Mountview Moths & Pond!
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MOTHS & DRAGONS AT THE MOUNTVIEW HOTEL!
BREAKING NEWS!
We are delighted to report that one of our most hoped-for species, Northern Damselfly, was spotted at the pond on Saturday 24 June 2023 by eagle-eyed Heatherlea guest Malcolm Taylor! Two males were recorded. This rare and delicate damselfly is restricted to the Scottish Highlands. A fantastic addition to our pond dragonfly list!
Photo credit: Northern Damselfly by Malcolm Taylor
We are enhancing your wildlife experience at The Mountview in 2023 with the addition of moth trapping and pond dipping, all at no additional cost and without reducing our birding time.
Our moth trap is set up at least one evening each week, and checked after breakfast the following morning. We will let you know when the trap is out so you can join in the following morning. If you aren't interested in mothing, we will see you in the Dining Room!
Trapping started in January, and although it was too cold most nights for trapping, we were delighted to catch a Pale-brindled Beauty on the night of Tuesday 24th January. An early record and our first moth of the year!
Since the weather has turned warmer, our moth trapping list has increased to 63 species by the end of June (see table below)! We expect to build a list of well over 100 species during 2023.
Garden Tiger Shark Map-winged Swift
Poplar hawk-moth Purple Thorn Lesser Swallow Prominent
| Common Name | Species | Date first recorded |
|---|---|---|
|
Pale Brindled Beauty
|
Phigalia pilosaria
|
24.01.23
|
|
Chestnut
|
Conistra vaccinii
|
16.03.23
|
|
March moth
|
Alsophila aescularia
|
20.03.23
|
|
Hebrew Character
|
Orthosia gothica
|
20.03.23
|
|
Satellite
|
Eupsilia transversa
|
20.03.23
|
|
Common Quaker
|
Orthosia cerasi
|
04.04.23
|
|
Pine Beauty
|
Panolis flammea
|
04.04.23
|
|
Common Flat-body
|
Agonopterix heracliana
|
04.04.23
|
|
Sword grass
|
Xylena exsoleta
|
04.04.23
|
|
Early Tooth-striped
|
Trichopteryx carpinata
|
04.04.23
|
|
Clouded Drab
|
Orthosia incerta
|
04.04.23
|
|
Yellow Horned
|
Achlya flavicornis galbanus
|
04.04.23
|
|
Brindled Beauty
|
Lycia hirtaria
|
04.03.23
|
|
Red Sword grass
|
Xylena vetusta
|
05.04.23
|
|
Engrailed
|
Ectropis crepuscularia
|
16.04.23
|
|
Red-green Carpet
|
Chloroclysta siterata
|
16.04.23
|
|
Red Chestnut
|
Cerastis rubricosa
|
18.04.23
|
|
Dwarf Pug
|
Eupithecia tantillaria
|
03.05.23
|
|
Garden Carpet
|
Xanthorhoe fluctuata
|
03.05.23
|
|
Herald
|
Scoliopteryx libatrix
|
09.05.23
|
|
Pale Pinion
|
Lithophane socia
|
03.05.23
|
|
Ochreous Pug
|
Eupithecia indigata
|
03.05.23
|
|
Scalloped Hazel
|
Odontopera bidentata
|
03.05.23
|
|
Red-green Carpet
|
Chloroclysta siterata
|
11.05.23
|
|
Vetch Piercer
|
Grapholita jungiella
|
11.05.23
|
|
Water Carpet
|
Lampropteryx suffumata
|
11.05.23
|
|
Shears
|
Hada plebeja
|
24.05.23
|
|
Brown Silver-line
|
Petrophora chlorosata
|
24.05.23
|
|
Nut-tree Tussock
|
Colocasia coryli
|
24.05.23
|
|
Poplar Hawk-moth
|
Laothoe populi
|
31.05.23
|
|
Brimstone moth
|
Opisthograptis luteolata
|
31.05.23
|
|
White Ermine
|
Spilosoma lubricipeda
|
31.05.23
|
|
Pale-shouldered Brocade
|
Lacanobia thalassina
|
31.05.23
|
|
Rustic Shoulder-knot
|
Apamea sordens
|
31.05.23
|
|
Freyer's Pug
|
Eupithecia intricata subsp. arceuthata
|
31.05.23
|
|
Lunar Thorn
|
Selenia lunularia
|
31.05.23
|
|
Least black arches
|
Nola confusalis
|
31.05.23
|
|
Bordered White
|
Bupalus piniaria
|
31.05.23
|
|
Lesser swallow prominent
|
Pheosia gnoma
|
31.05.23
|
|
Purple Thorn
|
Selenia tetralunaria
|
31.05.23
|
|
Brown Rustic
|
Rusina ferruginea
|
31.05.23
|
|
Shark
|
Cucullia umbratica
|
15.06.23
|
|
Beautiful Golden Y
|
Autographa pulchrina
|
15.06.23
|
|
Bright-line brown-eye
|
Lacanobia oleracea
|
15.06.23
|
|
Coxcomb prominent
|
Ptilodon capucina
|
15.06.23
|
|
Large Emerald
|
Geometra papilionaria
|
15.06.23
|
|
Map-winged swift
|
Korscheltellus fusconebulosa
|
15.06.23
|
|
Small Phoenix
|
Ecliptopera silaceata
|
15.06.23
|
|
Silver Y
|
Autographa gamma
|
15.06.23
|
|
Silver-ground Carpet
|
Xanthorhoe montanata montanata
|
15.06.23
|
|
Garden-grass veneer
|
Chrysoteuchia culmella
|
21.06.23
|
|
Large yellow underwing
|
Noctua pronuba
|
21.06.23
|
|
Middle-barred minor
|
Oligia fasciuncula
|
21.06.23
|
|
Grey Pine Carpet
|
Thera obeliscata
|
24.06.23
|
|
Garden Tiger
|
Arctia caja
|
24.06.23
|
|
True Lover's Knot
|
Lycophotia porphyrea
|
24.06.23
|
|
Double Square-spot
|
Xestia triangulum
|
24.06.23
|
|
Small Square-spot
|
Diarsia rubi
|
29.06.23
|
|
Riband Wave
|
Idaea aversata
|
29.06.23
|
|
Smoky Wainscot
|
Mythimna pudorina
|
29.06.23
|
|
Dark Arches
|
Aparmea monoglypha
|
29.06.23
|
|
Green Carpet
|
Colostygia pectinataria
|
29.06.23
|
|
Common Lutestring
|
Ochropacha duplaris
|
29.06.23
|
We will shortly begin pond-dipping in our new garden pond (built in conjunction with the British Dragonfly Society and local volunteers), and we will update our news page with details of our first pond dip soon.
The pond build started in August 2022, and before autumn was out we noted three species of dragonfly... Four-spotted Chaser, female Black Darter and a female Common Hawker seen egg-laying! We also have Diving and Whirligig Beetles plus Pond Skaters and Water Boatman. A recent evening pond survey resulted in us finding both Palmate and Smooth newt resident, plus our first Toad! We will be watching for more visitors including damsels and dragons as the year develops!