06nh5f7aB4W0-p7A7jsEPjO-I-YzAW0YNVi7TLgQoa6uraB4eCLqD31rnAArXPXEKU5zyBU2OqZheR0JQ9ylMnIN03/s1600/hazel_2017.02.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hazel catkins on Hayes Common, 5 February 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1300" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyHJ2VfN7Sa9jJVWKpprjsdzfhD0JzJg2fyfqDAj69B0BOvI1JQz06nh5f7aB4W0-p7A7jsEPjO-I-YzAW0YNVi7TLgQoa6uraB4eCLqD31rnAArXPXEKU5zyBU2OqZheR0JQ9ylMnIN03/s640/hazel_2017.02.05.jpg" title="Hazel catkins on Hayes Common, 5 February 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hazel catkins on Hayes Common, 5 February 2017.</td></tr>
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I was searching my photo folders with the key work "cat" and I came across a lot of interesting pictures, including cathedrals and catkins. So here are some of the catkins.<br />
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This photo is what people probably think of first. Hazel catkins in early spring. This is the male reproductive organ, and you can tap off showers of pollen. It is spread by the wind to the tiny red female flowers:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkooJNJgDWMLPb2bB2refMoDti2gGfWs9oQzHMGyfUFZMEls6osqIuglF7uR9F5CPUZdqwERPX8wzWBB29CmCCYGLxQJec7rhMOjOC_bHCdF6RYPcoRhxj6jt-ZvGNEzB0r1b0bWCwiVox/s1600/hazel_female_2017.02.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hazel, female flower. The Knoll, Hayes, 19 February 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1200" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkooJNJgDWMLPb2bB2refMoDti2gGfWs9oQzHMGyfUFZMEls6osqIuglF7uR9F5CPUZdqwERPX8wzWBB29CmCCYGLxQJec7rhMOjOC_bHCdF6RYPcoRhxj6jt-ZvGNEzB0r1b0bWCwiVox/s640/hazel_female_2017.02.19.jpg" title="Hazel, female flower. The Knoll, Hayes, 19 February 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hazel, female flower. The Knoll, Hayes, 19 February 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
No petals, because they do not need to attract insects. Just sticky stigmas, with some tiny yellow pollen grains already stuck on.<br />
<br />
These catkins are one of the first signs of spring, showing new growth on the trees. But quite a few different sorts of trees use catkins to reproduce.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1EPs8YRRX30XPMireo3fX3nHft5qenLx3B-x89eAF5_vgy3FPrgphULh3mK_oeyh9DFtSIaT0ZW-v6zuGjUT7CnLJE592UMQDglFltqx2JqBvarFi2dekKohzbBP_p3L5PUUD6MvIDkVf/s1600/willow_pussy_catkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pussy Willow catkins in Jubilee Country Park, 15 March 2011." border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1200" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1EPs8YRRX30XPMireo3fX3nHft5qenLx3B-x89eAF5_vgy3FPrgphULh3mK_oeyh9DFtSIaT0ZW-v6zuGjUT7CnLJE592UMQDglFltqx2JqBvarFi2dekKohzbBP_p3L5PUUD6MvIDkVf/s640/willow_pussy_catkins.jpg" title="Pussy Willow catkins in Jubilee Country Park, 15 March 2011." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pussy Willow catkins in Jubilee Country Park, 15 March 2011.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pussy Willow is what we called this where I grew up, because the catkins were soft and furry. These ones have been rained on! It seems to be more often called Goat Willow here in the south, which matches its scientific name, Salix caprea. The female flowers are on separate trees and are also bunched up into a sort of catkin:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kmB0otz6PV4o_7z_I4eJ7DNZg2uY7XlFIG6Fq9F82CA-IHFjie4DfiPMr9OcBw4z3trY60tF88NvGMHga2HkYhJ6NFtDpP6d5-1dkDSF7w_QePKWAJy0OEjNu-8xFthtRwQ9cLNkMHIb/s1600/goat_willow_female_catkins_2.4.2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Female goat willow catkins, Hayes common; 2 April 2011." border="0" data-original-height="1444" data-original-width="1116" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kmB0otz6PV4o_7z_I4eJ7DNZg2uY7XlFIG6Fq9F82CA-IHFjie4DfiPMr9OcBw4z3trY60tF88NvGMHga2HkYhJ6NFtDpP6d5-1dkDSF7w_QePKWAJy0OEjNu-8xFthtRwQ9cLNkMHIb/s640/goat_willow_female_catkins_2.4.2011.jpg" title="Female goat willow catkins, Hayes common; 2 April 2011." width="494" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female goat willow catkins, Hayes common; 2 April 2011.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
These are either Pussy Willow or a close relative. Other catkin trees include:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJY7lDEp1T0y_hw6z9xpHLbbGEqR96-cGxxxMyAwm3cYliR5UfUmuAllHEbzQ014Ma1TyAsL90jiYBxZp1SzJI0kmAv2dc3ZWcoUpIKxY_deyxDBNiLjpxQxxqkltPgmFxpbbaiHzS5zat/s1600/birch_silver_2012.05.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Catkin of a Silver Birch. Hayes Common SSSI, 16 May 2012." border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1200" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJY7lDEp1T0y_hw6z9xpHLbbGEqR96-cGxxxMyAwm3cYliR5UfUmuAllHEbzQ014Ma1TyAsL90jiYBxZp1SzJI0kmAv2dc3ZWcoUpIKxY_deyxDBNiLjpxQxxqkltPgmFxpbbaiHzS5zat/s640/birch_silver_2012.05.16.jpg" title="Catkin of a Silver Birch. Hayes Common SSSI, 16 May 2012." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catkin of a Silver Birch. Hayes Common SSSI, 16 May 2012.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Birches - this one is Silver Birch.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D3tfc1mQHOLbWAU2sRKsfgh7kpk6dEH_aafiP9m3mhYajky_ZIrGTRNtPYiI7xvWXvPBMLLtPq5s4LQw21wCo-Y5DiAPhwsDstddvgF6-EH7U2GdfhkcyU90U-KBJ9cmmIAnApd5Npg8/s1600/oak_catkins_22.4.2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Oak catkins in Spring Park, 22 April 2011." border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="947" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D3tfc1mQHOLbWAU2sRKsfgh7kpk6dEH_aafiP9m3mhYajky_ZIrGTRNtPYiI7xvWXvPBMLLtPq5s4LQw21wCo-Y5DiAPhwsDstddvgF6-EH7U2GdfhkcyU90U-KBJ9cmmIAnApd5Npg8/s640/oak_catkins_22.4.2011.jpg" title="Oak catkins in Spring Park, 22 April 2011." width="504" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oak catkins in Spring Park, 22 April 2011.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Oaks. These rather straggly catkins can sometimes have their own parasitic galls, caused by the sexual generation of same gall wasp that produces leaf galls later in the year.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsyPcRtZNQshd8RNJ0nkKtMNDou-2FPzrgco1Ok_sv2dVrCC-gTydaaZrGDptKHB7wFIw_yZxEwQe_rnAcy2_3JXiYOwymT6IyIteCZXM5pbFZo5nbyZBu-QYRG3OSdchVlGDChehp2zX/s1600/gall_currant_2015.05.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Currant Galls, sexual generation of the gall wasp Neuroterus quercusbaccarum. Heathfield Road, Keston. 4 May 2015." border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1300" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsyPcRtZNQshd8RNJ0nkKtMNDou-2FPzrgco1Ok_sv2dVrCC-gTydaaZrGDptKHB7wFIw_yZxEwQe_rnAcy2_3JXiYOwymT6IyIteCZXM5pbFZo5nbyZBu-QYRG3OSdchVlGDChehp2zX/s640/gall_currant_2015.05.04.jpg" title="Currant Galls, sexual generation of the gall wasp Neuroterus quercusbaccarum. Heathfield Road, Keston. 4 May 2015." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Currant Galls, sexual generation of the gall wasp Neuroterus quercusbaccarum. Heathfield Road, Keston. 4 May 2015.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And the last catkin tree that I have photos of, Alders.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4V6QxfufGCJRU8A34ivVSYQCBofw2pA0cd0SY22jcrA_tST7dJQifrtgX_L5jMcoK_RfKe7hQPD4VAgVXOhUx9GWHES5mKvbYdMtkCDE-74bXNHKJd7YvsYMBsl23pbkzNa2AB7D54lws/s1600/alder_catkins_2013.03.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Alder catkins, Alnus glutinosa, on the roadside on Hayes Lane, Hayes. 4 March 2013." border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4V6QxfufGCJRU8A34ivVSYQCBofw2pA0cd0SY22jcrA_tST7dJQifrtgX_L5jMcoK_RfKe7hQPD4VAgVXOhUx9GWHES5mKvbYdMtkCDE-74bXNHKJd7YvsYMBsl23pbkzNa2AB7D54lws/s640/alder_catkins_2013.03.04.jpg" title="Alder catkins, Alnus glutinosa, on the roadside on Hayes Lane, Hayes. 4 March 2013." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alder catkins, Alnus glutinosa, on the roadside on Hayes Lane, Hayes. 4 March 2013.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You can see the alder cones, but otherwise this looks a lot like a tall Hazel. But these catkins can sometimes be quite showy.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-esuCi_E6rEO144Pgx1qWzYnaxvQhiJcsmeey7rM0iZvS7LUF28H0OHMwAoTDKAolqkWX-ZQ01-VOudvdAa7toQj81XQfJt7LhEDD2A1FsuCORlKdNCYBi401sZdqzSljEl4Dx7xNssga/s1600/catkins_alder_2012.02.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Alder catkins, Alnus glutinosa. Cudham recreation ground, 25 February 2012." border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="1200" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-esuCi_E6rEO144Pgx1qWzYnaxvQhiJcsmeey7rM0iZvS7LUF28H0OHMwAoTDKAolqkWX-ZQ01-VOudvdAa7toQj81XQfJt7LhEDD2A1FsuCORlKdNCYBi401sZdqzSljEl4Dx7xNssga/s640/catkins_alder_2012.02.25.jpg" title="Alder catkins, Alnus glutinosa. Cudham recreation ground, 25 February 2012." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alder catkins, Alnus glutinosa. Cudham recreation ground, 25 February 2012.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-47163571022054562292018-07-17T05:30:00.000+01:002018-07-17T05:30:04.347+01:00On the Fence<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnr4ZihEVkxlq_YhwHOPbfUReRmPtEKX4BuxMSZpXAB7BVhL5VVA1AaiqnPE4SECsq8mFfX5-T0GRvDtD0T6XvbC6Vii0bom5UJG3xgjF0um6veM8thB3DAPrrpJJ5dBPCEJ7NhZ58BYF/s1600/moth_fence_named_2018.07.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Moths on the fence near my light trap. Crowborough, 14 July 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1500" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnr4ZihEVkxlq_YhwHOPbfUReRmPtEKX4BuxMSZpXAB7BVhL5VVA1AaiqnPE4SECsq8mFfX5-T0GRvDtD0T6XvbC6Vii0bom5UJG3xgjF0um6veM8thB3DAPrrpJJ5dBPCEJ7NhZ58BYF/s640/moth_fence_named_2018.07.14.jpg" title="Moths on the fence near my light trap. Crowborough, 14 July 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moths on the fence near my light trap. Crowborough, 14 July 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On any good mothing night there is a collection of moths near, but not inside, the light trap. It's interesting that the moths that have chosen to rest on the grey wood are more or less neutral in colour, with some patterning that might help to disguise their outlines.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPN_ZZBtaE2Syr8g9VGN7gQn9Oa6NV56KUFrpVuE64yBVlylxJfjKolrFasIsFd7jyQ8PC_68CJwhvdF7Ae6Q5Y2uvi_Ro7QVzeM93txF2yGT4K7vrxx29f1KH_Jce1riIVzz_uIAsPjV/s1600/moth_arches_black_2018.07.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Black Arches, Lymantria monacha. On the fence near my light trap in Crowborough on 13 July 2018" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1297" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPN_ZZBtaE2Syr8g9VGN7gQn9Oa6NV56KUFrpVuE64yBVlylxJfjKolrFasIsFd7jyQ8PC_68CJwhvdF7Ae6Q5Y2uvi_Ro7QVzeM93txF2yGT4K7vrxx29f1KH_Jce1riIVzz_uIAsPjV/s640/moth_arches_black_2018.07.14.jpg" title="Black Arches, Lymantria monacha. On the fence near my light trap in Crowborough on 13 July 2018" width="552" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Arches, Lymantria monacha. On the fence near my light trap in Crowborough on 13 July 2018</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Though, disguised or not, some of them, like this Black Arches, are quite worth a closer look.<br />
<br />
Nearby, on a patch with a little bit of alga and lichen growth, was a moth with a more colourful pattern.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8CjDWlquQvP9Ey73EnT1-J1G0ecP4WBh7qJISgkOyizp1YaAjGgEZHoLbWnSintOb7AxJIFmNPiN4YFnPer8VcS0q7dysxJMd-r8OUHB76nBTjS58u8Tw-tWI2IifUw7eeZKU7hSaGcu/s1600/moth_kitten_sallow_2018.07.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sallow Kitten, Furcula furcula. On the fence near my light trap in Crowborough, 13 July 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="872" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8CjDWlquQvP9Ey73EnT1-J1G0ecP4WBh7qJISgkOyizp1YaAjGgEZHoLbWnSintOb7AxJIFmNPiN4YFnPer8VcS0q7dysxJMd-r8OUHB76nBTjS58u8Tw-tWI2IifUw7eeZKU7hSaGcu/s640/moth_kitten_sallow_2018.07.14.jpg" title="Sallow Kitten, Furcula furcula. On the fence near my light trap in Crowborough, 13 July 2018." width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sallow Kitten, Furcula furcula. On the fence near my light trap in Crowborough, 13 July 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A Sallow Kitten, the only one I have seen this year.<br />
<br />
And here are a couple of photos from that night just because I like them<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimXYfzo5dw09NMVoDBniB-jtprWSkOKb3Ii0aCkUmxKlxJnckrp5mT2Bw2MF9pWz3qZ-ZexEc6mscQU8OvQmxaA4yhe1xMEMO17wYAf37UFy9tRct-YlewDsqwNfaPYCs9yVAClVSlPtV/s1600/moth_udea_olivalis_2018.07.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Udea olivalis. In my light trap in Crowborough, 13 July 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="1300" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimXYfzo5dw09NMVoDBniB-jtprWSkOKb3Ii0aCkUmxKlxJnckrp5mT2Bw2MF9pWz3qZ-ZexEc6mscQU8OvQmxaA4yhe1xMEMO17wYAf37UFy9tRct-YlewDsqwNfaPYCs9yVAClVSlPtV/s640/moth_udea_olivalis_2018.07.14.jpg" title="Udea olivalis. In my light trap in Crowborough, 13 July 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Udea olivalis. In my light trap in Crowborough, 13 July 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A mugshot of Udea olivalis, which usually rests with its antennae flat along its back - here, it's become alert.<br />
<br />
And when I released the moths, this Canary-shouldered Thorn decided to park upside down ...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilluhwA0oSXzt275dWN-o-novN1Pcn7jBpbj2XK99GmxflaAW3C3bWGnQ5xWKkVyMdIeO2RxYOHzz0vokS1fqRLRjWFRpwMvrYSWsfFIBbBO3ZwO0QtcB32aot_kKraKcV64e8kT9qNfYl/s1600/moth_thorn_canaryshouldered_2018.07.14_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Canary-shouldered Thorn, Ennomos alniaria. From my light trap in Crowborough, 13 July 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1395" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilluhwA0oSXzt275dWN-o-novN1Pcn7jBpbj2XK99GmxflaAW3C3bWGnQ5xWKkVyMdIeO2RxYOHzz0vokS1fqRLRjWFRpwMvrYSWsfFIBbBO3ZwO0QtcB32aot_kKraKcV64e8kT9qNfYl/s640/moth_thorn_canaryshouldered_2018.07.14_b.jpg" title="Canary-shouldered Thorn, Ennomos alniaria. From my light trap in Crowborough, 13 July 2018." width="594" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canary-shouldered Thorn, Ennomos alniaria. From my light trap in Crowborough, 13 July 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'll do something non-mothy next time.Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-66450112436430619142018-07-07T05:30:00.000+01:002018-07-07T05:30:04.544+01:00Country Park Butterflies<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEqk1PhI53RKbEN6MTncsqcOZfAs6RU1x3ss2OBFTJ-iKYBLB-bOkDqtjEi5vuJv7Yf3B_GuEsJguebHwdjC3L1C5ZB5p9sbOM4Q31uL-tE6heuHBieDiAvXWh-6Fu5snq2HuHF9KEfda/s1600/butterfly_gatekeeper_2018.07.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Gatekeeper, Pyronia tithonus. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="1300" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEqk1PhI53RKbEN6MTncsqcOZfAs6RU1x3ss2OBFTJ-iKYBLB-bOkDqtjEi5vuJv7Yf3B_GuEsJguebHwdjC3L1C5ZB5p9sbOM4Q31uL-tE6heuHBieDiAvXWh-6Fu5snq2HuHF9KEfda/s640/butterfly_gatekeeper_2018.07.06.jpg" title="Gatekeeper, Pyronia tithonus. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gatekeeper, Pyronia tithonus. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Crowborough Country Park is a small but scenic area managed by our local ranger. It was a clay quarry as recently as 1980, and has since been improved as an amenity and nature reserve. I walked round today and saw many butterflies. We have had two weeks of hot dry weather, and yesterday a thunderstorm gave everything a thorough wetting. The sun's back today and the butterflies love it.<br />
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The top photo is the first Gatekeeper I have seen this year. It was in a pleasant glade.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Vj1MM5wozYIexKSChYjHG0iLCfDeoUmwBEdzN05CF_PDx1ThNjF73BWou1vQadxD4LkLBauLvXVVa242SqP6tWU2qZgdJ4Le4gyRC3rkClMxL-o7D5QPIWYgyx-kUMSsOOlBwBuj9MZx/s1600/butterfly_blue_holly_2018.07.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Holly Blue, Celastrina argiolus. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018." border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="750" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Vj1MM5wozYIexKSChYjHG0iLCfDeoUmwBEdzN05CF_PDx1ThNjF73BWou1vQadxD4LkLBauLvXVVa242SqP6tWU2qZgdJ4Le4gyRC3rkClMxL-o7D5QPIWYgyx-kUMSsOOlBwBuj9MZx/s640/butterfly_blue_holly_2018.07.06.jpg" title="Holly Blue, Celastrina argiolus. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holly Blue, Celastrina argiolus. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018.</td></tr>
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On the way up to the glade I saw this Holly Blue on the path. I had to follow it round to get this photo. That is true of almost all my butterfly photos and all the day-flying moth shots, too.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9juAxIT8P2Pb-VwJFtk4LCQduD62UrMck5q0P8c1d87qAA_bpWW7krnMFvkp9vR6x0iSXnHTlMJRkYqu7IjjOHhKD2Dh_LX0VJ6H_u4gNGfRQRZ6qSfQgXjvrm-KCCeT0NdELv3kUM1X/s1600/butterfly_wood_speckled_2018.07.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Speckled Wood, Pararge aegeria. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018." border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1000" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9juAxIT8P2Pb-VwJFtk4LCQduD62UrMck5q0P8c1d87qAA_bpWW7krnMFvkp9vR6x0iSXnHTlMJRkYqu7IjjOHhKD2Dh_LX0VJ6H_u4gNGfRQRZ6qSfQgXjvrm-KCCeT0NdELv3kUM1X/s640/butterfly_wood_speckled_2018.07.06.jpg" title="Speckled Wood, Pararge aegeria. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Speckled Wood, Pararge aegeria. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018.</td></tr>
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The glade was being shared by Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Speckled Woods like this one, Gatekeepers like the one at the top, some white butterflies - some definitely Large Whites, some might have been Small Whites but they didn't stop near enough for me to tell. And this big orange beauty feeding on a Marsh Thistle:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6A9auiJIeblhe_HX8u5v_TyRSYSxwgsjtRM2y6_XkfnRlerS7hnwR0jzp3xbP4MMyn7XAZIxUzfQiC7QOv9lmF1BLQDPb2le1x7-J-5gHKd2spkBgoL-68WoQmh7ECgT_fvKaXPDjKnXw/s1600/butterfly_fritillary_silverwashed_2018.07.06_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis paphia. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018." border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1000" height="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6A9auiJIeblhe_HX8u5v_TyRSYSxwgsjtRM2y6_XkfnRlerS7hnwR0jzp3xbP4MMyn7XAZIxUzfQiC7QOv9lmF1BLQDPb2le1x7-J-5gHKd2spkBgoL-68WoQmh7ECgT_fvKaXPDjKnXw/s640/butterfly_fritillary_silverwashed_2018.07.06_a.jpg" title="Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis paphia. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis paphia. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018.</td></tr>
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A male Silver-washed Fritillary. It was keeping high and I could not get really close, but this photo shows it nicely. These Fritillaries are not really rare, their population is fairly stable, but they are still marked as of some concern, so it's good to see them. <br />
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Also in the glade was a small moth, a Straw Grass-veneer:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmrzc5ByrpacmQkiNCRR1fD8_A0MOMD9SqoQS2ZsKSvBjcEWRDChGcaduVmSNzG19wDt88B-ZCkOhcOBqMgHNPorWfzqdLH9jvUltsg7W7CaYl2cmYR4s2EXF5VtTIVE0-Dqq4TXfDeKN/s1600/moth_grassveneer_straw_2018.07.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Straw Grass-veneer, Agriphila straminella. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018." border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="1100" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmrzc5ByrpacmQkiNCRR1fD8_A0MOMD9SqoQS2ZsKSvBjcEWRDChGcaduVmSNzG19wDt88B-ZCkOhcOBqMgHNPorWfzqdLH9jvUltsg7W7CaYl2cmYR4s2EXF5VtTIVE0-Dqq4TXfDeKN/s640/moth_grassveneer_straw_2018.07.06.jpg" title="Straw Grass-veneer, Agriphila straminella. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Straw Grass-veneer, Agriphila straminella. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018.</td></tr>
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Properly called Agriphila straminella. This and other similar moths do not fly by day by choice, but they are very easily disturbed and they fly around to look for another resting-place.<br />
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On my way out I passed one of the park's ponds and photographed this Large Red Damselfly:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPo9jjruBTv2PUw5TRMzugYRHbgjf2OsrofpXs4suxlaRLdXTVlez3CDWoKRy-1ja4FrD6j3rvXxxnaBLZ-QgBKALz5-e-sU0xZXrQunjwOoHXN_RICeU3n7kR13DEJNUn-PxNj9M6iSN/s1600/damselfly_red_large_2018.07.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Large Red Damselfly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1033" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPo9jjruBTv2PUw5TRMzugYRHbgjf2OsrofpXs4suxlaRLdXTVlez3CDWoKRy-1ja4FrD6j3rvXxxnaBLZ-QgBKALz5-e-sU0xZXrQunjwOoHXN_RICeU3n7kR13DEJNUn-PxNj9M6iSN/s640/damselfly_red_large_2018.07.06.jpg" title="Large Red Damselfly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018." width="550" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large Red Damselfly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula. Crowborough Country Park, 6 July 2018.</td></tr>
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There were no dragonflies there at that time, but I had seen one earlier and I was told there were nymphs in the pond, so I'll probably see more later.<br />
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<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-41536814446087363312018-06-27T05:30:00.000+01:002018-06-27T05:30:05.816+01:00A Boxful<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH72quSp4TQ_HDe81gGUnXwA9AhXiJjkmn5bJlIx2QgGRrTzZ1TkSuSkBslUCnybkt9n8tMQaueKLGp_YHBqUXyVnGv6E1g4Ezen0oEhY97CXP81gOQnT4fYTC4dS8r7IhTLcdIy7hQFqC/s1600/moth_boxful_2018.06.25_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Moths from a garden light trap in an egg box. 25 June 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH72quSp4TQ_HDe81gGUnXwA9AhXiJjkmn5bJlIx2QgGRrTzZ1TkSuSkBslUCnybkt9n8tMQaueKLGp_YHBqUXyVnGv6E1g4Ezen0oEhY97CXP81gOQnT4fYTC4dS8r7IhTLcdIy7hQFqC/s640/moth_boxful_2018.06.25_b.jpg" title="Moths from a garden light trap in an egg box. 25 June 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moths from a garden light trap in an egg box. 25 June 2018.</td></tr>
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When I have counted and photographed moths from my garden light trap, I tap as many as I can into one or two of these small egg boxes and then tap them out over concealing plant life. If I am not careful, blackbirds scour the fence and the ground and pick off what they can. In fact I have to get out just as it gets light or the blackbirds beat me to it.<br />
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Some species will fly off when tapped or persuaded out of their resting place, but many more don't seem to have the energy. This selection includes 8 Noctuidae, 5 Geometridae, 2 Erebidae and one Sphingidae. That relates to the numbers in the trap as well as their normal energy levels. Noctuidae tend to just sit there, and sometimes lie on their backs. Sphingidae hang on grimly but will fly if they can warm up. Many Geometridae are quite frisky, and some usually escape before they can be counted.Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-83025273819500431502018-06-25T05:30:00.000+01:002018-06-25T05:30:08.959+01:00To continue ...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyVBUYtlDNWRpq-iw95vCVMQv-XRc2YncefGjN4LFHcr24rXDGoNYNloka40-OIzZSYgbPuGvFJxZpq7q1GK4dRdfyCDKyy9Q5xrVTsErI7qRswdZnS7qhPeg2LlgE8wbQeJuudF9TEEo/s1600/moth_swallowtailed_2018.06.23_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Swallow-tailed Moth, Ourapteryx sambucaria. In my garden light trap set on 22 June 2018" border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="1500" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyVBUYtlDNWRpq-iw95vCVMQv-XRc2YncefGjN4LFHcr24rXDGoNYNloka40-OIzZSYgbPuGvFJxZpq7q1GK4dRdfyCDKyy9Q5xrVTsErI7qRswdZnS7qhPeg2LlgE8wbQeJuudF9TEEo/s640/moth_swallowtailed_2018.06.23_b.jpg" title="Swallow-tailed Moth, Ourapteryx sambucaria. In my garden light trap set on 22 June 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swallow-tailed Moth, Ourapteryx sambucaria. In my garden light trap set on 22 June 2018</td></tr>
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Nearly two months since my last post! I keep getting material together and thinking it's not yet complete enough. That isn't working, so I'll just post ... some stuff. Starting with moths.<br />
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This is a Swallow-tailed Moth, one of our larger and prettier species. Above it's on my finger. Here it's on my garden fence:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvB7QabgdDbqJdfMM3M0hI3a3UzNaOY-wq5dgn2BsJv59Bx1enwAuaJQTJ3jqBMpHT-OJGgQHHYiO4ZQ3OKtojtFZfITtKbnH_TYXW_ONt-AKeZQOlpkNF8ig0f5PX0FrZmpEFEEL2_ly/s1600/moth_swallowtailed_2018.06.23_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Swallow-tailed Moth, Ourapteryx sambucaria. In my garden light trap set on 22 June 2018" border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1500" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvB7QabgdDbqJdfMM3M0hI3a3UzNaOY-wq5dgn2BsJv59Bx1enwAuaJQTJ3jqBMpHT-OJGgQHHYiO4ZQ3OKtojtFZfITtKbnH_TYXW_ONt-AKeZQOlpkNF8ig0f5PX0FrZmpEFEEL2_ly/s640/moth_swallowtailed_2018.06.23_a.jpg" title="Swallow-tailed Moth, Ourapteryx sambucaria. In my garden light trap set on 22 June 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swallow-tailed Moth, Ourapteryx sambucaria. In my garden light trap set on 22 June 2018</td></tr>
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I've been running my garden trap three times a week in the warm weather, and seeing some interesting moths, including several I have not seen before. For example:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5XbgnY1j5r86gmLrWFsuYSmv2OZaCGJBp2585Bo_vOtpecG69_yAe3Fz8tEzNeRMd3DJTokbBRb54sHZc0o6dWiF7LV5ACwuUWb9TrgbAuhJ9z_C7OuZ2upoJ2tFDpgvHO68iwkrBENJ/s1600/moth_white_bordered_2018.06.21_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bordered White, Bupalus piniaria. On the fence near my garden light trap set on 20 June 2018" border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1500" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5XbgnY1j5r86gmLrWFsuYSmv2OZaCGJBp2585Bo_vOtpecG69_yAe3Fz8tEzNeRMd3DJTokbBRb54sHZc0o6dWiF7LV5ACwuUWb9TrgbAuhJ9z_C7OuZ2upoJ2tFDpgvHO68iwkrBENJ/s640/moth_white_bordered_2018.06.21_a.jpg" title="Bordered White, Bupalus piniaria. On the fence near my garden light trap set on 20 June 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bordered White, Bupalus piniaria. On the fence near my garden light trap set on 20 June 2018</td></tr>
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A Bordered White, which would not open its wings while at rest, rather like a butterfly in that respect. There have also been a few with plush upholstery, like this Purple Clay:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0tE-mypPDgYlAfG2J13YowhNRh8KTBrV3uo3xZVkXn9k1xheILr9c1ldB2INwRT3Jk2iltZ4WGUQspAKBG33J7sH-KOlBfiZXaQkdEC9tqZ04X_YbqQQbZEk0r5cSftYVeMoM-sXpxZi/s1600/moth_clay_purple_2018.06.21_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Purple Clay, Diarsia brunnea. In my garden light trap set on 20 June 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1461" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0tE-mypPDgYlAfG2J13YowhNRh8KTBrV3uo3xZVkXn9k1xheILr9c1ldB2INwRT3Jk2iltZ4WGUQspAKBG33J7sH-KOlBfiZXaQkdEC9tqZ04X_YbqQQbZEk0r5cSftYVeMoM-sXpxZi/s640/moth_clay_purple_2018.06.21_a.jpg" title="Purple Clay, Diarsia brunnea. In my garden light trap set on 20 June 2018." width="622" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Clay, Diarsia brunnea. In my garden light trap set on 20 June 2018.</td></tr>
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And this Rustic Shoulder-knot.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp1SW1B3S3G4rkbk3Wbchfehged3W4RuLJsi410zocxZJDviVoYYs17JjesrPMqSvbbzupfDpFIIoRXsFcMu-HUE6_KU_Z5FBlyqoWlctI6ie7D0RACpCvBxJOZ0HVJQGhkIuYnL3pqrQ/s1600/moth_shoulderknot_rustic_2018.06.13_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rustic Shoulder-knot, Apamea sordens. In my garden light trap set on 12 June 2018" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1167" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp1SW1B3S3G4rkbk3Wbchfehged3W4RuLJsi410zocxZJDviVoYYs17JjesrPMqSvbbzupfDpFIIoRXsFcMu-HUE6_KU_Z5FBlyqoWlctI6ie7D0RACpCvBxJOZ0HVJQGhkIuYnL3pqrQ/s640/moth_shoulderknot_rustic_2018.06.13_a.jpg" title="Rustic Shoulder-knot, Apamea sordens. In my garden light trap set on 12 June 2018" width="496" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rustic Shoulder-knot, Apamea sordens. In my garden light trap set on 12 June 2018</td></tr>
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Moths got the name "shoulder-knot" for those dark streaks beside the shoulder fur. Knots they are not, but "shoulder" is reasonably accurate.<br />
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So, this is not a very well organised post, but at least it is one.Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-22960521350691229742018-04-30T05:30:00.000+01:002018-04-30T05:30:26.389+01:00Eridge Rocks<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1djvyDSntgHM7TuyXTg9kFSUrfp05_lIwgjQ7FSR_l25If4mBJdfQx_BufW6JMg1RayBI-SPEAj4VCxaqsdmtG7WtiNzUNAE2GHPYwMD3fWRxINZMiAHhyP3AI9dhTy5orVg3EpMXPiv/s1600/view_rocks_eridge_2018.04.26_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018" border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1293" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1djvyDSntgHM7TuyXTg9kFSUrfp05_lIwgjQ7FSR_l25If4mBJdfQx_BufW6JMg1RayBI-SPEAj4VCxaqsdmtG7WtiNzUNAE2GHPYwMD3fWRxINZMiAHhyP3AI9dhTy5orVg3EpMXPiv/s640/view_rocks_eridge_2018.04.26_03.jpg" title="Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018</td></tr>
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This part of the High Weald has quite a few sandstone cliffs and outcrops, something we did not have in the Hayes area where I used to live. That area was mostly on chalk or gravel. Eridge Rocks consists of about 600 metres of what you see here, a small but impressive cliff. You can walk out along the bottom, where these photos were taken from, and back along the top. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoGfaJ4ImPCsgYrRevpjXdt_y41UHdxkLqY7XV92Hpk0ebIOyS2WSlpIyLWykZnXY6Uj71d5y0giyRCENQu_6wjj1jNy1DFlQR3aIzd2Dq3mLhpcMzBRJAQTdEzebVe5U4BtlaZF9Dsdb/s1600/view_rocks_eridge_2018.04.26_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018" border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="1300" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoGfaJ4ImPCsgYrRevpjXdt_y41UHdxkLqY7XV92Hpk0ebIOyS2WSlpIyLWykZnXY6Uj71d5y0giyRCENQu_6wjj1jNy1DFlQR3aIzd2Dq3mLhpcMzBRJAQTdEzebVe5U4BtlaZF9Dsdb/s640/view_rocks_eridge_2018.04.26_02.jpg" title="Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today, the Sussex Wildlife Trust led a walk along the rocks and through the woodland they sit in. It's a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest for the mosses, liverworts, ferns and lichens that grow on the rocks. Climbers come here too, and you can see their chalk on some of the drier rocks.<br />
<br />
I expect it counts as a cheat if you go up that dead tree.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjiwZ-WTZzr0ofomo1eKTNOJkiMLa7EWZ8QThyphenhyphenZkS8-yG3tT1jhm4eNE83RyKP8wvzYVViy6SSO_strry7EepY8Io3aUxOU4zZVc8HcYt2crDTqbilg5_ewth_Azshgo9nnaWLdZx56js/s1600/view_rocks_eridge_2018.04.26_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Eridge Rocks, showing the erosion patterns. 26 April 2018" border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="975" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjiwZ-WTZzr0ofomo1eKTNOJkiMLa7EWZ8QThyphenhyphenZkS8-yG3tT1jhm4eNE83RyKP8wvzYVViy6SSO_strry7EepY8Io3aUxOU4zZVc8HcYt2crDTqbilg5_ewth_Azshgo9nnaWLdZx56js/s640/view_rocks_eridge_2018.04.26_01.jpg" title="Eridge Rocks, showing the erosion patterns. 26 April 2018" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eridge Rocks, showing the erosion patterns. 26 April 2018</td></tr>
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Erosion has produced cracks in two directions, and a lot of unusual honeycomb patterns on the surface. <br />
<br />
The Victorians loved this place and apparently were known to have dined out here in luxury at least once. The people who care for the rocks have had to remove a lot of Rhododendron (the Victorians loved Rhododendrons) and now they try to keep the damper rock faces in dappled shade. This lets the mosses, etc get some light without being shaded out or burnt dry. <br />
<br />
The surrounding woods are full of bluebells.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8FE8Hzk_DapTyq0vVyeiPqQk_4G0izCPOlzMdJBDHQ-4IDH5p3d2TuAcFqccCRhaO7rOTgxB5_g43XgHrtNvikMjSAfsmmuxA6jXAjVkTYkGDuB3o4S1YNtYPmnOsgNAGcR5kHazeWZ0/s1600/view_woods_eridge_2018.04.26_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Woods by Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8FE8Hzk_DapTyq0vVyeiPqQk_4G0izCPOlzMdJBDHQ-4IDH5p3d2TuAcFqccCRhaO7rOTgxB5_g43XgHrtNvikMjSAfsmmuxA6jXAjVkTYkGDuB3o4S1YNtYPmnOsgNAGcR5kHazeWZ0/s640/view_woods_eridge_2018.04.26_01.jpg" title="Woods by Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woods by Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018.</td></tr>
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Not quite fully out yet, but nearly. I saw a number of other ancient woodland indicator plants too, such as Redcurrant and<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUCEsdaZARib2te0e_dXmyxG5e5rjrXbMwo7svvoINj4s7anYkF2EItvlDwYIrpEFmM5TXg3G-WD_zGZgXEraW2f-tGwtzy852tnpDRlMh0Z8O7K1IH60X6trrtjU0hGP0qCAhWlmS3qR/s1600/pimpernel_yellow_2018.04.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Yellow Pimpernel, Lysimachia nemorum. Woods near Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1300" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUCEsdaZARib2te0e_dXmyxG5e5rjrXbMwo7svvoINj4s7anYkF2EItvlDwYIrpEFmM5TXg3G-WD_zGZgXEraW2f-tGwtzy852tnpDRlMh0Z8O7K1IH60X6trrtjU0hGP0qCAhWlmS3qR/s640/pimpernel_yellow_2018.04.26.jpg" title="Yellow Pimpernel, Lysimachia nemorum. Woods near Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Pimpernel, Lysimachia nemorum. Woods near Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018.</td></tr>
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Yellow Pimpernel, which likes to grow beside paths.<br />
<br />
We saw quite a few beeflies, some hoverflies, bumble bees and a couple of butterflies. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0s0-nfMpzBbGCsbsgq6II5OlQZ76w5jVbSZ6zDiNlBOJeWivm078pgjwfU0nXRKiPjeENRkFMgTOSY1v9QKs0h_pVZOUsN_LXX0jGY0UvaM8y7qGmlu1_Gd2902yyzS2Vwn8YxrmMBwUv/s1600/beefly_2018.04.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Beefly, Bombylius major. Woods near Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1000" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0s0-nfMpzBbGCsbsgq6II5OlQZ76w5jVbSZ6zDiNlBOJeWivm078pgjwfU0nXRKiPjeENRkFMgTOSY1v9QKs0h_pVZOUsN_LXX0jGY0UvaM8y7qGmlu1_Gd2902yyzS2Vwn8YxrmMBwUv/s640/beefly_2018.04.26.jpg" title="Beefly, Bombylius major. Woods near Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beefly, Bombylius major. Woods near Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Interesting woods - I'll be back.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFsdOjxsUS4y7zgQXAbjnGibjUgrtBipc-prrRVRN5sVoRxZITGulfXSnfVfd9ZgtHJYYPTleMAs1VcSyRCHPKvWuzwXSU96_TAU0E7sScwQbzb2RHHr7RJzrmphlLa9wIYvApRKU_E1X/s1600/view_woods_eridge_2018.04.26_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Woods by Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="994" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFsdOjxsUS4y7zgQXAbjnGibjUgrtBipc-prrRVRN5sVoRxZITGulfXSnfVfd9ZgtHJYYPTleMAs1VcSyRCHPKvWuzwXSU96_TAU0E7sScwQbzb2RHHr7RJzrmphlLa9wIYvApRKU_E1X/s640/view_woods_eridge_2018.04.26_02.jpg" title="Woods by Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018." width="488" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woods by Eridge Rocks, 26 April 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-41114309155000690832018-04-26T05:30:00.000+01:002018-04-26T05:31:01.398+01:00Another Thorn!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXraF0TnCHkRT9jjk_EHYbi3ix9EfXRKwOJlFYjvkELXsazv5t4qffVUJiNOuOo-E6q0LCJJI0PdU311fRb5xMD75euKckFxVZ_DJxnLB-HQqhuUPklsXmpIh5bamI3NZXyVYl5JpeqLhN/s1600/moth_thorn_purple_2018.04.21_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Purple Thorn, Selenia tetralunaria. In my garden light trap on 21 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1215" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXraF0TnCHkRT9jjk_EHYbi3ix9EfXRKwOJlFYjvkELXsazv5t4qffVUJiNOuOo-E6q0LCJJI0PdU311fRb5xMD75euKckFxVZ_DJxnLB-HQqhuUPklsXmpIh5bamI3NZXyVYl5JpeqLhN/s640/moth_thorn_purple_2018.04.21_b.jpg" title="Purple Thorn, Selenia tetralunaria. In my garden light trap on 21 April 2018." width="598" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Thorn, Selenia tetralunaria. In my garden light trap on 21 April 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thorns are my choice for the UK's most dramatically beautiful moths. This one was in my light trap, but flew out and landed on my fence while I was looking in.<br />
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I have had a few colourful species recently - about time, after such a slow start to the year. Here's a Pine Beauty:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaeSa2H2mMZEPofXZoaftfguv9nzyjPPbyF5DAs9lHgM027ADhDZhDrglvKcCV0Stby2hMSFv7OBFWysAQyHuWVHoe3_nem61pgmUJju7KIZObjHyhkzTYbXFcGIPNLHHhM8CSVW1FVWN/s1600/moth_beauty_pine_2018.04.21_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pine Beauty, Panolis flammea. In my garden light trap on 21 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1177" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaeSa2H2mMZEPofXZoaftfguv9nzyjPPbyF5DAs9lHgM027ADhDZhDrglvKcCV0Stby2hMSFv7OBFWysAQyHuWVHoe3_nem61pgmUJju7KIZObjHyhkzTYbXFcGIPNLHHhM8CSVW1FVWN/s640/moth_beauty_pine_2018.04.21_a.jpg" title="Pine Beauty, Panolis flammea. In my garden light trap on 21 April 2018." width="578" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pine Beauty, Panolis flammea. In my garden light trap on 21 April 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's the first time I have seen one. But I knew it as soon as I saw it. It's unmistakeable.<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_686719469"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHvaX9FyqnDjqNvSre7koIw9mZlG0ljtetFfObxufpwg_ziLxYMoC8C5zKwkVHKEyI3LMF0jbE27QAr3N_uM-Ixwva0ryruHv5gCyiZDE0hX103IKfk04wZROim-z7qAoVajRPJ5_pRRN/s1600/moth_herald_2018.04.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Herald, Scoliopteryx libatrix. In my garden light trap on 21 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1266" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHvaX9FyqnDjqNvSre7koIw9mZlG0ljtetFfObxufpwg_ziLxYMoC8C5zKwkVHKEyI3LMF0jbE27QAr3N_uM-Ixwva0ryruHv5gCyiZDE0hX103IKfk04wZROim-z7qAoVajRPJ5_pRRN/s640/moth_herald_2018.04.21.jpg" title="Herald, Scoliopteryx libatrix. In my garden light trap on 21 April 2018." width="622" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herald, Scoliopteryx libatrix. In my garden light trap on 21 April 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span id="goog_686719470"></span>This Herals is an old favourite. It's one of those moths that hibernates in garages and outbuildings. There were two in my trap this time.<br />
<br />
Finally ...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglafmTKMgk7VIkAES8otRSYySzXewzvKE3cVTe_IbWQOtUlJ_VoGQqWah_f3EVdjmj57vw7eRomGKhvvlBiNtM4aRqJdOVgFmWN8dwRZunqw7IlS_iGpKppLMssMLw6CtEsEvg5NHF6l9B/s1600/moth_thorn_early_2018.04.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria. In my garden light trap on 21 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="1300" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglafmTKMgk7VIkAES8otRSYySzXewzvKE3cVTe_IbWQOtUlJ_VoGQqWah_f3EVdjmj57vw7eRomGKhvvlBiNtM4aRqJdOVgFmWN8dwRZunqw7IlS_iGpKppLMssMLw6CtEsEvg5NHF6l9B/s640/moth_thorn_early_2018.04.21.jpg" title="Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria. In my garden light trap on 21 April 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria. In my garden light trap on 21 April 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
An Early Thorn, more brightly coloured than the one I showed in March. I'll stop repeating Thorns now.<br />
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Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-4205520459209348112018-04-04T05:30:00.000+01:002018-04-04T05:30:03.973+01:00Walshes Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMKaFgF38gsw5epnkM7OmHGxTSkVr3na-MVhpZ8Pupb_Nj-MJhY8CU36TjtXOppF2Ujet2kx3BNlHRfbAALPrHNfjMbXfh1S-2fqhgcvaZdMTJGiDOa1-s9Cfb37YVdCi8iCVDA8prUtq/s1600/view_walshes_2018.04.02_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Alder Brook, Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1300" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMKaFgF38gsw5epnkM7OmHGxTSkVr3na-MVhpZ8Pupb_Nj-MJhY8CU36TjtXOppF2Ujet2kx3BNlHRfbAALPrHNfjMbXfh1S-2fqhgcvaZdMTJGiDOa1-s9Cfb37YVdCi8iCVDA8prUtq/s640/view_walshes_2018.04.02_03.jpg" title="Alder Brook, Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alder Brook, Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018.</td></tr>
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Walshes Park in Crowborough is almost a secret. A huge, empty secret. It's a new park, and it's not mentioned in the town guide booklet, and although it's easy to find a map on line you can spend some time looking for any information about how to get in.<br />
<br />
I found a passing mention of a small car park eventually. This car park is very small, with room for 3 or perhaps 4 cars. Walshes Park itself is large and open, a shallow dome on a south-facing clay slope, crossed by a footpath and a few mature hedge lines. Paths have been laid out around it, and some of those have been gravelled. A stream, the Alder Brook, runs along one edge. <br />
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There are plans to open up the river bank and increase access. That seems to be why some mature alders have been felled, though no thought seems to have been given to preserving the local ecology. Once I knew what to look for it was easy to find some information ... <a href="https://crowboroughlife.com/trees-felled-walshes-park-20650/" target="_blank">Trees Felled at Alderbrook</a>. The photo above shows where those alders used to grow.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rJ_y4U_udDL8WyBZaem-YE6uoIvzBSklc6xWraIdSVl6OtLvf6A3wJK042cHZ2PzSIbszTtDtQSnoFicmy65K3FhZq4cllHFKDxcJwcd2e4Y5g53BbStDWXPnrEi9n3DTpna2bC-7db1/s1600/view_walshes_2018.04.02_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Alder Brook, Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="975" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rJ_y4U_udDL8WyBZaem-YE6uoIvzBSklc6xWraIdSVl6OtLvf6A3wJK042cHZ2PzSIbszTtDtQSnoFicmy65K3FhZq4cllHFKDxcJwcd2e4Y5g53BbStDWXPnrEi9n3DTpna2bC-7db1/s640/view_walshes_2018.04.02_02.jpg" title="Alder Brook, Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018." width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alder Brook, Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018.</td></tr>
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Here's another look at the brook.<br />
<br />
Anyway .. I went for a look round. The weather was wet, lots of rain recently. It was raining when I took these photos.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbVDtUu0y9cLnSZs3PCrCa1Kfu6aEYSGmR9XIBozeYw1RI_XoK3HsmdN_GOm1eKFPQ7NAqGNHmelDBpsCZ4AckFaiP9uycV1Mvw1KHDtqAcxuXkxHcR9tS8ddXFWfYHbGnC2kn8X-ODW0/s1600/view_walshes_2018.04.02_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Gravelled path in Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbVDtUu0y9cLnSZs3PCrCa1Kfu6aEYSGmR9XIBozeYw1RI_XoK3HsmdN_GOm1eKFPQ7NAqGNHmelDBpsCZ4AckFaiP9uycV1Mvw1KHDtqAcxuXkxHcR9tS8ddXFWfYHbGnC2kn8X-ODW0/s640/view_walshes_2018.04.02_01.jpg" title="Gravelled path in Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018." width="550" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gravelled path in Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018.</td></tr>
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Some of the gravel paths are going to need regular maintenance. The general feeling is of open ground, but when it's dryer I will have a look at some of the wooded land around the edges. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile .. at the moment it is really wet ...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9CgCTI-cmLWrVZP-7SLQU08yMNm4ac2SH0INH-GrYagfAdvyfwUXDH_RbjDtAcGAQZb0VXPMGpLYe-jlrnnz5DIUtpyE0K9wFu8X5cSukIGeIl2fdV7VlvibqmuD8w04g1OtuwMvWQsi/s1600/view_walshes_2018.04.02_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A rushy slope in Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1300" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9CgCTI-cmLWrVZP-7SLQU08yMNm4ac2SH0INH-GrYagfAdvyfwUXDH_RbjDtAcGAQZb0VXPMGpLYe-jlrnnz5DIUtpyE0K9wFu8X5cSukIGeIl2fdV7VlvibqmuD8w04g1OtuwMvWQsi/s640/view_walshes_2018.04.02_04.jpg" title="A rushy slope in Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rushy slope in Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rushes don't grow in such profusion if the ground is not always moist.<br />
<br />
Quite a bit of preparation has been done.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir36h7N5-6q10qkQ-VVSI9Oi5FgGAMFjZRoj63fr-uB-uP7HevaEpwoNT8mw0o-ss56DeeqQqwlU_ofa5ith643EvWmoUyKkB6MmZo2E7FIlBklfiOlL9d0RfvaWGsLBOOjHDeenflmzC8/s1600/view_walshes_2018.04.02_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A laid hedge in Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018." border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1300" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir36h7N5-6q10qkQ-VVSI9Oi5FgGAMFjZRoj63fr-uB-uP7HevaEpwoNT8mw0o-ss56DeeqQqwlU_ofa5ith643EvWmoUyKkB6MmZo2E7FIlBklfiOlL9d0RfvaWGsLBOOjHDeenflmzC8/s640/view_walshes_2018.04.02_05.jpg" title="A laid hedge in Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A laid hedge in Walshes Park, Crowborough, 2 April 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I saw more than one carefully laid hedge - this is where thorn bushes have all had had a cut made in their trunks and been bent over, and the stems and branches woven into a lattice of uprights. It grows into a thick impenetrable hedgerow. It's not clear to me what this is intended to achieve in this park, unless some grazing is planned for the future. It takes some time and expertise to make these hedges well.<br />
<br />
I'll be back to see how this changes with the seasons.<br />
<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-29473793497417217102018-03-31T05:30:00.000+01:002018-03-31T19:53:35.338+01:00Sevenoaks Moths for March<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2EYeS7AUFq7t8XNs3T-CKiL14iy5BqD6brvFIE1lCZ4fN3WCLwwFeCwv0sWY7zspmntfmyjejmmG5yz0aNZeHYnb0nDBqbMjYWOA6NARPhuCDFaSLi7creqzHyQZ1uD3RvtK9DIdSWBE/s1600/moth_beauty_oak_2018.03.24_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Oak Beauty, Biston strataria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="1300" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2EYeS7AUFq7t8XNs3T-CKiL14iy5BqD6brvFIE1lCZ4fN3WCLwwFeCwv0sWY7zspmntfmyjejmmG5yz0aNZeHYnb0nDBqbMjYWOA6NARPhuCDFaSLi7creqzHyQZ1uD3RvtK9DIdSWBE/s640/moth_beauty_oak_2018.03.24_a.jpg" title="Oak Beauty, Biston strataria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oak Beauty, Biston strataria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once a month (usually) I go to Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve to unpack a moth trap that has been set out behind the visitor centre the evening before. (These traps are harmless and the moths and any other visitors are all released.)<br />
<br />
Here are some from the March catch that are all different from those I have had so far in Crowborough. First, an Oak Beauty, one of the prettier early moths.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUTUZRN8gjSn2DFHNCYoOXvK2wGBG2eM3BF8qvgTfoqNOJ5aG5Bo8RArPD5pTBC8f2BnhA-_RkGapsBkSlB2SbfAy_Zw6vfgAss1y4zQ4CGzQq8Yagk5XrHcYx9GVXMuNKp82s5d9Y9dF/s1600/moth_thorn_early_2018.03.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1300" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUTUZRN8gjSn2DFHNCYoOXvK2wGBG2eM3BF8qvgTfoqNOJ5aG5Bo8RArPD5pTBC8f2BnhA-_RkGapsBkSlB2SbfAy_Zw6vfgAss1y4zQ4CGzQq8Yagk5XrHcYx9GVXMuNKp82s5d9Y9dF/s640/moth_thorn_early_2018.03.24.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
An Early Thorn. Thorns are my favourite moths for looks. This species sits with its wings clasped above its body, like a butterfly.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KDnzXi6NZnzNNRFbI8FRjGtdPE2tzZE8wpUovevXP12bOk6vlU4rgTGELeU2ECUiGLjU9QcJ4rbRzPxkHv4K3fufRjUVIDI0t4dISGgi9g-KX57jnM7i3oGk00Y0394uXM2bMQcsnH8n/s1600/moth_horned_yellow_2018.03.24_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Yellow Horned, Achlya flavicornis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018." border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1300" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KDnzXi6NZnzNNRFbI8FRjGtdPE2tzZE8wpUovevXP12bOk6vlU4rgTGELeU2ECUiGLjU9QcJ4rbRzPxkHv4K3fufRjUVIDI0t4dISGgi9g-KX57jnM7i3oGk00Y0394uXM2bMQcsnH8n/s640/moth_horned_yellow_2018.03.24_b.jpg" title="Yellow Horned, Achlya flavicornis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Horned, Achlya flavicornis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
These are Yellow Horned. They look only faintly yellow to the naked eye, and not really very horned, but enough of both for a good name to be found. The one on the left is only showing its underwings because it has been disturbed.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRREPVpQajRoPtuPY0jj4cUnCqd62Op76kXyA-CVjZts6QHCLjgYckI28t7fId3kFFTYiWoFLt-2IwQL9GP_J1yAM7GvyV9txkz18vwxD1l4Mq5cRl0dnuhz0SsPivwQL-juw90niB7Cu/s1600/moth_quaker_twinspotted_2018.03.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Twin-spotted Quaker, Anorthoa munda. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="805" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRREPVpQajRoPtuPY0jj4cUnCqd62Op76kXyA-CVjZts6QHCLjgYckI28t7fId3kFFTYiWoFLt-2IwQL9GP_J1yAM7GvyV9txkz18vwxD1l4Mq5cRl0dnuhz0SsPivwQL-juw90niB7Cu/s640/moth_quaker_twinspotted_2018.03.24.jpg" title="Twin-spotted Quaker, Anorthoa munda. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018." width="396" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twin-spotted Quaker, Anorthoa munda. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A Twin-spotted Quaker. This moth is common in areas of deciduous woodland.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXI9IDsI9dgtNotOFtAYifXNc3DjXKJyRTpGtU-gTitpkqUoCTi1_bn537yBoN58IrHYIrl8ie5yenrkNAZgPoTlz7vEKL5RbAr5UBh7Zy8dUF40PWMS6xuZ4Q8bd6elZGDx8xra1VeLF/s1600/moth_beauty_brindled_2018.03.24_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Brindled Beauty, Lycia hirtaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018." border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1300" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXI9IDsI9dgtNotOFtAYifXNc3DjXKJyRTpGtU-gTitpkqUoCTi1_bn537yBoN58IrHYIrl8ie5yenrkNAZgPoTlz7vEKL5RbAr5UBh7Zy8dUF40PWMS6xuZ4Q8bd6elZGDx8xra1VeLF/s640/moth_beauty_brindled_2018.03.24_b.jpg" title="Brindled Beauty, Lycia hirtaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brindled Beauty, Lycia hirtaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A Brindled Beauty, showing off its antennae like huge eyebrows.<br />
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We also had this visitor in the trap:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi157qZGB8x4n-XLYESxqxN-OVNF0gTOa7Sdwk-se2qXz1lvaEPHAKlhi4gHdagIRkUZVxdCupiq2dO9aMOmHWHalxb_hY3Q6rT4JaUoLpE5FTBJ0kB2BipND1JZBoJfc5WhSVDhbuG1aD/s1600/beetle_carabus_nemoralis_2018.03.24_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A ground beetle, Carabus nemoralis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1300" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi157qZGB8x4n-XLYESxqxN-OVNF0gTOa7Sdwk-se2qXz1lvaEPHAKlhi4gHdagIRkUZVxdCupiq2dO9aMOmHWHalxb_hY3Q6rT4JaUoLpE5FTBJ0kB2BipND1JZBoJfc5WhSVDhbuG1aD/s640/beetle_carabus_nemoralis_2018.03.24_a.jpg" title="A ground beetle, Carabus nemoralis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A ground beetle, Carabus nemoralis. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 24 March 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A large ground beetle, Carabus nemoralis. This is a carnivore, and although moths are not its normal diet (it likes slugs and worms) it will happily eat them if they come down to ground level. I am pleased to say that I did not find any half-eaten specimens or discarded wings. In my Hayes trap I often found left-over wings in the summer. That was down to the local ants, which came in through cracks in my trap. Lots of small creatures can be as dangerous as one large one.<br />
<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-35192874678237822062018-03-28T05:30:00.000+01:002018-03-28T10:32:28.025+01:00moths moths moths<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6Vo_Oqj1aPXI-L_d0g_XH1sKoxGCZct9beGvJRowNEaMJSk5ArUzxu-DA-D5HSCPUDclKoRAJqGmGALnMrWLCIHQ6rAECgYRojF0dwB2L4kfIJ4AMWIkMMamQeElxSAit3_LHOQupLoo/s1600/moth_beauty_brindled_small_2018.03.05_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Small Brindled Beauty, Apocheima hispidaria. In my light trap in Crowborough 4 March 2018." border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1300" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6Vo_Oqj1aPXI-L_d0g_XH1sKoxGCZct9beGvJRowNEaMJSk5ArUzxu-DA-D5HSCPUDclKoRAJqGmGALnMrWLCIHQ6rAECgYRojF0dwB2L4kfIJ4AMWIkMMamQeElxSAit3_LHOQupLoo/s640/moth_beauty_brindled_small_2018.03.05_b.jpg" title="Small Brindled Beauty, Apocheima hispidaria. In my light trap in Crowborough 4 March 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Brindled Beauty, Apocheima hispidaria. In my light trap in Crowborough on 4 March 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The moths are back! Here are a few that have turned up in my garden light trap in Crowborough. Some of these are moths I haven't seen before - they may well be common around here, but I haven't trapped in Crowborough at this time of year before.<br />
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This first one is a Small Brindled Beauty, one of those which are new to me. Here's another new one:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68PigNH6ytiDd8dp2ca_xU6-N192H8GSWKg_fBZxezxrFi8W8Tdq-QTnpbg_2rOcqOe5gdvNOzKvlooH24vv0iTQGKcHqI_LSyWKkri2BfnaEvHsRRdCdlfIXnh_JzumSgiWFEoAjftXK/s1600/moth_shoulderknot_grey_2018.03.11_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Grey Shoulder-knot, Lithophane ornitopus. In my light trap in Crowborough on 11 March 2018." border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="1300" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68PigNH6ytiDd8dp2ca_xU6-N192H8GSWKg_fBZxezxrFi8W8Tdq-QTnpbg_2rOcqOe5gdvNOzKvlooH24vv0iTQGKcHqI_LSyWKkri2BfnaEvHsRRdCdlfIXnh_JzumSgiWFEoAjftXK/s640/moth_shoulderknot_grey_2018.03.11_d.jpg" title="Grey Shoulder-knot, Lithophane ornitopus. In my light trap in Crowborough on 11 March 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grey Shoulder-knot, Lithophane ornitopus. In my light trap in Crowborough on 11 March 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A Grey Shoulder-knot. Moths with stripes on their shoulders like this one were called shoulder-knots. There are three others in this country, though one of them has only been seen once.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTKgCqtgoGcCShfmLLXPDgDH8QjNpfN-ghyphenhyphen_0M4ZhlkxPAMoFtq7d7Pr780q7AOlkE_fa3HV0hQhcoLQRpVwjYuLcX4MgwBDCSmxC1C10QDdjC8cRxKrnePmW2nUpNV-r2rGm3lhbrU2Y/s1600/moth_character_hebrew_2018.03.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hebrew Character, Orthosia gothica. In my light trap in Crowborough on 11 March 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="898" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTKgCqtgoGcCShfmLLXPDgDH8QjNpfN-ghyphenhyphen_0M4ZhlkxPAMoFtq7d7Pr780q7AOlkE_fa3HV0hQhcoLQRpVwjYuLcX4MgwBDCSmxC1C10QDdjC8cRxKrnePmW2nUpNV-r2rGm3lhbrU2Y/s640/moth_character_hebrew_2018.03.11.jpg" title="Hebrew Character, Orthosia gothica. In my light trap in Crowborough on 11 March 2018." width="442" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hebrew Character, Orthosia gothica. In my light trap in Crowborough on 11 March 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unlike this Hebrew Character, which is extremely common. It gets its common name from the resemblance of its marking to the Hebrew letter Nun.<br />
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Here's another common one:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNVIfsU29MC-3Ec-FX29z3-OHS_h8rLrE3mH4tcAWKR0mBxmEuV_GEVm2-NbnbhIO7gfWA-kum_RdkT7WPdL3nHtv3kOVcVZhcDSW19BdVWf9JiEo9i1X6f5T11143GKmCShMZoniZMuz/s1600/moth_quaker_common_2018.03.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi. In my light trap in Crowborough on 11 March 2018." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1191" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNVIfsU29MC-3Ec-FX29z3-OHS_h8rLrE3mH4tcAWKR0mBxmEuV_GEVm2-NbnbhIO7gfWA-kum_RdkT7WPdL3nHtv3kOVcVZhcDSW19BdVWf9JiEo9i1X6f5T11143GKmCShMZoniZMuz/s640/moth_quaker_common_2018.03.11.jpg" title="Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi. In my light trap in Crowborough on 11 March 2018." width="586" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi. In my light trap in Crowborough on 11 March 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A Common Quaker. This shows in its simplest form the typical wing markings of the family Noctuidae, usually called the oval and the kidney-mark, though I often see the kidney-mark referred to as the reniform stigma, which means exactly the same but in language which says "I am an expert, so you have to believe what I say." <br />
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The Hebrew Character above has exactly the same markings, but they are disguised by the rest of its wing pattern. You can also see them on the Grey Shoulder-knot, but again they are mixed in with the rest of the pattern.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWpvd1cEATQl39z55l_eKkLPnDl5mDjBADif_XOQH45VUUoASXxbrz0uPgQOmIyWl5JZfrJ1wVxALJoiAYAL9gj35xR8WkndHgwm_HjTuNizYm2FLlZ79XpTvx-2SDakgnovf_Is3UQKE/s1600/moth_quaker_small_2018.03.16_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Small Quaker, Orthosia cruda. In my light trap in Crowborough on 11 March 2018." border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1300" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWpvd1cEATQl39z55l_eKkLPnDl5mDjBADif_XOQH45VUUoASXxbrz0uPgQOmIyWl5JZfrJ1wVxALJoiAYAL9gj35xR8WkndHgwm_HjTuNizYm2FLlZ79XpTvx-2SDakgnovf_Is3UQKE/s640/moth_quaker_small_2018.03.16_b.jpg" title="Small Quaker, Orthosia cruda. In my light trap in Crowborough on 11 March 2018." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Quaker, Orthosia cruda. In my light trap in Crowborough on 11 March 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On this Small Quaker, you can see the kidney-mark clearly, but the oval is almost completely invisible.<br />
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These last three moths are not only in the same family, Noctuidae, but belong to the same genus, Orthosia.<br />
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<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-78423904442489066002018-03-01T05:30:00.000+00:002018-03-01T05:30:12.871+00:00Wide Angle Moorland<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZRZhS_lxgkTRLEljfuza3d1uHLwsyC9ZudH2z3D-DJ0Lg-uHB8OXlgBhO6mycj1J26WGhgDPlT-aH2ASFSE0x1C8v68qIuEjyH6kOegCecA7MDsAmVno6mEUDpcYGkKAOfIzQq7t7GCr/s1600/view_oldlodge_2018.02.22_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018" border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1300" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZRZhS_lxgkTRLEljfuza3d1uHLwsyC9ZudH2z3D-DJ0Lg-uHB8OXlgBhO6mycj1J26WGhgDPlT-aH2ASFSE0x1C8v68qIuEjyH6kOegCecA7MDsAmVno6mEUDpcYGkKAOfIzQq7t7GCr/s640/view_oldlodge_2018.02.22_03.jpg" title="Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018</td></tr>
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I walked around part of the Old Lodge nature reserve with an extra wide angle lens on my camera. It's just a cheap add-on, and not very sharp, but it gives quite atmospheric results. <br />
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This is a ridge and ditch which runs down the hill. It looks like an old border marker.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWak1z7rNBWoe1Cox6cwovj5IgLUX7Gl2q0I-N437h8yOSqhSJktKQvxVrpaeXOgUAVrVH-2TzWphH5gz3AOIPa2S0fPLJtBvaIxOM-wtmoPgVjcDKcDk0ojM56EOK8Mzm1_6IbJtMZlO/s1600/view_oldlodge_2018.02.22_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018" border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1300" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWak1z7rNBWoe1Cox6cwovj5IgLUX7Gl2q0I-N437h8yOSqhSJktKQvxVrpaeXOgUAVrVH-2TzWphH5gz3AOIPa2S0fPLJtBvaIxOM-wtmoPgVjcDKcDk0ojM56EOK8Mzm1_6IbJtMZlO/s640/view_oldlodge_2018.02.22_01.jpg" title="Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018</td></tr>
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Near the entrance, some trees were being trimmed back.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOtZz8mVtdXV4c-AbjTYwH6XrqdjZQdUws2PPdUEqF68a-obznF2DD9b_YI_S81GXeeSW0BeAg2Xx9uNxtDd73iY7_Oa_O0kl1-P5DvRBAiYPqaBsk1Ri-FqiztQltukmaroJ2EppKnAa/s1600/view_oldlodge_2018.02.22_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018" border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1300" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOtZz8mVtdXV4c-AbjTYwH6XrqdjZQdUws2PPdUEqF68a-obznF2DD9b_YI_S81GXeeSW0BeAg2Xx9uNxtDd73iY7_Oa_O0kl1-P5DvRBAiYPqaBsk1Ri-FqiztQltukmaroJ2EppKnAa/s640/view_oldlodge_2018.02.22_02.jpg" title="Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018</td></tr>
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You can find some flowers on Gorse nearly all year, though they are not abundant all the time. It puts on the best show early in the year. Back in Hayes I used to see early bumble bees taking advantage of this. It's too early yet for those, though.<br />
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Dwarf gorse is quite common on the Ashdown. It is at its most showy later in the year.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZ3ktN5jofNSV2wRcgtS-3NLPJbAx1suTlkuAcrzBffRXfinN-tz1lFSZlF-FZqJih2XSOaKayrfoGwTgrtVRgxrcbBcu3e9BiKBF4M8ds-1VTwZXnNYKw7HuugH1gFmd8W-mDYrFnw3j/s1600/view_oldlodge_2018.02.22_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018" border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1300" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZ3ktN5jofNSV2wRcgtS-3NLPJbAx1suTlkuAcrzBffRXfinN-tz1lFSZlF-FZqJih2XSOaKayrfoGwTgrtVRgxrcbBcu3e9BiKBF4M8ds-1VTwZXnNYKw7HuugH1gFmd8W-mDYrFnw3j/s640/view_oldlodge_2018.02.22_04.jpg" title="Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018</td></tr>
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There are some ponds and marshy areas near the path that circles the reserve. There are dragonflies in season ...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jkOB3Gmg2RQpu1vKnstCOrN4_4olfXjjLnY-OCkKNs15hlaiNHt_Gf7t_Oixj-23pVoY_dDzV-gY_UD5eG5doyjiC7GtSj9eCp5YXsxQRMCGpCJMb04CQKci_G0r17h12a5YeOrISANL/s1600/view_oldlodge_2018.02.22_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018" border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1300" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jkOB3Gmg2RQpu1vKnstCOrN4_4olfXjjLnY-OCkKNs15hlaiNHt_Gf7t_Oixj-23pVoY_dDzV-gY_UD5eG5doyjiC7GtSj9eCp5YXsxQRMCGpCJMb04CQKci_G0r17h12a5YeOrISANL/s640/view_oldlodge_2018.02.22_05.jpg" title="Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Lodge Nature Reserve, Ashdown Forest. 22 February 2018</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This last shot was taken with an ordinary 24mm wide angle lens. It's much sharper, and the resulting pictures are easier to crop. I like the circular pics for an occasional change of mood, but it's not an everyday lens.<br />
<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-38255026546943996152017-10-30T05:30:00.000+00:002017-10-30T05:30:05.455+00:00Some Ashdown Fungi<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmdQybImxaUSXqrFXJ8gOBsl4EmHazDnPVg55TLgO84BcBI3B8Dvn_ah02ggBisncYQq9Kk4u-Zp9DPJKrRYB_OgyUmrmn-rehgJstciuLF-vSBMeKF_SuUX6vV0Jwz7nQ4c0hgAnpUwj/s1600/view_ashdown_2017.10.24_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Marden's Hill from Church Hill car park, Ashdown Forest, 24 October 2017." border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="1500" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmdQybImxaUSXqrFXJ8gOBsl4EmHazDnPVg55TLgO84BcBI3B8Dvn_ah02ggBisncYQq9Kk4u-Zp9DPJKrRYB_OgyUmrmn-rehgJstciuLF-vSBMeKF_SuUX6vV0Jwz7nQ4c0hgAnpUwj/s640/view_ashdown_2017.10.24_03.jpg" title="Marden's Hill from Church Hill car park, Ashdown Forest, 24 October 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marden's Hill from Church Hill car park, Ashdown Forest, 24 October 2017.</td></tr>
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The Ashdown is a mixture of woods and moorland. This spot has a good mixture of trees, and not far away is the stream I showed in my last post. Now that the fungus season is well under way, I have walked around several areas with them in mind.<br />
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I haven't found any woods as stuffed with fungi as some of the best spots I now in Kent, but I did find some very interesting types. You have to keep a sharp eye out to spot them in the leaf litter.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmawFPCj3jTc6sxe-dkfDK-VFqf-iqLPovZ6nnBu5OAQb2l86ngc4KP-8PwC7e9_lfgE5hdb1buRi1kmfJcNFSPVylky02Ba85VYemur6A-OKJIekH04A_XxHlb1bqtnnAryjdoebin2l/s1600/fungus_hydnum_repandum_2017.10.15_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hydnum repandum, Wood Hedgehog. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="975" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmawFPCj3jTc6sxe-dkfDK-VFqf-iqLPovZ6nnBu5OAQb2l86ngc4KP-8PwC7e9_lfgE5hdb1buRi1kmfJcNFSPVylky02Ba85VYemur6A-OKJIekH04A_XxHlb1bqtnnAryjdoebin2l/s640/fungus_hydnum_repandum_2017.10.15_02.jpg" title="Hydnum repandum, Wood Hedgehog. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017." width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hydnum repandum, Wood Hedgehog. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017.</td></tr>
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The creamy blobs in the foreground are Wood Hedgehog, a fungus that has no gills or pores, but teeth. Fungi that look like mushrooms or grow as brackets usually have pores or gills, so it's interesting to find the scarcer toothed kinds.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJmondKT1PJbbvJAFNiV17_7g0rkB8sFs93LVOY_OTsTPBj1oZQjsnOCEMFQ00M17E7DsEr2Gg90PSfS5mChu7MXPm0Kgl0RcHwzZ-vY9v8w4w8ZVhq6RekFWSYm0KxatEVVz58ttH1r0/s1600/fungus_hydnum_repandum_2017.10.15_01b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hydnum repandum, Wood Hedgehog. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="1300" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJmondKT1PJbbvJAFNiV17_7g0rkB8sFs93LVOY_OTsTPBj1oZQjsnOCEMFQ00M17E7DsEr2Gg90PSfS5mChu7MXPm0Kgl0RcHwzZ-vY9v8w4w8ZVhq6RekFWSYm0KxatEVVz58ttH1r0/s640/fungus_hydnum_repandum_2017.10.15_01b.jpg" title="Hydnum repandum, Wood Hedgehog. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hydnum repandum, Wood Hedgehog. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It doesn't look anything like a hedgehog unless you pick it and turn it upside down. This fungus is very tasty when cooked, and it's easy to identify, but <i>don't pick any fungi to eat unless you are with an expert.</i> As with all wild picked fungi, this one needs to be quite young and fresh.<br />
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On the same day I saw this, I also came across two other less common toothed species.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-akXsuBbMbrYqCPdpsajLhuGF_hS3vaFentqSd7Hzb2Uo_wWIBmAAH1kMgQmZ7Ka5HSAsvr7nC2jrS2VsTfwPhjvAw3awI5LRggpqlKCVf58gskW8dANvJw0pL3_mqSgk6e2U9UIzvRme/s1600/fungus_hydnellum_spongiosipes_2017.10.15_01a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hydnellum spongiosipes, Velvet Tooth. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017" border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1300" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-akXsuBbMbrYqCPdpsajLhuGF_hS3vaFentqSd7Hzb2Uo_wWIBmAAH1kMgQmZ7Ka5HSAsvr7nC2jrS2VsTfwPhjvAw3awI5LRggpqlKCVf58gskW8dANvJw0pL3_mqSgk6e2U9UIzvRme/s640/fungus_hydnellum_spongiosipes_2017.10.15_01a.jpg" title="Hydnellum spongiosipes, Velvet Tooth. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hydnellum spongiosipes, Velvet Tooth. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017</td></tr>
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Here's one, called Velvet Tooth. It is close to the ground and more compact in habit than the Wood Hedgehog. You have to lift a piece to see the teeth.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOLu4JUM62hsNC941aZUPuXKEPCOZ1tTT4WSvc_q8KS35kRbEo1-UREzrImBqBlgL8E9hyphenhyphenEkNWCl_L2xSjKVyZRoKnZSqjHDaIGg0CFtaWRnLX6tdV1JSPKQlLXsInze5Y6ZXaWbUB537/s1600/fungus_hydnellum_spongiosipes_2017.10.15_02b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hydnellum spongiosipes, Velvet Tooth. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017" border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOLu4JUM62hsNC941aZUPuXKEPCOZ1tTT4WSvc_q8KS35kRbEo1-UREzrImBqBlgL8E9hyphenhyphenEkNWCl_L2xSjKVyZRoKnZSqjHDaIGg0CFtaWRnLX6tdV1JSPKQlLXsInze5Y6ZXaWbUB537/s640/fungus_hydnellum_spongiosipes_2017.10.15_02b.jpg" title="Hydnellum spongiosipes, Velvet Tooth. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hydnellum spongiosipes, Velvet Tooth. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017</td></tr>
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This was growing on a bank beside the path, underneath some holly, together with another darker species.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OmGrDkUA1W9HCxWaF5MuFWgts-yv_rISmhKoCO8RXgOLEVoBFl14Hf60ItEQaifiTeMyOK1qvMPUxblLjnfpxX5WIooxXsm6dtzOdapnRyNMv_9zCcfgk6NmLDHH3O2uJAkbL1nW9Cyf/s1600/fungus_sarcodon_2017.10.15_04b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Toothed fungi. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017" border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1300" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OmGrDkUA1W9HCxWaF5MuFWgts-yv_rISmhKoCO8RXgOLEVoBFl14Hf60ItEQaifiTeMyOK1qvMPUxblLjnfpxX5WIooxXsm6dtzOdapnRyNMv_9zCcfgk6NmLDHH3O2uJAkbL1nW9Cyf/s640/fungus_sarcodon_2017.10.15_04b.jpg" title="Toothed fungi. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toothed fungi. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here you can see one Velvet Tooth at the top right, and many of the better concealed species scattered around. These might be Hydnellum concrescens, or possibly a Sarcodon species. I was shown Velvet Tooth and a Sarcodon with yet another toothed species very recently at Hosey Common, near Westerham, and the fungus expert who was with us told us how unusual they were, so I was excited to see a very similar display here.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfN9RxrCUxo9Re_4kpVWUvssOY4ThOzYUncGkhmYJWQc7sTXUIOT0i0XNmFYsA0dXfDjvXQslhTZsI4HENL4cc7lRf3lEPT_zaf7tVNfRe0qOLCgrotvXG9tNeJonD0YYUiV53422yUDlj/s1600/fungus_sarcodon_2017.10.15_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sarcodon or Hydnellum species. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017" border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1300" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfN9RxrCUxo9Re_4kpVWUvssOY4ThOzYUncGkhmYJWQc7sTXUIOT0i0XNmFYsA0dXfDjvXQslhTZsI4HENL4cc7lRf3lEPT_zaf7tVNfRe0qOLCgrotvXG9tNeJonD0YYUiV53422yUDlj/s640/fungus_sarcodon_2017.10.15_02.jpg" title="Sarcodon or Hydnellum species. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarcodon or Hydnellum species. Ashdown Forest, 15 October 2017</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here's a side view of the one I am vague about, showing the teeth. The two-tiered appearance is also unusual for a mushroom fungus. Some were like this, some had the usual one tier, some seemed fused together.<br />
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Here's the other species from Hosey Common.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPIYx__IKcrN_XARM5phif8D44Ucm1ulSp7qz2y90nlOxb0Cm2muBD7pghPS9AeW4cCOFgR1nZmslWsVDVLheQPinnslqgJV2vBesYqEtH2iEC442Ymnri3TrTqEkWQJuh2-okVyZVris/s1600/fungus_phellodon_tomentosus_2017.10.08_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Phellodon tomentosus, Woolly Tooth. Hosey Common, 8 October 2017" border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1300" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPIYx__IKcrN_XARM5phif8D44Ucm1ulSp7qz2y90nlOxb0Cm2muBD7pghPS9AeW4cCOFgR1nZmslWsVDVLheQPinnslqgJV2vBesYqEtH2iEC442Ymnri3TrTqEkWQJuh2-okVyZVris/s640/fungus_phellodon_tomentosus_2017.10.08_a.jpg" title="Phellodon tomentosus, Woolly Tooth. Hosey Common, 8 October 2017" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phellodon tomentosus, Woolly Tooth. Hosey Common, 8 October 2017</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This has a similar habit to my uncertain species from the Ashdown, but I know they are not the same because this one has a distinct curry smell, and the Ashdown specimen does not.<br />
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<br />
<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-312115149918379492017-10-18T05:30:00.000+01:002017-10-25T10:34:57.163+01:00Ashdown Woodland Track<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpuBqgb302baKqeD3EYRLyXeRGyelwqz8OX3ECisS-kh7aOl6grts88bUgTc2-ktkVw9EA_UhQRTGxtbuBokZKucPLbWG2fR6Ve1fbCfVrEkjfwk8x_N9UxmQD8BgOUpeKJjYJHmNTJdL/s1600/gall_spangle_button_silk_2017.10.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Silk Button Spangle Galls on a fallen oak leaf. Ashdown, 15 October 2017." border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1500" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpuBqgb302baKqeD3EYRLyXeRGyelwqz8OX3ECisS-kh7aOl6grts88bUgTc2-ktkVw9EA_UhQRTGxtbuBokZKucPLbWG2fR6Ve1fbCfVrEkjfwk8x_N9UxmQD8BgOUpeKJjYJHmNTJdL/s640/gall_spangle_button_silk_2017.10.15.jpg" title="Silk Button Spangle Galls on a fallen oak leaf. Ashdown, 15 October 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silk Button Spangle Galls on a fallen oak leaf. Ashdown, 15 October 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I am starting to see where the interesting places are in my new area. Of course, some are obvious and are marked on maps. But some are not.<br />
<br />
I went along a track that leads off a steep road towards the "Secret Lake." I was looking for fungi, but didn't find very many - more on that next time. But it's an interesting track.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pf48Z8t8abKH0ZOwL-MG7w1UHjYQBZdoCTrGWTaQxxcU4O2_3y1kk1Zoz6xzMPAPQIlFACV-XXYmiNtx22Wg4jEim9Dy_FDZYutvmrkmExFP2kPzzIIpgaQrajy0P5-Oo_TNE8wRbJ6R/s1600/view_ashdown_2017.10.15_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Track on the Ashdown. 15 October 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1087" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pf48Z8t8abKH0ZOwL-MG7w1UHjYQBZdoCTrGWTaQxxcU4O2_3y1kk1Zoz6xzMPAPQIlFACV-XXYmiNtx22Wg4jEim9Dy_FDZYutvmrkmExFP2kPzzIIpgaQrajy0P5-Oo_TNE8wRbJ6R/s640/view_ashdown_2017.10.15_01.jpg" title="Track on the Ashdown. 15 October 2017." width="534" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Track on the Ashdown. 15 October 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The bracken is turning brown, and some trees are shedding, but many are not. There's woodland ahead.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_0wDtbw-z_epze1Fhq-Ua3h5czn151m30ay4xaAy0K0zdX-Euf_AgqwkS8z08tsOskrODh1pY8DhHivpdXRFCQgRfzBP5Kr0KtiJRWa1O87V2RnPe5K597kDlUt_nHqNtSgLG6AXHtzd/s1600/view_ashdown_2017.10.15_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Gate into the woods. Ashdown, 15 October 2017." border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_0wDtbw-z_epze1Fhq-Ua3h5czn151m30ay4xaAy0K0zdX-Euf_AgqwkS8z08tsOskrODh1pY8DhHivpdXRFCQgRfzBP5Kr0KtiJRWa1O87V2RnPe5K597kDlUt_nHqNtSgLG6AXHtzd/s640/view_ashdown_2017.10.15_02.jpg" title="Gate into the woods. Ashdown, 15 October 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gate into the woods. Ashdown, 15 October 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That fallen sign welcomes you.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg229MVs455NMIz9o0n4ZGU-eyh7i490hjmoqVByLK33aUJDJEO8ppcVCln5vx_BgJ5zdRv1FNRUwvg1AnzMCrNnZwBvlA7072C5WYPK-8xbqzuha_lZubYMob83QyiBWTpAhTtbeq6fBBB/s1600/sign_ashdown_2017.10.15_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Fallen sign. Ashdown, 15 October 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="992" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg229MVs455NMIz9o0n4ZGU-eyh7i490hjmoqVByLK33aUJDJEO8ppcVCln5vx_BgJ5zdRv1FNRUwvg1AnzMCrNnZwBvlA7072C5WYPK-8xbqzuha_lZubYMob83QyiBWTpAhTtbeq6fBBB/s640/sign_ashdown_2017.10.15_01.jpg" title="Fallen sign. Ashdown, 15 October 2017." width="488" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallen sign. Ashdown, 15 October 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Just past this gate I found some interesting fungi .. I'll show them next time. But the track past here gets to be unusual. Soon, there's a stream down on the left.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9moSCv6e7EA_HLElvBD3S0GVn6TKVoaTEJ0muio3Kyq1SKXfAYMxixrxRSbnkbVLeUn-1ZI6kY1FduK4OXMdHyDZL18YBgidN-fdwknHaYy9VvRmfBC7sv7KB68z16nY2V65mfVgkQNR/s1600/view_ashdown_2017.10.15_03a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Stream on the Ashdown. 15 October 2017." border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9moSCv6e7EA_HLElvBD3S0GVn6TKVoaTEJ0muio3Kyq1SKXfAYMxixrxRSbnkbVLeUn-1ZI6kY1FduK4OXMdHyDZL18YBgidN-fdwknHaYy9VvRmfBC7sv7KB68z16nY2V65mfVgkQNR/s640/view_ashdown_2017.10.15_03a.jpg" title="Stream on the Ashdown. 15 October 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stream on the Ashdown. 15 October 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Something else is going on. That squared-off block on the far side is not natural. It's made up of smaller blocks. There has been some sort of construction here in the past. It turns out that iron ore was worked on the Ashdown in the Tudor period, and it's likely to be related to that.<br />
<br />
Further on, there's a junction at which one branch quickly peters out into a narrow gap, and if you squeeze through and look back you can see this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4KaiF-kUQTZqBIToyXG8vxh2SOTHLJ2mxbos4ibUrO0dm2eW552dAcPhkID1ut_VxwRoYA6VcJxmJqFTtlNh6bNeU3zpMZFlm0CZXw-EYKPW9OKR3Z9zoRRw5APK5NTvZlAeLtfzo7Iw/s1600/view_ashdown_2017.10.15_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Woodland Steps. Ashdown, 15 October 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1061" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4KaiF-kUQTZqBIToyXG8vxh2SOTHLJ2mxbos4ibUrO0dm2eW552dAcPhkID1ut_VxwRoYA6VcJxmJqFTtlNh6bNeU3zpMZFlm0CZXw-EYKPW9OKR3Z9zoRRw5APK5NTvZlAeLtfzo7Iw/s640/view_ashdown_2017.10.15_04.jpg" title="Woodland Steps. Ashdown, 15 October 2017." width="522" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodland Steps. Ashdown, 15 October 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's almost like part of a pyramid, very atmospheric. It's too high up to have been for water. The stream is down below the bottom level of this area. So this must be more of the old iron workings.<br />
<br />
One of my maps places an "old furnace" further along this track. I wonder if that label is misplaced, and the furnace was here.<br />
<br />
The bridge I took this next shot from was a solidly constructed
stone bridge, so this is not just any old ride through the woods. There
must have been some serious industry here at one time. This is the stream from that bridge.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_16ajyCEU_7ICrhQMtJST1-Q12CiEwjSnwRhwvRODy-f4Q4r2HJgo1cB1ir8qRlSfRM-NEn4BlGcMkviTaKRM2zbHCaoBfMjaq55g_O6c7YuFYL5hbV3UE_e-Fo76lmvM4pFyQZ7d5bg/s1600/view_ashdown_2017.10.15_05a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Stream in the Ashdown, 15 October 2017." border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_16ajyCEU_7ICrhQMtJST1-Q12CiEwjSnwRhwvRODy-f4Q4r2HJgo1cB1ir8qRlSfRM-NEn4BlGcMkviTaKRM2zbHCaoBfMjaq55g_O6c7YuFYL5hbV3UE_e-Fo76lmvM4pFyQZ7d5bg/s640/view_ashdown_2017.10.15_05a.jpg" title="Stream in the Ashdown, 15 October 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stream in the Ashdown, 15 October 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I would think that is big enough to supply water for a smelting operation, and the "secret lake" further on might have been dammed up to provide that supply.<br />
<br />
Fungi next time ...<br />
<br />
(Added later) I've been told that those ruins might be a flour mill known as "the Old Mill" (originally "The New Mill," reasonably enough) and there is some resemblance to old photos, but I'm not certain. If it is, it's said to be where the flour was ground for Queen Victoria's wedding cake. <br />
<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-3685210697870827132017-09-30T05:30:00.000+01:002017-09-30T05:30:11.528+01:00Marbled Carpets<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9z4EGd_JlwV9oYaagei3SZKrOEhR7QYuVZcsBIkpaqE9rhySFWsVen_XbzAHU_PFYiWBZb_ps15PgqdFXhPkbXc5V8onAyV31mChusodQ_uDQjNUWfcoEB0HI-wS3hyYNr_9wrzz6TO9/s1600/moth_carpet_marbled_common_2017.09.27_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 26 September 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="1300" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9z4EGd_JlwV9oYaagei3SZKrOEhR7QYuVZcsBIkpaqE9rhySFWsVen_XbzAHU_PFYiWBZb_ps15PgqdFXhPkbXc5V8onAyV31mChusodQ_uDQjNUWfcoEB0HI-wS3hyYNr_9wrzz6TO9/s640/moth_carpet_marbled_common_2017.09.27_a.jpg" title="Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 26 September 2017." width="612" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 26 September 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This is a Common Marbled Carpet. It's quite variable in colouration, but consistent as to shape and general markings. Some colours are identical to the related Dark Marbled Carpet and you need to look underneath the wings to tell them apart, but if they have the big orange-brown blotches shown by this one, the are always the Common species.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtMh4c53d04uX3HUzRcCBvQYFoMBn_cYqYy8rXXmE1QDFBzDnYUyPJlDuFo9wW03Mzqh0wg2HFYzZkhHywsX9j_fT528EBAX7DXZiuByVYt3no2GSoIuK2c7mojhOZFX63ylPpoQLyxVy/s1600/moth_carpet_marbled_common_2017.09.27_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 26 September 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1200" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtMh4c53d04uX3HUzRcCBvQYFoMBn_cYqYy8rXXmE1QDFBzDnYUyPJlDuFo9wW03Mzqh0wg2HFYzZkhHywsX9j_fT528EBAX7DXZiuByVYt3no2GSoIuK2c7mojhOZFX63ylPpoQLyxVy/s640/moth_carpet_marbled_common_2017.09.27_b.jpg" title="Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 26 September 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 26 September 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Common again, but you need to look underneath to be sure.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvrPDQ-Bvzovs_W4D6PkWa9RHWM2rbiXNiP7TrBQzYLPlOJXJQA6BGsZSsXJRvzfuP0pvUOCfTXsTsk1RiimIhjWhkRoOo3He1NL8-BTR-PgY90tI96k7paKXSh57ZrM-pWzxLjXGC5Fi/s1600/moth_carpet_marbled_common_2017.09.27_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 26 September 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1300" height="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvrPDQ-Bvzovs_W4D6PkWa9RHWM2rbiXNiP7TrBQzYLPlOJXJQA6BGsZSsXJRvzfuP0pvUOCfTXsTsk1RiimIhjWhkRoOo3He1NL8-BTR-PgY90tI96k7paKXSh57ZrM-pWzxLjXGC5Fi/s640/moth_carpet_marbled_common_2017.09.27_c.jpg" title="Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 26 September 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 26 September 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yet another Common Marbled Carpet. Here's the underside:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNauYa_tJ229Yjc4D76qy8MdkpxeCSig1sIlo4_CYTuqycQwFdtKO28M6mu15d_LamIZQkK5JhUGPtEaKIXLvlxmgjguU8sKdVQXaar6BKjgmdwNBogTrBQ3QcBJNyG8xNiY5P2LsDr4UK/s1600/moth_carpet_marbled_common_2017.09.27_d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 26 September 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1300" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNauYa_tJ229Yjc4D76qy8MdkpxeCSig1sIlo4_CYTuqycQwFdtKO28M6mu15d_LamIZQkK5JhUGPtEaKIXLvlxmgjguU8sKdVQXaar6BKjgmdwNBogTrBQ3QcBJNyG8xNiY5P2LsDr4UK/s640/moth_carpet_marbled_common_2017.09.27_d.jpg" title="Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 26 September 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma truncata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 26 September 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That dark line across the wings, although spiky, is more or less curved. If it were more angular, almost a right angle bend, this might be a Dark Marbled Carpet. Here's a specimen from a couple of years ago:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjGgJrAUIwEIhBv24e0Vla1ZyO4_bmQ6PCtov_KY7uqBCpU7QgqMu6PdhlwgezwsDxP-3x2mPTW1SxgzzGWGZbf-gV3pvYekWPRfK1zdfhYHZWEnhSuqAozAZMATwUwbRJMSl_M1bvT1h/s1600/moth_carpet_marbled_dark_2014.09.04_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dark Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma citrata. Hayes, Kent, 4 September 2014." border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1300" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjGgJrAUIwEIhBv24e0Vla1ZyO4_bmQ6PCtov_KY7uqBCpU7QgqMu6PdhlwgezwsDxP-3x2mPTW1SxgzzGWGZbf-gV3pvYekWPRfK1zdfhYHZWEnhSuqAozAZMATwUwbRJMSl_M1bvT1h/s640/moth_carpet_marbled_dark_2014.09.04_a.jpg" title="Dark Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma citrata. Hayes, Kent, 4 September 2014." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma citrata. Hayes, Kent, 4 September 2014.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And the underside:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KlKW-gGkgzNPMEc9SljlB7jO_9ud_Zk9ORwrZhMqIePIQX_Br5j2Ne6qqlxc5dwxWRsqDNknlvGbB_Xb6PYCRCRC9doNkV0PsNDp1FhN4_IedGaDuqJtQHgP30eEHxMz66N5uvBkOnXj/s1600/moth_carpet_marbled_dark_2014.09.04_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dark Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma citrata. Hayes, Kent, 4 September 2014." border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="1007" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KlKW-gGkgzNPMEc9SljlB7jO_9ud_Zk9ORwrZhMqIePIQX_Br5j2Ne6qqlxc5dwxWRsqDNknlvGbB_Xb6PYCRCRC9doNkV0PsNDp1FhN4_IedGaDuqJtQHgP30eEHxMz66N5uvBkOnXj/s640/moth_carpet_marbled_dark_2014.09.04_b.jpg" title="Dark Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma citrata. Hayes, Kent, 4 September 2014." width="584" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark Marbled Carpet, Dysstroma citrata. Hayes, Kent, 4 September 2014.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I think that's a pretty subtle difference and I am only 90 per cent sure that this one is a Dark! Examination of the genitals would be a sure method of identification, but I don't want to learn how to dissect moths. I always let them go.<br />
<br />
Both these moths like to rest somewhere near the light, and rarely actually go into the trap.Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-49470430588396200192017-09-06T05:30:00.000+01:002017-09-06T05:30:09.642+01:00Some of the Ashdown.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZzhdC0frIBB7rE5ydVxEExF48cVIPpmocM3gWRIhDyvQ42EwjLXmembb6T_HG4gUsFXKvTR9Nebv_I07l0pvkZgKQ2Q567oDq6Od7I-oNoP1l5fVVDyBpg23Ls7RLFsgC4PGfdyNjfw8/s1600/grove_ashdown_201.08.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Camps in a grove on Ashdown Forest." border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZzhdC0frIBB7rE5ydVxEExF48cVIPpmocM3gWRIhDyvQ42EwjLXmembb6T_HG4gUsFXKvTR9Nebv_I07l0pvkZgKQ2Q567oDq6Od7I-oNoP1l5fVVDyBpg23Ls7RLFsgC4PGfdyNjfw8/s640/grove_ashdown_201.08.31.jpg" title="Camps in a grove on Ashdown Forest." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camps in a grove on Ashdown Forest.</td></tr>
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Here are some impressions of the Ashdown Forest, which is mostly moorland. But it does have plenty of trees, some in groves like this one which is just downhill from The Hollies car park, some in woods, some along streams.<br />
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I wrote to a friend recently that you can't get lost in the Ashdown. That's because it consists of several large hollows with roads along the high points, so that if you go uphill you will eventually find a road. And you can see across the hollows to the high points opposite.<br />
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But you can't get lost only as long as you are mobile. There are plenty of places where it would be hard to find you if you got stuck or had an accident. And there are plenty of places where you could do just that.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpORLJMderP-gh4bUNJxBLyVHqhjBYI7uLuXN7VbDcCpBG-XyeNl1xq3otCrFiiRgWhDJT8VAAcI0AriMN6Eqphd7AJJi-HPaWm9rOh_kHBLocr7RFQmWEPNSUmeoeu7aJIOpzLI6_b4xh/s1600/view_ashdown_2017.08.31_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Airman's Grave, downhill from The Hollies car park. Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpORLJMderP-gh4bUNJxBLyVHqhjBYI7uLuXN7VbDcCpBG-XyeNl1xq3otCrFiiRgWhDJT8VAAcI0AriMN6Eqphd7AJJi-HPaWm9rOh_kHBLocr7RFQmWEPNSUmeoeu7aJIOpzLI6_b4xh/s640/view_ashdown_2017.08.31_01.jpg" title="The Airman's Grave, downhill from The Hollies car park. Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Airman's Grave, downhill from The Hollies car park. Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017.</td></tr>
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Here you can see a broad path downhill, houses in the distance, it looks as though you could walk to the far side of this depression to that ridge of trees in less than an hour, if the path carries on like this.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGJL76Z8G5DUdzId4sMZ6-F6XFNjdBraho_BPOO_SFu8udHYsfa-SODZwDX0sQK92igZhiVKCBfvd0MRyCTl-LIyYeJGZEl4FQDK5Twjmjyd3_qmdY-DoCo67YM6ROSDq__ahckHLV-Uy/s1600/pool_ashdown_2017.08.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pool on Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGJL76Z8G5DUdzId4sMZ6-F6XFNjdBraho_BPOO_SFu8udHYsfa-SODZwDX0sQK92igZhiVKCBfvd0MRyCTl-LIyYeJGZEl4FQDK5Twjmjyd3_qmdY-DoCo67YM6ROSDq__ahckHLV-Uy/s640/pool_ashdown_2017.08.31.jpg" title="Pool on Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pool on Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017.</td></tr>
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Just at the bottom of this immediate dip is a stream, with pleasant pools. I'd been taken on a walk here about 10 years ago and shown an interesting fungus, so I tried following what I could remember of the way: cross the stream and walk up it, looking for a place to cross back. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFuLCh6jTvSiaRzd2Tb11986o5IB84djM-Bq5Hz1G_eKR64525WuV74GfLsme9kz540nxsZP3eAUy9hZLFAXBWz6u718fZS6Qj8ZY2y0Los5epW_TyBjT3IdXJgdyAvgVoEzDd0PVUWpw/s1600/view_path_ashdown_2017.08.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A path on Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFuLCh6jTvSiaRzd2Tb11986o5IB84djM-Bq5Hz1G_eKR64525WuV74GfLsme9kz540nxsZP3eAUy9hZLFAXBWz6u718fZS6Qj8ZY2y0Los5epW_TyBjT3IdXJgdyAvgVoEzDd0PVUWpw/s640/view_path_ashdown_2017.08.31.jpg" title="A path on Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A path on Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017.</td></tr>
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I didn't find the second crossing place. I was soon walking on this path, which is not exactly well-trodden. The bracken I pushed through was covered with dew and I was wet to the waist, and completely soaked to the knees. My view ahead was this, with trees screening my view of the stream to the right, and to the left:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEctNQf7ze_Vqf6hhSArQN_REP_0hyphenhyphenRX8OerAnj4nz_H3ZoH_yUYH2-TjExWkOYqDJNwkKcBZy4epRF34OTnFfg7zuDQrgornVbuW3kINdUS0YDPpDpELK2ly2RGB9up77ToVFSRP3nIer/s1600/view_panorama_ashdown_2017.08.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="View from a path on the Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="1600" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEctNQf7ze_Vqf6hhSArQN_REP_0hyphenhyphenRX8OerAnj4nz_H3ZoH_yUYH2-TjExWkOYqDJNwkKcBZy4epRF34OTnFfg7zuDQrgornVbuW3kINdUS0YDPpDpELK2ly2RGB9up77ToVFSRP3nIer/s640/view_panorama_ashdown_2017.08.31.jpg" title="View from a path on the Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from a path on the Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017.</td></tr>
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This looks very different from the safe-looking broad path I started out on. It was lucky I knew to keep going uphill, because after eventually negotiating some boggy ground which fed the stream I got back safely. But if I had fallen at this spot, who would have found me? I was pleased that I had a good signal on my phone. (Another sign of not being in a real wilderness.) And the GPS was invaluable, as it showed me where I was on a map.<br />
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It was fun! And I saw this:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWrL_5PhtA2Lu7_Kpswsb1KLZI4sMjGV0IQP9z2CHGK_GzwxtCvup_d9K19_Ks7k6SxD_l85Wmd_CEH6VnJr1GuylkSj2C3BzsBxMzknGaZgSAaJ5e8Qz9h0XJN84BTcpY-qIA12dAUtO/s1600/gentian_marsh_2017.08.31_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Marsh Gentian, Gentiana pneumonanthe. Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1153" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWrL_5PhtA2Lu7_Kpswsb1KLZI4sMjGV0IQP9z2CHGK_GzwxtCvup_d9K19_Ks7k6SxD_l85Wmd_CEH6VnJr1GuylkSj2C3BzsBxMzknGaZgSAaJ5e8Qz9h0XJN84BTcpY-qIA12dAUtO/s640/gentian_marsh_2017.08.31_c.jpg" title="Marsh Gentian, Gentiana pneumonanthe. Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017." width="566" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marsh Gentian, Gentiana pneumonanthe. Ashdown Forest, 31 August 2017.</td></tr>
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A Marsh Gentian, quite a scarce plant which I had seen a few miles away on another part of the Ashdown on a different walk. Around it are the mauve clusters of Cross-leaved Heath flowers, and yellow Dwarf Gorse flowers. <br />
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That walk was only a short distance, but it felt longer.<br />
<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-75189225465112490862017-08-31T05:30:00.000+01:002017-08-31T05:30:14.093+01:00August Moths at Sevenoaks<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUTnJ6vfsIzyPeDc-jqR5oHbVa7-CdAnNDb7ONeEA4KMr3ZwDxOECJ-S9j1kIoVd4zSWzFjfC_Q4fFotOeOMufiYjHSeMq5tXOASHiRnbllbLVxFoKSbhwvUzjtzb8gQnbK1uiY_b6Hkt/s1600/moth_wave_common_2017.08.26_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common Wave, Cabera exanthemata. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="1300" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUTnJ6vfsIzyPeDc-jqR5oHbVa7-CdAnNDb7ONeEA4KMr3ZwDxOECJ-S9j1kIoVd4zSWzFjfC_Q4fFotOeOMufiYjHSeMq5tXOASHiRnbllbLVxFoKSbhwvUzjtzb8gQnbK1uiY_b6Hkt/s640/moth_wave_common_2017.08.26_b.jpg" title="Common Wave, Cabera exanthemata. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Wave, Cabera exanthemata. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017. </td></tr>
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A whole bunch of light-coloured moths turned up this month at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, in the trap set behind the visitor centre and all around it. This is a nice side view of a Common Wave, which does not usually rest with its wings up like this.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZM6OWR3qwTDO8LD_xRrcuVN5OXAGsUavTYnH1CJLOGYWwx4PeKOjApzM_1fkaZv6ILA91-WVTWPcT1P7qonW90O1-wJ_3Aq9UFHsusj2-5OGhtpiAMbbChChT3LqVt9b6UUbP3OFDcZHW/s1600/moth_wave_common_2017.08.26_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common Wave, Cabera exanthemata. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="1300" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZM6OWR3qwTDO8LD_xRrcuVN5OXAGsUavTYnH1CJLOGYWwx4PeKOjApzM_1fkaZv6ILA91-WVTWPcT1P7qonW90O1-wJ_3Aq9UFHsusj2-5OGhtpiAMbbChChT3LqVt9b6UUbP3OFDcZHW/s640/moth_wave_common_2017.08.26_a.jpg" title="Common Wave, Cabera exanthemata. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Wave, Cabera exanthemata. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017.</td></tr>
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This is a more usual view. It's very similar to the Common White Wave:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRPkGp5x9k2UprIIJBxU9ISK3BlcD-BZIdvOyP53juw9L-yxW2p-TY-2wGxwKbb4k9YPip-MKf_nxOoA-9e4vTnhkMSO6G0XzTrScT3dE2zL7KHz6t1IvmsLbweTHy_EzK1LwVp0sdbjc/s1600/moth_wave_white_common_2017.08.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common White Wave, Cabera pusaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="1300" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRPkGp5x9k2UprIIJBxU9ISK3BlcD-BZIdvOyP53juw9L-yxW2p-TY-2wGxwKbb4k9YPip-MKf_nxOoA-9e4vTnhkMSO6G0XzTrScT3dE2zL7KHz6t1IvmsLbweTHy_EzK1LwVp0sdbjc/s640/moth_wave_white_common_2017.08.26.jpg" title="Common White Wave, Cabera pusaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common White Wave, Cabera pusaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017.</td></tr>
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This one was in the greenery near the trap. The Common Wave is usually darker and more speckled, but that's variable. The best way to tell them apart is to look at the outer dark cross-band on the forewing. On the Common Wave, it has a distinct curve, whereas on the Common White Wave it is straight.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsas5zRigrKImOdtFr7ma4nLlyiben75htAH5Fm-zAk7khkwwaaC1y8RmvMNegk6jmjHBWvnfazWlg2-SrqBOieiMQg_Tj9ugVgRmZ2zplflSGFfSAQiiMYEE8j_LxKrY02kPtQDKB-CMd/s1600/moth_emerald_light_2017.08.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Two Light Emeralds, Campaea margaritaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1159" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsas5zRigrKImOdtFr7ma4nLlyiben75htAH5Fm-zAk7khkwwaaC1y8RmvMNegk6jmjHBWvnfazWlg2-SrqBOieiMQg_Tj9ugVgRmZ2zplflSGFfSAQiiMYEE8j_LxKrY02kPtQDKB-CMd/s640/moth_emerald_light_2017.08.26.jpg" title="Two Light Emeralds, Campaea margaritaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Light Emeralds, Campaea margaritaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017.</td></tr>
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There were lots of Light Emeralds around too.<br />
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Here are some of the good lookers. A Blood-vein, the first I have seen at Sevenoaks, though it's not scarce:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3H4Wu1SLKOpjvCQW6s9I2eGivVpcJN0ycJVgynaWy-G7peJFzHRLbyVi8XmlURA2mpZtJqb6HzrFKREsOmw800c5Trc3gO7dCQaiFOZLD61QnVU_XObaRkidZVZhXHbP7kOuV316U6FNX/s1600/moth_bloodvein_2017.08.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Blood-vein, Timandra comae. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="1300" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3H4Wu1SLKOpjvCQW6s9I2eGivVpcJN0ycJVgynaWy-G7peJFzHRLbyVi8XmlURA2mpZtJqb6HzrFKREsOmw800c5Trc3gO7dCQaiFOZLD61QnVU_XObaRkidZVZhXHbP7kOuV316U6FNX/s640/moth_bloodvein_2017.08.26.jpg" title="Blood-vein, Timandra comae. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blood-vein, Timandra comae. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017.</td></tr>
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A Pebble Hooktip, on the outside of the trap.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXt7SFuqfF691iBkjDPEOUxfHsbY2VlAU6_kiXYUiPNTGdSJD1JyCNimcF-S4AGO0W8vToPAi8i1dm1iDRq9loA0wE36BQpu0jFxonYbafj_lRfkFJlS_cAZ__HXRPi-RdK1Ew0tV-FShn/s1600/moth_hooktip_pebble_2017.08.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pebble Hook-tip, Drepana falcataria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="1300" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXt7SFuqfF691iBkjDPEOUxfHsbY2VlAU6_kiXYUiPNTGdSJD1JyCNimcF-S4AGO0W8vToPAi8i1dm1iDRq9loA0wE36BQpu0jFxonYbafj_lRfkFJlS_cAZ__HXRPi-RdK1Ew0tV-FShn/s640/moth_hooktip_pebble_2017.08.26.jpg" title="Pebble Hook-tip, Drepana falcataria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pebble Hook-tip, Drepana falcataria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And I can't miss out this Purple Thorn ... I love Thorns ...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgML9a_nvi0T_iPU6uN73lNRqoae-XMn7VMm80zPKL4cB_-IGbSpTUOrOwsH4Y9_WO1_LeeFmC2XUU6UH6G3LevwYfFs_TyGYgGQrM1K5XE1ByEpEEs5GqVKtKa6le4ly7u7-7WV4kWBy48/s1600/moth_thorn_purple_2017.08.26_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Purple Thorn, Selenia tetralunaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="1300" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgML9a_nvi0T_iPU6uN73lNRqoae-XMn7VMm80zPKL4cB_-IGbSpTUOrOwsH4Y9_WO1_LeeFmC2XUU6UH6G3LevwYfFs_TyGYgGQrM1K5XE1ByEpEEs5GqVKtKa6le4ly7u7-7WV4kWBy48/s640/moth_thorn_purple_2017.08.26_b.jpg" title="Purple Thorn, Selenia tetralunaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Thorn, Selenia tetralunaria. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 26 August 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-11960601659215923492017-08-24T05:30:00.000+01:002017-08-24T05:30:00.219+01:00More Pugs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOs2uQhkRI3BOvAiXSr3bhKepzFI7o2CRHieVCcSk-w0jEKoxhZStVk-jgebtwPap8QpS0zwKaYAbZanfzVSvToGaixe-p1JG2YmuLljYOIbp8UbZWuuuEwms_2yQyHhfwsT0RYQlUqPDn/s1600/moth_pug_limespeck_2012.06.02_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Lime-speck Pug, Eupithecia centaureata. Jubilee Country Park, 2 June 2012." border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="1200" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOs2uQhkRI3BOvAiXSr3bhKepzFI7o2CRHieVCcSk-w0jEKoxhZStVk-jgebtwPap8QpS0zwKaYAbZanfzVSvToGaixe-p1JG2YmuLljYOIbp8UbZWuuuEwms_2yQyHhfwsT0RYQlUqPDn/s640/moth_pug_limespeck_2012.06.02_01.jpg" title="Lime-speck Pug, Eupithecia centaureata. Jubilee Country Park, 2 June 2012." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lime-speck Pug, Eupithecia centaureata. Jubilee Country Park, 2 June 2012.</td></tr>
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More Pugs! Starting with this easily recogniseable Lime-speck Pug from Jubilee Country Park. The white wings with a dark fleck are unmistakeable.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRNc-VbMhWIgcBzLUSg7rNNq4xqJrV-K5QMNglQhtMnjStZ5PE8oCp8WBvFppyYxaWbwUfrVjAIPWAGvKlUpP8dafE8IUhNXdJ92gHQ2IPDay_0uWIbIM2JQokhmZ9UbAbB6uvixFSFTn/s1600/moth_pug_whitespotted_2017.05.10_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="White-spotted Pug, Eupithecia tripunctaria. Hayes, 10 May 2017." border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1300" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRNc-VbMhWIgcBzLUSg7rNNq4xqJrV-K5QMNglQhtMnjStZ5PE8oCp8WBvFppyYxaWbwUfrVjAIPWAGvKlUpP8dafE8IUhNXdJ92gHQ2IPDay_0uWIbIM2JQokhmZ9UbAbB6uvixFSFTn/s640/moth_pug_whitespotted_2017.05.10_b.jpg" title="White-spotted Pug, Eupithecia tripunctaria. Hayes, 10 May 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-spotted Pug, Eupithecia tripunctaria. Hayes, 10 May 2017.</td></tr>
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I had a couple of these White-spotted Pugs in my garden trap in Hayes this year. They look a lot like the hard-to-identify pugs in my last post, but they have a white fleck on top of their thorax and if I remember to look for that, I know what I am seeing.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdprp_Q_2ZMNzv7_xfQhMygHVyXTNPqr77cvxGi1uTb2Mqru7olFPP7xRSiEjcrc9WNLUmG1Gi_AQbFy2nbGLDxJJCl7y7D6jvBVYBgmHmbeRbObTh-zaaonAvTOGJ-opWl3xZ8LK4cjg/s1600/moth_pug_tawnyspeckled_2015.08.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Tawny Speckled Pug, Eupithecia icterata subfulvata. Cuckoo Wood, High Elms, 12 August 2015." border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="1300" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdprp_Q_2ZMNzv7_xfQhMygHVyXTNPqr77cvxGi1uTb2Mqru7olFPP7xRSiEjcrc9WNLUmG1Gi_AQbFy2nbGLDxJJCl7y7D6jvBVYBgmHmbeRbObTh-zaaonAvTOGJ-opWl3xZ8LK4cjg/s640/moth_pug_tawnyspeckled_2015.08.11.jpg" title="Tawny Speckled Pug, Eupithecia icterata subfulvata. Cuckoo Wood, High Elms, 12 August 2015." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tawny Speckled Pug, Eupithecia icterata subfulvata. Cuckoo Wood, High Elms, 12 August 2015.</td></tr>
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A few times, I have had the opportunity to run my trap in Cuckoo Wood, High Elms while a group are doing a glow-worm survey. This Tawny Speckled Pug turned up in 2015. You can't mistake this one.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1BSODZTAyIf8wRnLGRsxQWuOiCv4pDVfsgFD3JJxCkx2WQkEg_Q5eNqoHzIa706a0y5YlBhODhnNXhI9srz8YKStHOno7RoYZTN6zjBa3xD9u5qovL_6KNtxtEbugwZsiGygDCUDxXWJK/s1600/moth_pug_cypress_2015.08.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cypress Pug, Eupithecia phoeniceata. Hayes, 31 August 2015." border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1BSODZTAyIf8wRnLGRsxQWuOiCv4pDVfsgFD3JJxCkx2WQkEg_Q5eNqoHzIa706a0y5YlBhODhnNXhI9srz8YKStHOno7RoYZTN6zjBa3xD9u5qovL_6KNtxtEbugwZsiGygDCUDxXWJK/s640/moth_pug_cypress_2015.08.31.jpg" title="Cypress Pug, Eupithecia phoeniceata. Hayes, 31 August 2015." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cypress Pug, Eupithecia phoeniceata. Hayes, 31 August 2015.</td></tr>
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Nor this, a Cypress Pug, with a wider and narrower wing profile and a marbled patterning.<br />
<br />
Finally, a couple of green pugs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGF8C3-Nw8VKs2bvawVI5kmaeDM8LVAm370ZQ9x1ow_KHRV9CwEz5YrMj6-yZJdykTCIT3nYTrfXQH__uRxKDVGGRl_MkMKHuClP3gBDPWl9ng5Hb9XlVpmUXJ4PXZzg845r7cDEjRAuOV/s1600/moth_pug_green_2017.06.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Green Pug, Pasiphila rectangulata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 14 June 2017." border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="1300" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGF8C3-Nw8VKs2bvawVI5kmaeDM8LVAm370ZQ9x1ow_KHRV9CwEz5YrMj6-yZJdykTCIT3nYTrfXQH__uRxKDVGGRl_MkMKHuClP3gBDPWl9ng5Hb9XlVpmUXJ4PXZzg845r7cDEjRAuOV/s640/moth_pug_green_2017.06.14.jpg" title="Green Pug, Pasiphila rectangulata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 14 June 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Pug, Pasiphila rectangulata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 14 June 2017.</td></tr>
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In fact, this one is called the Green Pug. The colour fades in older specimens, but the broad wingspread is still recognisable. And it is generally a darker colour than this next one.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTS5bp9KDI3ZdRoTwyu5BxDkFYCajjmlrMayeF23nIMW5wsQg-ctd9eKlyyMZGpBMPlDPpTeRAUUK2SeTRTyuKOmZTku09tBYx50TUYD9VOpV3v2XESgxsQP1ky14Fg_RCJ17U_BvYPZek/s1600/moth_pug_v_2017.06.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="V-pug, Chloroclystis v-ata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 19 June 2017. " border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1300" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTS5bp9KDI3ZdRoTwyu5BxDkFYCajjmlrMayeF23nIMW5wsQg-ctd9eKlyyMZGpBMPlDPpTeRAUUK2SeTRTyuKOmZTku09tBYx50TUYD9VOpV3v2XESgxsQP1ky14Fg_RCJ17U_BvYPZek/s640/moth_pug_v_2017.06.19.jpg" title="V-pug, Chloroclystis v-ata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 19 June 2017. " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">V-pug, Chloroclystis v-ata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 19 June 2017. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, the V-pug, one of those creatures which has an initial as part of its scientific name. The V on the wings is easily recognisable ..<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_R4ILkjn-p6t5BTC_4_RgxFw0tAfCvOoOP56Nkvp9GiE8XfuNlZBjpdENIQAqwNFJ9RAr7bS-mk02AlctFoVr653V1jqGVACuGqI6l7ijSj9AO7r5XHf8qgi-p741bd7Ejsh_zXxbRFl/s1600/moth_pug_v_2017.07.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="V-pug, Chloroclystis v-ata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 5 July 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1015" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_R4ILkjn-p6t5BTC_4_RgxFw0tAfCvOoOP56Nkvp9GiE8XfuNlZBjpdENIQAqwNFJ9RAr7bS-mk02AlctFoVr653V1jqGVACuGqI6l7ijSj9AO7r5XHf8qgi-p741bd7Ejsh_zXxbRFl/s640/moth_pug_v_2017.07.05.jpg" title="V-pug, Chloroclystis v-ata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 5 July 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">V-pug, Chloroclystis v-ata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 5 July 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
.. If you can see it, because sometimes it prefers to rest like this, with wings up. But that's a giveaway too.<br />
<br />
So, I have covered some of the many pugs in these two posts. No doubt I will encounter even more of these tricky specimens. Learning continues ...<br />
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Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-56763358089446761552017-08-19T05:30:00.000+01:002017-08-19T05:30:17.644+01:00Pugs<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEri8KvONU0lc9lE-DbBvFUXA3SAUrEPDQXFouciqWCXnLmqhFwY1ogiu73tr3gRKnSVkF2ojrvswsE4KIr09hndtfdhONs5MBwTJMpwnsBxl-I-vsacVjx0dTnaMMpCYubv_Ljv4xAml/s1600/moth_pug_doublestriped_2017.08.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Double-striped Pug, Gymnoscelis rufifasciata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 2 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="1300" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEri8KvONU0lc9lE-DbBvFUXA3SAUrEPDQXFouciqWCXnLmqhFwY1ogiu73tr3gRKnSVkF2ojrvswsE4KIr09hndtfdhONs5MBwTJMpwnsBxl-I-vsacVjx0dTnaMMpCYubv_Ljv4xAml/s640/moth_pug_doublestriped_2017.08.02.jpg" title="Double-striped Pug, Gymnoscelis rufifasciata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 2 August 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double-striped Pug, Gymnoscelis rufifasciata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 2 August 2017.</td></tr>
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Pugs are a group of small moths, most of them in the tribe Eupitheciini of the family Geometridae, that mostly look very similar to each other. When thinking of how to describe and identify them, the phrase "stare until your eyes drop out of your head" came to mind. Because mostly, the differences are very subtle, but can often be quite distinct if you can become aware of them.<br />
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This Double-striped Pug is one of the easiest, particularly when fresh. Though please note, it has many more than two stripes.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZR_gsOjhjTei_GsPHvqtgnlkEIFGbudnYYzz-ZgmI7lD_PmwpxuWXvsNqNHeVaRWIolVtLHgs275ZQOeP2F6pA8ajVFSOW7VICBjhbI-A9seURXjlbhGlUx8cI0K9Muf8HFT8ZyV1Bqy/s1600/moth_pug_foxglove_2017.06.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Foxglove Pug, Eupithecia pulchellata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 29 June 2017." border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="1300" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZR_gsOjhjTei_GsPHvqtgnlkEIFGbudnYYzz-ZgmI7lD_PmwpxuWXvsNqNHeVaRWIolVtLHgs275ZQOeP2F6pA8ajVFSOW7VICBjhbI-A9seURXjlbhGlUx8cI0K9Muf8HFT8ZyV1Bqy/s640/moth_pug_foxglove_2017.06.29.jpg" title="Foxglove Pug, Eupithecia pulchellata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 29 June 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foxglove Pug, Eupithecia pulchellata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 29 June 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In fact this Foxglove Pug is sometimes mistaken for it for that reason.<br />
<br />
There's a saying that goes something like "If you hear hoofbeats, expect horses, not zebras." (A variation of Occam's Razor.) Well, that works fine if I am hearing "clip-clop" sounds from outside my house. But if I were on the Serengeti, I would have to re-cast that saying completely. Also, back to the world of moths, if you see only what you expect to see, you can miss some interesting rarities.<br />
<br />
And since I moved house, I don't even know what I should expect to see. I have seen three pugs here that never turned up at Hayes.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy54KpsEX-lFN2q2jXEvwjFcS43VxcCNnuJICkdpgv52ave9WklvFvBI4pWEHd8cEn4r-HAmgnzg_ep9nVfVPO4cno_xKDWq_dBB8APR0FW2xmg8h0ydEEupBng_6HwSMUR1duX6SWef-g/s1600/moth_pug_freyers_2017.06.02_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Freyer's Pug, Eupithecia intricata subsp. arceuthata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 2 June 2017." border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="1300" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy54KpsEX-lFN2q2jXEvwjFcS43VxcCNnuJICkdpgv52ave9WklvFvBI4pWEHd8cEn4r-HAmgnzg_ep9nVfVPO4cno_xKDWq_dBB8APR0FW2xmg8h0ydEEupBng_6HwSMUR1duX6SWef-g/s640/moth_pug_freyers_2017.06.02_01.jpg" title="Freyer's Pug, Eupithecia intricata subsp. arceuthata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 2 June 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freyer's Pug, Eupithecia intricata subsp. arceuthata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 2 June 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Freyer's Pug, with elongated wing spots (many pugs have these) and rows of fine lines on the wings.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3bZTPoDeV1k7JYfOX3IaNnyE_aAmCKaYhfZuB84u797_arDOCOQh2vMPO8JY2to5mF87lznj43nWFCP-ND8yclchCFRL9H8SEP9VEkq9QCKreh6cuV5A1Czpv60YlOTuzIsfRpzCUTK4/s1600/moth_pug_howarths_2017.07.17_01b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Haworth's Pug, Eupithecia haworthiata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 17 July 2017." border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="1300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3bZTPoDeV1k7JYfOX3IaNnyE_aAmCKaYhfZuB84u797_arDOCOQh2vMPO8JY2to5mF87lznj43nWFCP-ND8yclchCFRL9H8SEP9VEkq9QCKreh6cuV5A1Czpv60YlOTuzIsfRpzCUTK4/s640/moth_pug_howarths_2017.07.17_01b.jpg" title="Haworth's Pug, Eupithecia haworthiata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 17 July 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haworth's Pug, Eupithecia haworthiata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 17 July 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Haworth's Pug, with an orange body.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5XBX1M5lDZ4Zj19A22Y8eBq1jsyFtfB3OTUvgcRoAXxHyF_Uz-J_HWg6SQ0TkA9L70kBSjVL6GoIQLdFbf5r1TqM2VwdZVDtnChZbdQIipBfqlAYlrWQQJxLwlQQfgN4GE2Ne096OxnG/s1600/moth_pug_currant_2017.08.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Currant Pug, Eupithecia assimilata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 13 August 2017." border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="1300" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5XBX1M5lDZ4Zj19A22Y8eBq1jsyFtfB3OTUvgcRoAXxHyF_Uz-J_HWg6SQ0TkA9L70kBSjVL6GoIQLdFbf5r1TqM2VwdZVDtnChZbdQIipBfqlAYlrWQQJxLwlQQfgN4GE2Ne096OxnG/s640/moth_pug_currant_2017.08.13.jpg" title="Currant Pug, Eupithecia assimilata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 13 August 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Currant Pug, Eupithecia assimilata. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 13 August 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And a Currant Pug, with much bigger dark wing spots and a more chestnut coloration than many pugs (and there are many pugs).<br />
<br />
OK, those were easy, really. Here are some I have encountered over the last few years.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilw-lU0pGnQMYuYjpYdmHysGrL32CjYq33aGjR6R86DneCB5NXSc4B79vxOIc-URzWlFwabCTx2PtEemuTXxtFxRK_IhWc4qXl1ceTAO7uMo5YxDDxpUx8pBOJY2jYGxzKj2aL-K8OYjs2/s1600/moth_pug_common_2016.06.01_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common Pug, Eupithecia vulgata. Hayes, 1 June 2016." border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="1300" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilw-lU0pGnQMYuYjpYdmHysGrL32CjYq33aGjR6R86DneCB5NXSc4B79vxOIc-URzWlFwabCTx2PtEemuTXxtFxRK_IhWc4qXl1ceTAO7uMo5YxDDxpUx8pBOJY2jYGxzKj2aL-K8OYjs2/s640/moth_pug_common_2016.06.01_02.jpg" title="Common Pug, Eupithecia vulgata. Hayes, 1 June 2016." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Pug, Eupithecia vulgata. Hayes, 1 June 2016.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Common Pug. We are encouraged to learn this one because it is "easy" ...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIt570OwSF8UwFYj9yA-vgyeqhqB__7rETpv3mj2F8GOD4vHbAQfbqaiLQByXUMDpu2jnIg4Bs8Xk8fk_JKHaAylrCT2rClHOH5YBXFrZ6Kn-yg15bX6lnF2fSgpL8qXjT4_srSuQNUdB/s1600/moth_pug_mottled_2013.06.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mottled Pug, Eupithecia exiguata. Hayes, 28 May 2012." border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="1200" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIt570OwSF8UwFYj9yA-vgyeqhqB__7rETpv3mj2F8GOD4vHbAQfbqaiLQByXUMDpu2jnIg4Bs8Xk8fk_JKHaAylrCT2rClHOH5YBXFrZ6Kn-yg15bX6lnF2fSgpL8qXjT4_srSuQNUdB/s640/moth_pug_mottled_2013.06.17.jpg" title="Mottled Pug, Eupithecia exiguata. Hayes, 28 May 2012." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mottled Pug, Eupithecia exiguata. Hayes, 28 May 2012.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mottled Pug. I find this hard to distinguish from the next one:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpA1Nj5Zlj0oJIPy_lAYp_jnSTKvOFTNb7yZMgW5Jpjw9FXPKmFVfbis6Og4BaXpeYr8jEBVb7_UT5JVObQBdNXX8b0IyReD-cVDepv4Fm8m8YQ789hpwWmHhb0B-c-4OyaG7LwVZSJ5T/s1600/moth_pug_brindled_2015.04.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Brindled Pug, Eupithecia abbreviata. Hayes, 25 May 2012." border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="1200" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpA1Nj5Zlj0oJIPy_lAYp_jnSTKvOFTNb7yZMgW5Jpjw9FXPKmFVfbis6Og4BaXpeYr8jEBVb7_UT5JVObQBdNXX8b0IyReD-cVDepv4Fm8m8YQ789hpwWmHhb0B-c-4OyaG7LwVZSJ5T/s640/moth_pug_brindled_2015.04.20.jpg" title="Brindled Pug, Eupithecia abbreviata. Hayes, 25 May 2012." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brindled Pug, Eupithecia abbreviata. Hayes, 25 May 2012.</td></tr>
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The Brindled Pug. I really hope I ave those last three right, because I am not very confident in identifying them, so if anyone thinks I am mistaken, please say.<br />
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At this point I will just add in this one:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe4TE97FvqVKXBMvPTb8REYlFcgYt2b9EFaU7zE7N8AAwbZpV9uruq2DKW30sPcA1LGEheF_T_uMUwAhgV_0cCrOeRHGT78Okvnmoky3h67Doke7fg6nv9svJQIFDF1tPLO6gVBt7T9-5/s1600/moth_pug_unidentfied_2012.08.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unidentified melanic pug, Eupithecia species. Hayes on 5 August 2012." border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="1200" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe4TE97FvqVKXBMvPTb8REYlFcgYt2b9EFaU7zE7N8AAwbZpV9uruq2DKW30sPcA1LGEheF_T_uMUwAhgV_0cCrOeRHGT78Okvnmoky3h67Doke7fg6nv9svJQIFDF1tPLO6gVBt7T9-5/s640/moth_pug_unidentfied_2012.08.05.jpg" title="Unidentified melanic pug, Eupithecia species. Hayes on 5 August 2012." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unidentified melanic pug, Eupithecia species. Hayes on 5 August 2012.</td></tr>
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Some species have melanic forms, dark-winged with no identifying features, though the wing outline gives a clue in some cases. Most of these need to be dissected for a proper identification.<br />
<br />
Next time: more pugs, all of them easier to identify than those last four.<br />
<br />
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<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-75707079910566376552017-08-08T05:30:00.000+01:002017-08-08T05:30:31.249+01:00The Trees (that were) In The Knoll<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOSCN_EVMa0cyCajj4MycbJ_QcA-2xvL_xBnntp_9i4ju0ASmmzVd-inVIwfQ5yQRXrTxlaLtber86nsjYrMWrOME8kPd91-_JaLoSvXpHC55lLA-FNrDP4hevYistUoI0xmGWT2LKpUI/s1600/horsechestnut_knoll_2017.06.08_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Fallen Horse-chestnut in The Knoll, Hayes. 8 June 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1078" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOSCN_EVMa0cyCajj4MycbJ_QcA-2xvL_xBnntp_9i4ju0ASmmzVd-inVIwfQ5yQRXrTxlaLtber86nsjYrMWrOME8kPd91-_JaLoSvXpHC55lLA-FNrDP4hevYistUoI0xmGWT2LKpUI/s640/horsechestnut_knoll_2017.06.08_b.jpg" title="Fallen Horse-chestnut in The Knoll, Hayes. 8 June 2017." width="530" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallen Horse-chestnut in The Knoll, Hayes. 8 June 2017.</td></tr>
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Making occasional trips back to Hayes while selling my old house there. So while there, I have been looking in on The Knoll, my nearest local park, to see how it is getting on.<br />
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Here's what I saw early in June. This is a Horse-chestnut tree that I knew was full of debilitating fungus. Shown here: <a href="https://moremoth.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/two-weak-horse-chestnuts.html" target="_blank">Two Weak Horse-chestnuts</a>. It's the tree on the left in the first photo, also shown near the bottom of that post.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpALvw6FxPEgOiJj-g4ApGy1IDv7EvzhiU0N6gXP1Un6CSWgXVzqEhtCr3iVbCu5USHR5yWTxibI_8rR2lodLZgBcRg4qHGwlO0IdNrp_0VYtsGK0olyZehYxmXrGjiX0l8wA14LdnBQc/s1600/horsechestnut_knoll_2017.06.08_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Fallen Horse-chestnut in The Knoll, Hayes. 8 June 2017." border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpALvw6FxPEgOiJj-g4ApGy1IDv7EvzhiU0N6gXP1Un6CSWgXVzqEhtCr3iVbCu5USHR5yWTxibI_8rR2lodLZgBcRg4qHGwlO0IdNrp_0VYtsGK0olyZehYxmXrGjiX0l8wA14LdnBQc/s640/horsechestnut_knoll_2017.06.08_c.jpg" title="Fallen Horse-chestnut in The Knoll, Hayes. 8 June 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallen Horse-chestnut in The Knoll, Hayes. 8 June 2017.</td></tr>
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Here's a close-up of the torn trunk. All of the wood is weak. The colour shows that the lignin has gone, eaten by the fungus. This is called white rot, and is known to be caused by (among others) the Dryad's Saddle fungus that was growing on the tree and fruiting so profusely.<br />
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So what about the other fungus-infested Horse-chestnut, which was under notice of being monolithed?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-ydKmNVJ0vL2FDdFBpKEtKuANo6fhuKX_WHw4_T7pYnAXLIXrGP35k9coBQdTzySOgL81IfUsz6Ky8-s75BCecB7YIG5n0dNFVwF0XWEK61r0tgx6o51cjbtNJCnlc3veNlHue0mQwpM/s1600/knoll_stump_2017.07.25_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Horse-chestnut stump in The Knoll, Hayes. 25 July 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="975" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-ydKmNVJ0vL2FDdFBpKEtKuANo6fhuKX_WHw4_T7pYnAXLIXrGP35k9coBQdTzySOgL81IfUsz6Ky8-s75BCecB7YIG5n0dNFVwF0XWEK61r0tgx6o51cjbtNJCnlc3veNlHue0mQwpM/s640/knoll_stump_2017.07.25_01.jpg" title="Horse-chestnut stump in The Knoll, Hayes. 25 July 2017." width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horse-chestnut stump in The Knoll, Hayes. 25 July 2017.</td></tr>
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The next time I visited The Knoll, this was it. This severe treatment is probably just as well. The Ganoderma that riddled this tree also causes white rot, and so does the Oyster Mushroom that was also growing on it. And the Silverleaf fungus I saw on it last year is also a serious tree-killer.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0AzdwoApHdNh4Uc49O-10B4dnZqTEppCJprxoiNa47w9XMLGrLhjMuSLhX4KU7loNwPt7LZ9FPir5eTzS3V-kF9pjloFTpxe4iuG3Fp00LErhQGgfG4yLaQ-780yFn9_T0284fmxANc6/s1600/knoll_stump_2017.07.25_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Horse-chestnut stump in The Knoll, Hayes. 25 July 2017." border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0AzdwoApHdNh4Uc49O-10B4dnZqTEppCJprxoiNa47w9XMLGrLhjMuSLhX4KU7loNwPt7LZ9FPir5eTzS3V-kF9pjloFTpxe4iuG3Fp00LErhQGgfG4yLaQ-780yFn9_T0284fmxANc6/s640/knoll_stump_2017.07.25_02.jpg" title="Horse-chestnut stump in The Knoll, Hayes. 25 July 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horse-chestnut stump in The Knoll, Hayes. 25 July 2017.</td></tr>
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The fallen tree had also been tidied up, as had the branch of the tree further on that had been knocked off when the Horse-chestnut fell.<br />
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This park has a continuing issue with fungus infections in trees. A big beech fell in 2013; here's an article I wrote for the Orpington Field Club website: <a href="http://www.orpingtonfieldclub.org.uk/ofc-article019.html" target="_blank">The Giant Polypore and its Consequences</a>. White rot again. It's not that the park management don't pay attention. It's that they seem to take action just a bit too late! That they have previously got there in time is shown by this monolithed oak tree further down the slope.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfRlJSLo003Hvyh7KxHb98NJPTxCfQIjZTNe-ZRcdvTPqvxCROWiLGK5JIeEZfwRZ_yBg5IVuX5CIIVM6RRrtg9Wd4Y4KRshYZSTTAExeLVMTFJ-T1aVjeoT3J0ruvBGAyyVBBZsTgeco/s1600/knoll_oak_monolith_2017.07.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Monolithed oak tree in The Knoll, Hayes, 25 July 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1167" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfRlJSLo003Hvyh7KxHb98NJPTxCfQIjZTNe-ZRcdvTPqvxCROWiLGK5JIeEZfwRZ_yBg5IVuX5CIIVM6RRrtg9Wd4Y4KRshYZSTTAExeLVMTFJ-T1aVjeoT3J0ruvBGAyyVBBZsTgeco/s640/knoll_oak_monolith_2017.07.25.jpg" title="Monolithed oak tree in The Knoll, Hayes, 25 July 2017." width="574" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monolithed oak tree in The Knoll, Hayes, 25 July 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That has clearly never blown over. Also, a fence has recently been built around a veteran pollarded oak nearer the top of the park, probably because people have sometimes set fires in the hollow core of the tree.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5obwQcLxdyOji6qo1tVM7w8nbmRj_VetVHLjxy7l3Hm8oNE2-7t0mHQunXG6ElWowHCy9vCraMh3jwdvGvhfe-O5xM-Lb2MKfMOv9lr0f1ey1Vlbh7czrq47wx299alyXzE7OBLT7elu/s1600/knoll_fence_2017.07.25_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Fence around pollarded veteran oak in The Knoll, Hayes, 25 July 2017." border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5obwQcLxdyOji6qo1tVM7w8nbmRj_VetVHLjxy7l3Hm8oNE2-7t0mHQunXG6ElWowHCy9vCraMh3jwdvGvhfe-O5xM-Lb2MKfMOv9lr0f1ey1Vlbh7czrq47wx299alyXzE7OBLT7elu/s640/knoll_fence_2017.07.25_b.jpg" title="Fence around pollarded veteran oak in The Knoll, Hayes, 25 July 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fence around pollarded veteran oak in The Knoll, Hayes, 25 July 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I don't think it's very effective, though. The school tie on the fence is probably an indication of the cause of that missing paling, which has left a stretch of wire which could easily be climbed over. <br />
<br />
This tree still looks strong, but it has an infection of Laetiporus sulphureus, Chicken of the Woods, which is a tasty edible fungus but which causes a brown cubical rot which can be just as weakening as white rot. I have photos .. here's one from 2012 ..<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTvJY2nJCXR2HClkpxNx8Vyg0eFlzRr_WNr3h-cWwhcE9Rvgt99uGLD5XMDU4kY7xkht9Wy8HW5RUgF79apwLkuLDUm50W-L_VYzie0rOUrSxoZgQpLSxViEJwqtCuB-aYTeZMv69BiqY/s1600/fungus_laetiporus_sulphureus_2012.09.25_03a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chicken of the Woods, Laetiporus sulphureus, on a veteran oak in The Knoll Hayes. 25 September 2012." border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1200" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTvJY2nJCXR2HClkpxNx8Vyg0eFlzRr_WNr3h-cWwhcE9Rvgt99uGLD5XMDU4kY7xkht9Wy8HW5RUgF79apwLkuLDUm50W-L_VYzie0rOUrSxoZgQpLSxViEJwqtCuB-aYTeZMv69BiqY/s640/fungus_laetiporus_sulphureus_2012.09.25_03a.jpg" title="Chicken of the Woods, Laetiporus sulphureus, on a veteran oak in The Knoll Hayes. 25 September 2012." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken of the Woods, Laetiporus sulphureus, on a veteran oak in The Knoll Hayes. 25 September 2012.</td></tr>
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You can see the brown rot showing where the burnt areas have broken off. With luck it will only have affected the centre wood, helping to hollow out the tree and leaving the strong outer wood whole. Trees like this can remain strong and resilient. But what with this park's history, I think the locals(*) will have to keep an eye on this one ....<br />
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(*) Not me any more.Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-77423532091312703192017-07-30T05:30:00.000+01:002017-07-30T05:30:00.905+01:00More Thorns<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsTzk5oYQNCBZFb4zeAV3HvVAxc91Q3SY9CDsd1KhTGVE1rJWrCAs4PJaUuUT9SiT0ecHN2Fi4HH6ab4Xfvta6G6atFHRtgodsqrah8it4w0hYFpppj4G6s4mObdJBNLaz8L7_F6TfYlS/s1600/moth_thorn_purple_2017.07.20_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Purple Thorn, Selenia tetralunaria. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 20 July 2017. " border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1031" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsTzk5oYQNCBZFb4zeAV3HvVAxc91Q3SY9CDsd1KhTGVE1rJWrCAs4PJaUuUT9SiT0ecHN2Fi4HH6ab4Xfvta6G6atFHRtgodsqrah8it4w0hYFpppj4G6s4mObdJBNLaz8L7_F6TfYlS/s640/moth_thorn_purple_2017.07.20_02.jpg" title="Purple Thorn, Selenia tetralunaria. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 20 July 2017. " width="506" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Thorn, Selenia tetralunaria. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 20 July 2017. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thorns are STILL my favourite moths for looks. They are gorgeous. I've seen four species here in Crowborough, of which this Purple Thorn just makes the top of my chart.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyNLX_AJg63tDLrKK_LVuS5YU3S94xf1YDj5ifxkvJ8CRptxwXKS6VvU1GA0_BNELzvpId8tMdNmWyC1LTAnOLYfmxxvkR2e5-DcJ_8r8vuoL0gVwl_QbECI4ND1FAsMaIPV5K5UIBPP-O/s1600/moth_thorn_canaryshouldered_2017.07.22_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Canary-shouldered Thorn, Ennomos alniaria. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 22 July 2017. " border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1154" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyNLX_AJg63tDLrKK_LVuS5YU3S94xf1YDj5ifxkvJ8CRptxwXKS6VvU1GA0_BNELzvpId8tMdNmWyC1LTAnOLYfmxxvkR2e5-DcJ_8r8vuoL0gVwl_QbECI4ND1FAsMaIPV5K5UIBPP-O/s640/moth_thorn_canaryshouldered_2017.07.22_b.jpg" title="Canary-shouldered Thorn, Ennomos alniaria. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 22 July 2017. " width="568" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canary-shouldered Thorn, Ennomos alniaria. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 22 July 2017. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Most people think this Canary-shouldered Thorn is the cutest. They are indeed pretty, but they don't have the moody colour tones of the Purple.<br />
<br />
Thorn caterpillars in general live in trees, and I am seeing quite a few tree eaters in my garden. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYqiSXYI5LllsW9cUrfYZdnj_mt67F_kapCsp6nRvjCJZgl1E2gDDM0gbG3DKreOldlknHHGmlZyYOkb4U4MJDTWcypk236o11NTdnyJI-VH_6t4z_bfrhjROQ5iab107juwKf12E6obS/s1600/moth_thorn_dusky_2017.07.22_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dusky Thorn, Ennomos fuscantaria. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 22 July 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="1270" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYqiSXYI5LllsW9cUrfYZdnj_mt67F_kapCsp6nRvjCJZgl1E2gDDM0gbG3DKreOldlknHHGmlZyYOkb4U4MJDTWcypk236o11NTdnyJI-VH_6t4z_bfrhjROQ5iab107juwKf12E6obS/s640/moth_thorn_dusky_2017.07.22_01.jpg" title="Dusky Thorn, Ennomos fuscantaria. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 22 July 2017." width="632" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dusky Thorn, Ennomos fuscantaria. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 22 July 2017.</td></tr>
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The Dusky Thorn is less glamorous than the other thorns, and can look a little bruised.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxtcB-89wU089Qrk-imXVPvKHK8DuHPTjFFLrCklKJ-2s21ZkWvsiWEqYKEoCINdCy8LfN_x6_IRQqitHK41WNyfXZwZsx-KOTp0OAHzcRdKTc3Z9sdTZyZTx5s9uBOQC1alkBm0gnJyR/s1600/moth_thorns_early_2017.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 3 and 8 July 2017. " border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="1600" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxtcB-89wU089Qrk-imXVPvKHK8DuHPTjFFLrCklKJ-2s21ZkWvsiWEqYKEoCINdCy8LfN_x6_IRQqitHK41WNyfXZwZsx-KOTp0OAHzcRdKTc3Z9sdTZyZTx5s9uBOQC1alkBm0gnJyR/s640/moth_thorns_early_2017.07.jpg" title="Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 3 and 8 July 2017. " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria. Luxford Lane, Crowborough, 3 and 8 July 2017. </td></tr>
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Early Thorns come in two waves, two separate generations. These are second generation specimens. As you can see, there's a range of colour tones between different individuals, but they can be told from the other thorns by the way they hold their wings tight together, like butterflies.<br />
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<br />Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-490675752083795064.post-9261225881048829222017-07-23T05:30:00.000+01:002017-07-23T05:30:28.386+01:00New Moths<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LubLON_pquJyVCFEA8-gC0ST9M1nBWuf9xstDJQxbC7JTyRztVq-96CCRdmPoj-CHIioYLj7efKgzttz7pBWhk9JwlK-Wcx9Rj3EDFB6dwPEeBwcYOq3Utjc54VKpGUqAa2xhHpUr_rg/s1600/moth_arches_green_2017.06.24_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Green Arches, Anaplectoides prasina. Crowborough, 24 June 2017." border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="1300" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LubLON_pquJyVCFEA8-gC0ST9M1nBWuf9xstDJQxbC7JTyRztVq-96CCRdmPoj-CHIioYLj7efKgzttz7pBWhk9JwlK-Wcx9Rj3EDFB6dwPEeBwcYOq3Utjc54VKpGUqAa2xhHpUr_rg/s640/moth_arches_green_2017.06.24_b.jpg" title="Green Arches, Anaplectoides prasina. Crowborough, 24 June 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Arches, Anaplectoides prasina. Crowborough, 24 June 2017.</td></tr>
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I have been seeing a lot of new moths in my garden in Crowborough, some that I didn't see in my Hayes garden, some that I have never seen anywhere before. Here are some of those that are quite new to me.<br />
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This Green Arches is excellent! It's a woodland species and a Noctuid, and there are not many green Noctuids.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzwW_VkfZvWOTGb5z0OnutFpm1y9sDK9hFFpvTJJG_EEJAgBV2_V80NzsLRASDIy5WHiKFauRm-vcanOHNz9nX79R-iBlYkUpwQ-OOilgH-WEsDV6trcaW40PTyowOJDfD8pBenaAe3U0/s1600/moth_ypsolopha_scabrella_2017.07.10_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ypsolopha scabrella. Crowborough, 10 July 2017." border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1300" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzwW_VkfZvWOTGb5z0OnutFpm1y9sDK9hFFpvTJJG_EEJAgBV2_V80NzsLRASDIy5WHiKFauRm-vcanOHNz9nX79R-iBlYkUpwQ-OOilgH-WEsDV6trcaW40PTyowOJDfD8pBenaAe3U0/s640/moth_ypsolopha_scabrella_2017.07.10_a.jpg" title="Ypsolopha scabrella. Crowborough, 10 July 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ypsolopha scabrella. Crowborough, 10 July 2017.</td></tr>
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Ypsolopha scabrella is a micromoth, according to the rather arbitrary division of moths into micro and macro. Its profile and especially those scale tufts on its back make it easy to identify. Apples and hawthorns are the preferred food of its larvae, and there's no shortage of those.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGcO8WYNJMs5N-BLr6-iHUhbCBRZKrk9nxsoo7cBlS3jnY8-qmKOZjZLDhtaepzcBn6eh2_z_ezrsVQmz6ibR1BisQvbK9AjRJKwjGqB-M5GLw6a7X7WzzOKuEUloPZehNtKmVHNypbOO/s1600/moth_prominent_pebble_2017.07.17_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pebble Prominent, Notodonta ziczac. Crowborough, 17 July 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1125" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGcO8WYNJMs5N-BLr6-iHUhbCBRZKrk9nxsoo7cBlS3jnY8-qmKOZjZLDhtaepzcBn6eh2_z_ezrsVQmz6ibR1BisQvbK9AjRJKwjGqB-M5GLw6a7X7WzzOKuEUloPZehNtKmVHNypbOO/s640/moth_prominent_pebble_2017.07.17_a.jpg" title="Pebble Prominent, Notodonta ziczac. Crowborough, 17 July 2017." width="552" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pebble Prominent, Notodonta ziczac. Crowborough, 17 July 2017.</td></tr>
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Pretty Pebble Prominent, with the rather wonderful scientific name Notodonta ziczac, is another new one for me. It's not scarce, but a lot of moths are quite local in their habits and don't cover the whole of an area.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZziu4-x1cTVkxDU4E2FCs5MTAn4_JthFEu94h8ys2ewIqUh5hMry5yQgF2wj4xM8_Qf4wiEPbmiOXpczBRsdN_kjfSv0417pK1qSceQOBQO5PWahSOvWvVNs5HUcPUF2GBda8UpjyAzOP/s1600/moth_yellowtail_2017.07.20_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Yellow-tail, Euproctis similis. Crowborough, 20 July 2017." border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1300" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZziu4-x1cTVkxDU4E2FCs5MTAn4_JthFEu94h8ys2ewIqUh5hMry5yQgF2wj4xM8_Qf4wiEPbmiOXpczBRsdN_kjfSv0417pK1qSceQOBQO5PWahSOvWvVNs5HUcPUF2GBda8UpjyAzOP/s640/moth_yellowtail_2017.07.20_a.jpg" title="Yellow-tail, Euproctis similis. Crowborough, 20 July 2017." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow-tail, Euproctis similis. Crowborough, 20 July 2017.</td></tr>
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Again, the Yellow-tail isn't scarce, I just haven't come across it before. This one is a male, and doesn't have a yellow tip to its abdomen like the females.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlBNbkndcipUUdGsiAwvz-2E2HGjUQN8FBdtYxlsW89aDDhp9gQ8HRmJPR1bat2i5CbZnImmu0Kd7pwoDAh10215Qd4qUACJTaWFCNDlkSBaPISLJFIL9DouRDF_waVgj-W4zudTnL9_I/s1600/moth_hook_silver_2017.07.20_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Silver Hook, Deltote uncula. Crowborough, 20 July 2017." border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="674" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlBNbkndcipUUdGsiAwvz-2E2HGjUQN8FBdtYxlsW89aDDhp9gQ8HRmJPR1bat2i5CbZnImmu0Kd7pwoDAh10215Qd4qUACJTaWFCNDlkSBaPISLJFIL9DouRDF_waVgj-W4zudTnL9_I/s640/moth_hook_silver_2017.07.20_a.jpg" title="Silver Hook, Deltote uncula. Crowborough, 20 July 2017." width="330" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Hook, Deltote uncula. Crowborough, 20 July 2017.</td></tr>
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This Silver Hook, however, is rather scarce and hasn't been recorded close to Crowborough in the past, at least according to the records I have seen. The UKMoths site says: "Occupying marshes, fens and acid bogs, this species has a scattered
distribution over much of Britain, but is largely absent from most of
central England." Well, I do not live in a marsh, fen or acid bog, but on the other hand, nor do I live in a wood and I see plenty of woodland species. Perhaps the recent rainstorms have moved a few individuals from their home territories.Bill Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00021126944616854681noreply@blogger.com0