Ceredigion Moths

Time to look in Ceredigion?

2026-04-23T15:15:00.003+01:00

Pachyrhabda steropodes is out - see copies of emails from Sally Hall just S of the Teifi - what about north of the Teifi ie in Ceredigion? It was out today in some quantity near Llanelli (SE Carms). Worth vc46 recorders having a look perhaps? Remember that they are tiny and flit (`float`?) around the fern before re-settling. Pale yellowish white to the unaided eye.

27/4/26 Thanks Ian, I have now found Pachyrhabda steropodes here (at our natural burial site/nature reserve, Saron, Llandysul). I have been searching for this species and today found well over 100 flying around a few soft shield ferns. It was confined to just one area – with a lot of dog mercury – not sure if that is significant. I didn’t have a camera but I did have my close focus binoculars so ID reliable.

21/4/26… this species must be spreading fast. Working in our woods over the last two days and 100s flying around the uncurling soft shield fern.

Early risers in Llangeitho

2026-04-09T21:42:00.001+01:00

After two warm days Wednesday night seemed promising. Trapping on a garden/woodland boundary yielded about 70 moths, of 22 species. Several pristine Purple Thorns brightened the trap, but notable were Grey Birch, Frosted Green, Small Phoenix and Scalloped Hazel, all a little precocious.

Good to see three Square Spot, at least 13 Streamer, Lunar Marbled Brown, two Great Prominent and an Oak-tree Pug.

Grey Birch (phone photograph)

Scalloped Hazel

Frosted Green

A very brown Engrailed

Lunar Marbled Brown

Oak-tree Pug

Square Spot

Pontsaeson Cross Inn Llanon

2026-03-31T09:06:00.000+01:00

Things are looking up. 24 moths last night of 11 species. Early Thorn x2, Early Grey x 4, Early Tooth striped 1, Hebrew Character x6, March Moth x 3, Herald 1, Engrailed 1, Small Quaker 1, Clouded Drab x2, Brindled Beauty x2, Red Chestnut 1

Cross Inn, Llanon

2026-03-21T17:10:00.002+00:00

It’s a long time since I put my trap out at Pontsaeson but I’ll try harder.

Last night saw 13 Hebrew Characters and 2 Clouded Drabs.

V-pug

2026-03-18T18:49:00.002+00:00

A very early, and very fresh, V-pug in the garden trap (Aberystwyth) this morning. In total 39 of 11 species.

RDP already

2026-02-10T20:25:00.001+00:00

Inspired by Peter's post, I put my garden trap out for a couple of hours yesterday evening. Just Chestnut and Common Quaker.

On my way to work this morning I passed Early Moth, Dotted Border, and a very surprising Rusty Dot Pearl. An immigrant already?

Acleris cristana

2026-02-08T12:27:00.000+00:00

A forecast mild, damp night prompted me to dust off my trap, which yielded a dozen moths, with eight macros...

Chestnut, Dotted Border, Early Moth, Mottled Grey, Oak Beauty, Pale Brindled Beauty, Red Chestnut and Spring Usher.

...and one colourful micro which I believe to be Acleris cristana:

Large Wainscot in Llangeitho

2025-10-18T12:28:00.001+01:00

After a few disappointing night's trapping recently, last night's forecast looked a little more promising. It was mild, dry, with a gentle easterly breeze. Only eight moths, but a Large Wainscot was a first for this site, as was Carcina quercana.

Carcina quercana

Large Wainscot

Cypress pug at Aberaeron

2025-10-05T12:56:00.004+01:00

I'm a bit late posting this. I took this pic on 14th August just before leaving for a 2 week holiday in France later that day. When I returned 2 weeks later I had to spend a month looking after my mother in south Wales so am only now getting to a few records that I made before I left for France. I had not immediately recognised this pug so took a pic to ID later and now, much later, it looks like a Cypress pug to me.

Oncocera semirubella

2025-09-19T20:24:00.000+01:00

130 moths of 33 species, a pleasing result for the garden trap in September, and with the warm southerly winds, some good moths.

The highlight was a Clifden Nonpareil, but the only NFG was Oncocera semirubella. Also Scarce Bordered Straw (2), Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Turnip Moth (2), Pearly Underwing, Palpita vitrealis (2), Large Wainscot, Small Dusty wave, and a late Yellow-tail.

Scarcer than Scarce

2025-09-14T09:47:00.000+01:00

Only about 20 moths in the garden trap this morning, half of them LYUs, but this Bordered Straw was nice. Also Azalea Leaf miner, Rusty Dot Pearl and Rush Veneer.

Migrants in Aberystwyth

2025-08-20T08:48:00.001+01:00

Some migrant activity in Aberystwyth as well. I've had small numbers of Rush Veneer and the occasional Rusty Dot Pearl, but on Monday night something slightly bigger, a Scarce Bordered Straw:

and lots of rather smaller ones - Beet Moth, or Scrobipalpa ocellatella, new for the garden:

Also Six-striped Rustic and Hemp-agrimony Plume, which are unusual here,

and Stigmella trimaculella, which I don't think I've had before:

Small Mottled Willow Aberporth

2025-08-19T11:50:00.001+01:00

Pleased to find this in a box full of Flame Shoulders and Hebrew Characters though if I grew lettuces I might not think so!

More from Stewi valley

2025-07-23T21:07:00.000+01:00

A reasonable variety of macros last night at Troedrhiw Seiri. Most surprising was this early Marsh Oblique barred. Also a fresh Dotted Clay.

Pachyrhabda or ?

2025-07-21T10:59:00.000+01:00

Continuing my daily checks on Soft Shield-fern in the garden here, and found this (one of two or three) on one plant. What I don't know is what else feeds on fern spores and whether other creatures might produce similar protective spinnings.

Possible Pachyrhabda larval spinning

Less doubt about this rather more attractive little moth:

Acrobasis advenella

Four spotted footman

2025-07-20T13:24:00.001+01:00

A male four spotted footman was the highlight from my trap in Aberaeron overnight - a first for me.

129 individuals for 37 species of macro last night plus a number of micros I am working through.

Plain speaking

2025-07-19T12:33:00.000+01:00

By leaning out of the bedroom window with a net on the end of an 8ft pole, I was able to secure this pug which was attracted to light last night. An inappropriately named Plain Pug.

In total, 91 moths of 36 species, including Crescent Dart, Dusky Thorn, Small Rivulet, Pebble Hook-tip (2), and Yponomeuta sedella.

Another pretty chalk carpet at Aberaeron

2025-07-15T15:48:00.002+01:00

My fourth this year.

Aberporth Small Marbled

2025-07-09T15:59:00.003+01:00

Surprised and pleased to find this well coloured Small Marbled on the clifftop at Aberporth. Lewington's illustration doesn't do it justice!

Only had phone to hand hence the quick photo grab.

Blomer's rivulet

2025-07-02T13:02:00.004+01:00

A new species for me in Aberaeron last night. More recently 2-8 records per year in the county but historically 0-2 per year.

Pachyrhabda 0 - Psychoides 1

2025-07-01T16:13:00.002+01:00

Ian Morgan's recent post about Pachyrhabda steropodes prompted me to check the soft shield ferns and others in the garden here.

Alas, so far no sign of steropodes, but plenty of spore eating activity in evidence: some on soft shield fern, a little on male fern, and lots on the Japanese and Chinese fern, Dryopteris uniformis:

Dryopteris uniformis

Dissecting one of the little heaps revealed a larva, which I take to be Psychoides filicivora. I have yet to see an adult.

Psychoides filicivora, larva

The few hartstongue ferns here are some way off from having mature sporangia. I shall keep checking these and other ferns here.

Third pretty chalk carpet

2025-06-30T21:50:00.000+01:00

Last night I had another pretty chalk carpet, my third since 22 June. This one was quite battered and faded.

Good night in Bontgoch

2025-06-28T20:03:00.000+01:00

Over 50 ssp. of macros last night including Shark, Ghost moth female, Double line, Green arches, 4 Swallowtails and Round-winged Muslin, Small Seraphim and Smoky Wave.

Out now in Carmarthenshire - what about Ceredigion?

2025-06-27T13:29:00.002+01:00

Another little reminder - please keep an eye out for larval workings of Pachyrhabda steropodes. Below is copied and pasted from the Carmarthenshire moth blog. I`m envious of your small marbleds and Welsh clearwing records, by the way!

Laura Moss recently (25/6) sent me an excellent photo of Pachyrhabda steropodes larvae spinnings. Note the two orangey elongated shapes in the photo and that the sporangia are missing = eaten, under soft shield-fern fronds (its food-plant ) at Llangynin (NW of St Clears). Something to look out for.

A second small marbled!

2025-06-26T23:11:00.002+01:00

With only two previous records for the county, both on the same day in 2015, a small marbled 2 nights ago was a surprise but a second one last night was quite unexpected! This one has more pronounced markings that the first so posting here for the record. Aberaeron.