Moths

I didn't venture out this weekend, apart from attending the Butterfly Conservation S. Wales branch members' day at Kenfig on Saturday. It was an all indoor event and ended late afternoon, so I didn't get the chance to venture anywhere else down there.

Running my garden moth trap for the GMS on Saturday night, I had a small, but nice catch of nine species, including these.

Autumn Green Carpet

Red-green Carpet

Spruce Carpet

Blair's Shoulder-knot

Black Rustic

A couple of weeks ago, I took a stroll along the disused railway line, at Llwydcoed. I didn't see a great deal, but did find this caterpillar of the Grey Dagger moth. The adults of Grey Dagger and Dark Dagger can only be reliably told apart by examination of genitalia, but luckily, the caterpillars are quite different from each other, so finding one, such as this is the only way of obtaining a safe field record.                                                                                                                                                   

Grey Dagger

Although common, these 'Silk Button' oak galls are always a treat to see.

Silk Button Gall

Common but I always like to see them: an Owl Midge.

Owl Midge or Moth Fly