France Trip - Las Descargues - 27/06/16 to 01/07/16 - Part One - Macro'sHello all.I recently got back from a really enjoyable 5 nights of Moth trapping, Butterfly and Bird watching in the Midi-Pyrenees.I went with good friends Roger and Steve whom accompany me on many trips out in our County or Hertfordshire.It was decided at the end of last year that we should go for a short week away to sample some of the Moths that would be on offer in South-Wast France.

The article below is copied from Robin Howard's Lot Moths website. He describes it perfectly so didn't feel the need to re-write it!

"The Gite that we stayed in lies in a stunningly beautiful part of the Haute Quercy in the Lot southwest France. Located at the end of a ridge overlooking the Bave Valley it is surrounded by rolling, wooded hills, deep, river-cut gorges and on the nearby Causse, limestone pavement. The proximity of the limestone Causse de Gramat and volcanic Massif Central have produced a complex local geology that has formed the basis for a mosaic of habitats supporting a diverse flora with a rich moth and butterfly fauna. Over 1820 species have been recorded so far from the immediate area with more than 1600 species taken from the environs of the farm alone.Mercury vapour and actinic traps are run throughout the year in and around the farm with weekly forays made onto the limestone pavement and local poplar plantations, whilst the nearby volcanic peaks are regularly visited during the summer months for the more esoteric species.For further information regarding holidays and research opportunities at our farm and for a full description of the area and available accommodation please visit our sister site at www.lasdescargues.com or email us for a comprehensive information pack".

Robin and Sue are both fantastic hosts and could not do enough for you, I urge anyone to go there and experience the amazing wildlife that is on offer there.

The species site list is in excess of an incredible 2000 species of Moth! In 16 years that is incredible, and shows how special this habitat really is.

Our target was 300 species and with over 200 Macro's we may just get to the 300 mark with the Micro's still to sort.

We ran 2 static traps in the garden (Both MV 125s) and I brought my 160w MBT Blended bulb on a tripod.We then had access to a further two traps, an MV Robinson and an Actinic Midi-Robinson which we could take further afield, in fact we tried three further sites.

Macro Moths listed so far...Species in red are completely new to meThe Micro's are still pending and a lot are so far unnamed!

212 Species

Adactylotis contaminariaAlchymistAlder KittenAlder MothAlychmistAnaplectoides prasinaAngle ShadesAngle-striped SallowAtypha pulmonarisBalsam CarpetBarred Hook-tipBarred RedBarred Yellow (only at Causse)Beautiful Golden-YBeautiful Hook-tipBird's WingBlack ArchesBlack V-mothBlood-veinBordered BeautyBright-line Brown-eyeBrimstone MothBrindled White-spotBroad-bordered Yellow UnderwingBroken-barred CarpetBrown RusticBrown Silver-linesBrussels LaceBuff ArchesBuff ErmineBuff FootmanBuff-tipBurnished BrassCaradrina aspersaChequered WaveClay Fan-footClouded BorderClouded MagpieClouded SilverCommon CarpetCommon EmeraldCommon FootmanCommon WainscotCommon White WaveCoronetCream WaveCream-spot TigerDagger spDark ArchesDark UmberDelicateDingy FootmanDouble Square-spotDouble-striped PugDun-barDwarf Cream WaveEastern Bordered StrawElephant Hawk-mothEngrailed spFan-footFeathered FootmanFestoonFiery ClearwingFlameFlame ShoulderFour-dotted Footman (only at Causse)Four-spotted FootmanFox MothFoxglove PugGnophos furcatusGoat MothGrass EmeraldGreat Oak BeautyGreen ArchesGreen PugGreen Silver-linesGrey ArchesGrey PugGrey-pine CarpetGuernsey UnderwingHandmaidHeart & ClubHeart & DartHeart MothHeraldHoary FootmanHoplodrina respersaHorse ChestnutHumming-bird Hawk-mothIdaea deversariaIdaea macilentariaIdaea moniliataIdia calvariaIron ProminentIsle of Wight WaveIvory FootmanJubilee Fan-footLace BorderLackeyLamprosticta cultaLarge EmeraldLarge Yellow UnderwingLatinLatticed HeathLeast CarpetLeast CarpetLeopard MothLesser Broad-bordered Yellow UnderwingLesser Cream WaveLesser Swallow ProminentLesser Treble-barLesser Yellow UnderwingLewes WaveLight EmeraldLilac BeautyLobster MothLycophotia erythrinaMarbled BrownMarbled MinorMarbled White-spotMediterranean lace borderMillerMinor Shoulder-knotMottled RusticNut-tree TussockOak Hawk-mothOak Hook-tipOrache MothOrange FootmanOrange MothPale Mottled WillowPale Oak BeautyPale Oak BeautyPale ShoulderPassengerPeach BlossomPebble ProminentPebble ProminentPeppered MothPerigune narboneaPerizoma lugdunariaPetrophora narboneaPhalera bucephaloidesPine Hawk-mothPine ProcessionaryPine-tree LappetPlain WavePlum LappetPoplar LappetPortland Riband WavePowdered RusticPrivet Hawk-mothPurple BarRed-necked FootmanRhodostrophia calabraRiband WaveRosy FootmanRosy MarbledRuby TigerRufous MinorRusticScallop ShellScarce BlackneckScarce FootmanScarce Merveille du-jourScarce Silver-linesScarlet TigerScorched CarpetScorched WingSeptember ThornSetaceous Hebrew CharacterShaded AnnuletShaded Fan-footSharkShearsShort-cloaked Moth (only at Causse)Silver-YSingle-dotted WaveSingle-dotted WaveSmall Angle ShadesSmall Blood-veinSmall Dusty WaveSmall EmeraldSmall Fan-footSmall Fan-footed WaveSmall Purple-barredSmall RanunculusSmall White WaveSnoutSouthern WainscotSpeckled BeautySpeckled YellowSpectacleStraw BelleSwallow-tailed MothSwarthy AnnuletTawny ProminentTawny WaveTawny-barred AngleTephronia sepiariaToadflax BrocadeTreble Brown SpotTurnip MothUncertainVine's RusticV-mothV-PugWhite ErmineWhite-pointWillow BeautyYellow Shell