SUMMARY OF MACRO MOTHS RECORDED IN 2010
To view a list of the macro moth species recorded in Caithness in 2010 click on this link:  2010 LIST

With heavy snow laying across the County through January and February and well into March the year got off to a slow start. April and May were cold and wet with snow recorded as late as the 11th May and it was not until the third week in June that overnight temperatures started to reach the seasonal norm. The unsettled trend continued into July, when it was difficult to get a run of consecutive days and nights with suitable mothing conditions, and August, though warmer, was colder and wetter than normal. A mild, calm period at the start of September, giving the promise of an Indian Summer, was deceptive as the rest of the month quickly deteriorated into periods of strong winds, cool even cold nights and periods of rain. The late Autumn was little better with heavy snow from the end of November through December.

Despite the poor weather conditions 202 species of macro moth were recorded during the year, up from 166 in 2009. The total number of records received was exactly 3600 from 15 observers. There is an heavy bias in the records towards those gathered by light trapping, though a small number of observers used sugar and undertook daytime searches and there were a handful of larval records.

FIRST COUNTY RECORDS

Eight macro moth species were recorded in the County for the first time in 2010.

DRINKER Euthrix potatoria:                                         Recorded in ND04 and ND16 - 2 records of 5 adults
It is surprising that this species has not been previously recorded as there is much suitable habitat and it is found in Sutherland. It has a western distribution in Scotland so it is possible that these records indicate an eastward expansion of it's range in the Far North.
Scottish Status: Common west, absent east

BEECH-GREEN CARPET Colostygia olivata:         Recorded in ND13 - 1 record of 3 adults
The Provisional UK Atlas shows an apparent  decline of  this species in England and Wales in the last decade but an increase in central and northern Scotland.
Scottish Status: Widespread

DWARF PUG Eupithecia tantillaria:                           recorded in ND12 - 1 record of 2 adults
The Provisional UK Atlas shows that most records north of the Great Glen have occurred since 2000 perhaps indicating an expansion in range.
Scottish Status: Common

SMALL WHITE WAVE Asthena albulata:                  recorded in ND12 - 1 record of 3 adults
An unexpected species recorded in the extreme south of the County. The Provisional UK Atlas shows that in England and Wales it's range appears to have contracted southward since 2000 and it has been recorded from only 9 other Scottish 10km squares in the same period.
Scottish Status: Very local and scattered

YELLOW-BARRED BRINDLE Acasis viretata:         recorded in ND12 - 1 record of 3 adults
In the UK a predominantly English and Welsh species found mainly south of Cumbria and Durham and record from thinly scattering locations in Scottish.  Interestingly, like Dwarf Pug, there has been a increase in records north of the Great Glen since 2000.
Scottish Status: Widespread after recent expansion

PEACOCK MOTH Macaria notata:                             recorded in ND13 and ND26 - 2 records of 2 adults
The Provisional UK Atlas shows two distinct populations in the UK; one in the south of England which appears to have contracted southeastward since 2000 and one in central and northern Scotland which appears to have expanded since 2000.
Scottish Status: Widespread, Highlands and Hebrides only

PALE BRINDLED BEAUTY Apocheima pilosaria:   recorded in NC96 - 1 record of 3 adults
Since 2000 there has been an increase in the number of recorded areas on the east side of Scotland north of the Inner Moray Firth.
Scottish Status: Common

SMALL FAN-FOOT Herminia grisealis:                     recorded in ND13 and ND26 - 4 records of 10 adults
At the 2 sites at which this species was recorded catches were made of several individuals three weeks apart indicating the presence of breeding populations rather than migrants. It is thinly distributed in Scotland with very few records north of the Inner Moray Firth.
Scottish Status: Widespread

OTHER RECORDS OF INTEREST

COMMON SWIFT Hepialus lupulinus                        recorded in ND16 - 1 record of 1 adult
4th County record, all since 2008.

PEBBLE HOOK-TIP Drepana falcataria                    recorded in ND16 - 1 record of 1 adult
2nd County record. Last recorded 1961.

PEACH BLOSSOM Thyatira batis                              recorded in ND12, ND13 and ND26 - 3 records of 5 adults
3rd, 4th and 5th County records and the first since 1963.

LARGE EMERALD Geonetra papilionaria                 recorded in ND34 - 1 record of 1 adult
2nd County record following 1st in 2005.

OBLIQUE CARPET Orthonama vittata                        recorded in ND 26 - 2 records of 2 adults at the same site
First records since 1996.

RED TWIN-SPOT CARPET Xanthorhoe spadicearia     recorded in ND12 - 1 record of 1 adult
First record since 1995.

GREY MOUNTAIN CARPET Entephria caesiata         recorded in ND34 - 1 record of 1 adult
First record since 2002.

STREAMER Anticlea derivata                                        recorded in  NC96 and ND12 - 2 records of 3 adults
5th and 6th County records and the first since 1995.

AUTUMN GREEN CARPET Chloroclysta miata          recorded in ND26 - 1 record of 1 adult
First record since 1998.

BROKEN-BARRED CARPET Electrophaes corylata   recorded in ND16 - 1 record of 1 adult
3rd County record.

RUDDY HIGHFLYER Hydriomena ruberata                    recorded in ND12 - 1 record of 1 adult
First record since 1998.

RIVULET Perizoma affiniata                                              recorded in ND13 - 2 records of 2 adults from the same site
4th and 5th County records and the first since 2005. All County records are from ND 12 and ND13.

HEATH RIVULET Perizoma minorata                              recorded in ND27 - 1 record of 1 adult
3rd County record and first since 1975.

PRETTY PINION Perizoma blandiata                               recorded in ND27 - 1 record of 1 adult
3rd County record and first since 1961.

GREEN PUG Pasiphila rectangulata                               recorded in ND35 - 1 record of 2 adults
First record since 2005.

STREAK Chesias legatella                                                recorded in ND27 (1 record of 1 adult) and ND35 (2 records of 2 adults)
These records follows that of September 2009 which was the first since 1995.

MANCHESTER TREBLE-BAR Carsia sororiata             recorded in ND04 - 1 record of 1 adult
UK Status Nb. Only one record in 2010 following the 4 in 2009 which were the first since 1996. The species had not been previously reported from ND04, which brings to 10 the number of squares from which this species has been recorded in the County.

TREBLE-BAR Aplocera plagiata                                        recorded in ND13 - 1 record of 1 adult
4th County record and the first since 1990.

CHIMNEY SWEEPER Odezia atrata                                  recorded in ND13 - 1 record of 1 adult
3rd County record and the first since 1975.

WELSH WAVE Venusia cambrica                                     recorded in ND12, ND13 and ND27 - 4 records of 6 adults
4th, 5th, 6th and 7th County records and the first since 1996.

CLOUDED BORDER Lomaspilis marginata                    recorded in ND12 - 2 records of 3 adults
3rd and 4th County records and first since 2005.

BORDERED BEAUTY Epione repandaria                         recorded in ND26 - 1 record of 1 adult
2nd County record and first since 1996.

LUNAR THORN Selenia lunularia                                       recorded in NC96 and ND12 - 3 records of 3 adults
First records since 2005.

SCALLOPED OAK Crocallis elinguaria                             recorded in ND13 - 1 record of 1 adult
First record since 2005.

PEPPERED MOTH Biston betularia                                    recorded in ND13 and ND26 - 2 records of 4 adults
4th and 5th County records and the first since 1975.

DOTTED BORDER Agriopis marginaria                              recorded in ND26, ND27 and ND36 - 5 records of 7 adults
First records since 1998.

MOTTLED UMBER Erannis defoliaria                                  recorded in ND26 - 1 record of 2 adults
Recorded on the 16th October, the earliest County record with all others in November and December. Probably under recorded because of flight period.

ENGRAILED Ectropis bistortata                                             recorded in ND06, ND26 and ND35
4th, 5th, 6th and 7th records for the County and the first since 2000.

CONVOLVULUS HAWKMOTH Agrius convolvuli               recorded in ND06 - 1 record of 1 adult
Only one record this year following 3 in 2009 and 2 in 2008.

HUMMINGBIRD HAWKMOTH Macroglossum stellatarum   recorded in ND27 - 1 record of 1 adult
4th County record, the three previous records all in 2006. Three of the four County records are from the same site in ND27.

PUSS MOTH Cerura vinula                                                recorded in ND05, ND23 and ND34 - 1 record of 1 adult and 2 records of 12 larvae
The first records of larvae in the County.

LESSER SWALLOW PROMINENT Pheosia gnoma           recorded in NC96 - 2 records of 2 adults
Both records from the same site, but the first time there has been more than one record in a year in the County.

VAPOURER Orgyia antiqua                                                     recorded in ND34 - 1 record of 6 larvae
Larvae found by searching. Probably under recorded in the County, particularly adults because of their daytime flying habits.

WOOD TIGER Parasemia plantaginis                                    recorded in ND15 and ND27 - 2 records of 2 adults
All County records of day flying adults and is possibly under recorded

LEAST BLACK ARCHES Nola confusalis                             recorded in NC96, ND12 and ND26 - 4 records of 8 eight adults
4th, 5th, 6th and 7th County records and the first since 1995. These records reflect a recent major increase in Scotland.

WHITE-LINE DART Euxoa tritici                                               recorded in ND26 and ND27 - 5 records of 10 adults
Three records of 8 adults from Dunnet Dunes, typical habitat for this species.

ARCHER'S DART Agrotis vestigialis                                       recorded in ND26 and ND27 - 2 records of 3 adults
First records since 1990 - both from Dunnet Dunes, typical habitat for this species.

PLAIN CLAY Eugnorisma depuncta                                         recorded in ND13 - 1 record of 1 adult
2nd County record and the first since 1991.

NORTHERN RUSTIC Standfussiana lucernea                        recorded in ND27 - 1 record of 1 adult
Only the second record since 1992.

PEARLY UNDERWING Peridroma saucia                               recorded in ND27 - 1 record of 1 adult
4th County record of this migrant.

BARRED CHESTNUT Diarsia dahlii                                         recorded in ND13 - 1 record of 1 adult
Only the third record since 1996.

CABBAGE MOTH Mamestra brassicae                                   recorded in ND27 - 1 record of 1 adult
First record since 1999.

GLAUCOUS SHEARS Papestra biren                                      recorded in NC96, ND05, ND06 and ND24 - 5 records of 15 adults
The most records in one year yet recorded in the County.

MARBLED CORONET Hadena confusa                                   recorded in ND27 - 3 records of 3 adults
All three records from the same site. Six of the eight County records have been in the last two years.

NORTHERN DEEP-BROWN DART Aporophyla lueneburgensis  recorded in ND37 - 1 record of 1 adult
The fifth record in two years after no having been recorded since 1996. Thought to be declining in Scotland.

DARK BROCADE Blepharita adusta                                         recorded in ND36 - 1 record of 1 adult
First record since 1998.

SATELLITE Eupsilia transversa                                                  recorded in ND26 - 2 records of 7 adults
5th and 6th County records. Recorded from the same site in Spring and Autumn indicating a breeding population.

CHESTNUT Conistra vaccinii                                                       recorded in NC96 and ND26 - 9 records of 13 adults
All records from 2 sites, previous to 2010 there were only 4 County records. Spring and autumn records from the ND26 site indicating a breeding population.

LIGHT KNOT GRASS Acronicta menyanthidis                          recorded in ND06 - 1 record of 1 adult
3rd County record and the first since 1961.

KNOT GRASS Acronicta rumicis                                                 recorded in NC96 - 4 records of 6 adults
3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th County records all from the same site in NC96 and the first since 1961

BROWN RUSTIC Rusina ferruginea                                            recorded in ND12, ND13 and ND26 - 3 records of 3 adults
Only one other record, in 2005, since 1996.

SAXON Hyppa rectilinea                                                               recorded in ND24 - 1 record of 8 adults
UK National Status Nb. 2nd County record and the first since 1963. 

NORTHERN ARCHES Apamea zeta assimilis                           recorded in ND24 and ND37 - 2 records of 5 adults
3rd and 4th County records. Three of the four County records have been from the same site in ND37.

SMALL CLOUDED BRINDLE                                                        recorded in ND35 - 1 record of 1 adult
2nd County record following first in 2009.

FROSTED ORANGE                                                                       recorded in ND35 - i record of 1 adult
4th County record.

LARGE WAINSCOT Rhizedra lutosa                                            recorded in ND27 - 2 records of 4 adults
5th and 6th County records. Both records at the same site in October and probably refer to migrants.

NUT-TREE TUSSOCK Colocasia coryli                                       recorded in ND12 - 2 records of 8 adults
5th and 6th County records. All but one of the County records are from the southeast.

LEMPKE'S GOLD SPOT Plusia putnami                                     recorded in ND24, ND27 and ND35 - 5 records of 12 adults
3rd, 4th and 5th County records. A species that is expanding it's range in Scotland.

STRAW DOT Rivula sericealis                                                       recorded in ND27 - 1 record of 1 adult
2nd County record following first in 2006.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks go to the observers listed below who submitted records during 2010. Also many thanks to Roy Leverton for his expert and patient advice on identification issues throughout the year.

OBSERVERS

The following submitted records during the year:

D Glass, G Jones, M Laux, M Legg, E Maughan, A McBay, I McLeod, P Miller, N Money, K Munro, I Outlaw, Phil, P Sayles, D Watt,
P Wright,

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