Trip to Las Descargues 8th August - 18th August - Macro MothsI made a trip back to Robin Howard's beautiful place in the Midi-pyrenees with my wife on the second week of August.We planned to stay over our anniversary but we were unsure of what the weather would be like, so very opted for a slightly longer stay of 10 days incase the weather wasn't too good.

We are very glad that we did as the first 4 days were quite wet and windy and with daytime temperatures not getting much higher than 18 degrees, it felt like the trip back in June al over again!Thankfully by Saturday the temperature had recovered and we were enjoying the sunshine finally and by Monday we made use of the stunning swimming pool that we had all to ourselves (although it was quite cold and took your breathe away). Typically on the last day (Thursday) it was really warm and the pool felt a bit warmer so we made the most of it!

Of course Moths were once again on the agenda, a I was granted permission to use traps aeound thr garden, extending to the ridge with a generator if I wanted to.

The first few nights were hard going and measly pickings but of course every trap had it's surprises in, and having not been here in August before there were plenty of moths that i'd never seen before.

2 of the traps on the first couple of nights got water-logged and then I had the challenging time of dealing with lively Hornets, albeit they are quite docile once the sun has rose and some mornings I just had to wait for it to get light before I could get near the traps.

We also lost one of the bulbs in the lower garden, I woke up to find it glowing green/white and thought it was odd and then getting nearer and realising the bulb had smashed, not good as Robin didn't have a 3-pin spare. How on earth it smashed when we had no rain that night (and it had a secure rainguard on it anyway) is beyond me. I could still see the light in my vision for about 15 minutes after which was slightly worrying!

By Saturday and Sunday, nights were really warm and temperatures kept in the high teens some nights even when the sky had cleared and working the traps in the morning (sometimes 4) was pretty hard work to say the least. Potting stuff up I didn't recognise, keeping a list on a notepad, the traps were full up and some mornings each trap had about 400 moths in, and I had 4 running! The best night I had around 160 species which is pretty incredible for August apprarently.

This first post I will list the Macro Moths that I saw on my trip.

I still have a few for identification as always but so far the Macro Moth species list stands at 193 species.

Species highlighted in red are completely new to me.

All of the Macro Moth species that I took photos of can now be viewed on my flickr page HERE

Adactylotis contaminariaAngle ShadesBarred Hook-tipBeautiful Hook-tipBeautiful MarbledBeautiful Yellow UnderwingBirch MochaBird's WingBlack ArchesBlack V MothBlair's MochaBlood-veinBordered WhiteBright-line Brown-eyeBrimstone MothBroad-barred WhiteBroad-bordered Bee Hawk-mothBroad-bordered Yellow UnderwingBrussels LaceBuff ArchesBuff ErmineBuff FootmanBuff-tipBurnished BrassCampionChinese CharacterClayClay Triple-linesCloaked CarpetCloaked MinorClouded BorderClouded BuffClouded SilverCommon CarpetCommon FootmanCommon RusticCommon WainscotCommon WaveCommon White WaveCopper UnderwingCoronetCoxcomb ProminentCrescent DartDark SpectacleDark Sword-grassDark-barred Twin-spot CarpetDelicateDewick's PlusiaDingy FootmanDotted ClayDouble-striped PugDrymonia quernaDumeril's RusticDun-barDusky Marbled BrownEar MothEarly ThornEngrailedEpilecta linogriseaEssex EmeraldEupithecia semigraphata or impurataFalse MochaFestoonFigure of EightyFlame ShoulderFlounced RusticFour-spotted FootmanFoxglove PugFrosted YellowGarden CarpetGarden TigerGemGrass EmeraldGreat DartGreen Silver-linesGrey DaggerGypsy MothHeart & DartHoary FootmanHorse ChestnutHumming-bird Hawk-mothIdaea deversariaIdia calvariaIron ProminentJersey EmeraldJersey TigerKnot GrassLarge Yellow UnderwingLatinLatticed HeathLeast Yellow UnderwingLeopard MothLesser Broad-bordered Yellow UnderwingLesser Cream WaveLesser Swallow ProminentLesser Treble-barLesser Yellow UnderwingLight EmeraldLime Hawk-mothLime-speck PugLobster MothLunar ThornLychnisLythria cruentariaMaiden's BlushMarbled CloverMillerNutmegNut-tree TussockOak EggarOak Hook-tipOak ProcessionaryOrache MothOrange FootmanPaidia ricaPale Mottled WillowPale Oak BeautyPale ProminentPale ShoulderPassengerPeach BlossomPeacock MothPebble Hook-tipPeppered MothPhoenixPigmy FootmanPine Hawk-mothPine ProcessionaryPine-tree LappetPinion-streaked SnoutPlum LappetPoplar Hawk-mothPoplar KittenPoplar LappetPortland Riband WaveRed Twin-spot CarpetRiband WaveRosy FootmanRosy MarbledRuby TigerRusticSatin WaveScalloped Hook-tipScarce Bordered StrawScarce FootmanScarce Merveille du JourScarlet TigerScopula tesselariaScorched WingSetaceous Hebrew CharacterSharkShearsSilver-YSingle-dotted WaveSmall Angle ShadesSmall Black ArchesSmall Blood-veinSmall Dusty WaveSmall Fan-footSmall Fan-footed WaveSmall Mottled WillowSmall Purple-barredSmall RanunculusSmall RivuletSmall White WaveSnoutSpeckled BeautySpotted SulphurSquare-spotted ClayStraw DotStraw UnderwingSwallow ProminentSynopsia sociariaTawny ProminentTawny-barred AngleTephronia sepiariaToadflax BrocadeTreble-barTree-lichen BeautyTrue Lover's KnotVestalVine's RusticWaved UmberWhite ErmineWhite-pointWhite-speckWillow BeautyWood CarpetYellow ShellYellow-barred BrindleYellow-headed Phoenix