Trip to Slovenia – 7 Night’s Mothing 28th August – 04th September 2011

Just got back from an amazing trip to Slovenia near Moravske Toplice, on the border of the Goricko National Park. It really is a stunning location and allows you to explore the 3 neighbouring Countries Austria, Hungary and Croatia, all of which are within a 20 minute drive away. In seven nights I managed 125 species of Macro Moths, which at this slow time of year was more than I expected! The conditions were perfect most evenings, clouding over as the sunset (total opposite to most night’s here in the UK!) 2 nights, Thursday & Friday we experienced huge thunderstorms and extremely wet conditions so only the wall mounted light was used on these nights. Most days ranged from 24c to 31c and there was little wind and the temperatures at night kept to a minimal 20c! Unfortunately being located within a vineyard Wasps and Hornets were a big problem (the Hornets had even taken residence under the eaves of the cottage). This did present some problems going through the catch in the morning and as a result decided against using a trap, but to just rely on the walls. Now, when I first arrived I was deciding where to put the 160w MBT Tripod set-up that I had brought, and then on inspection of the cottage, to the rear was a wall mounted bulb that was water-proofed, it turned out to be a 250w Mercury Vapour bulb, result! All I had to do was flick the switch on at dusk then check the wall in the morning. I decided to set-up my other light at the front of the property over-looking the wood. The surrounding habitat looked perfect, adjacent woodland, a good sized garden and positioned on top of a hill to intercept anything that was flying across, there was also no light pollution at all. Here is the complete list from those 7 nights, Starred species are new species to me.

MACRO MOTHS

Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina) Lemonia taraxaci * Antheraea yamamai * Scalloped Hook-tip (Falcaria lacertinaria) Oak Hook-tip (Watsonalla binaria) Barred Hook-tip (Watsonalla cultraria) Pebble Hook-tip (Drepana falcataria) Scarce Hook-tip (Sabra harpagula) * Peach Blossom (Thyatira batis) Buff Arches (Habrosyne pyritoides) Little Emerald (Jodis lactearia) * Maiden’s Blush (Cyclophora punctaria) Clay Triple-lines (Cyclophora linearia) Mocha sp. * Blood-vein (Timandra comai) Streaked Wave (Scopula virgulata) * Lesser Cream Wave (Scopula immutata) Bright Wave (Idaea ochrata cantiata) * Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiate) Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) Gem (Orthonama obstipata) * Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe decoloraria) Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia) Royal Mantle (Catarhoe cuculata) * Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata) Purple Bar (Cosmorhoe ocellata) Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata) Red-green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata) Pine Carpet (Thera firmata) * Cloaked Carpet (Euphyia biangulata) * Small Rivulet (Perizoma alchemillata) Freyer’s Pug (Eupithecia intricata) Plain Pug (Eupithecia simpliciata) Treble Bar (Aplocera plagiata) Small White Wave (Asthena albulata) Small Seraphim (Pterapherapteryx sexalata) Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata) Peacock Moth (Macaria notata) Tawny-barred Angle (Macaria liturata) Latticed Heath (Chiasmia clathrata) Large Thorn (Ennomos autumnaria) August Thorn (Ennomos quercinaria) September Thorn (Ennomos erosaria) Lunar Thorn (Selenia lunularia) * Luna Beauty (Ascotis selenaria)* Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) Feathered Beauty (Peribatodes secundaria) * Pale Oak Beauty (Hypomecis punctinalis) The Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata) Common White Wave (Cabera pusaria) Light Emerald (Campaea margaritata) Barred Red (Hylaea fasciaria) Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Agrius convolvuli) * Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) Buff-tip (Phalera bucephala) Lobster Moth (Stauropus fagi) Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedaries) Three-humped Prominent (Notodonta tritophus) * Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac) Lesser Swallow Prominent (Pheosia gnoma) Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula) Coxcomb Prominent (Ptilodon capucina) Maple Prominent (Ptilodon cucullina) Clostera anastomosis * Oak Processionary (Thaumetopoea processionea) * The Vapourer (Orgyia antique) Yellow-tail (Euproctis similis) Rosy Footman (Miltochrista miniata) Scarce Footman (Eilema complana) Buff Footman (Eilema depressa) Four-spotted Footman (Lithosia quadra) * Buff Ermine (Spilosoma luteum) Ruby Tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa) Jersey Tiger (Euplagia quadripunctaria) Small Black Arches (Meganola strigula) * Kent Black Arches (Meganola albula) Turnip Moth Agrotis segetum Heart & Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) Plain Clay (Eugnorisma depuncta) * Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) Pearly Underwing (Peridroma saucia) * Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) Square-spotted Clay (Xestia rhomboidea) Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) Beautiful Brocade (Lacanobia contigua) * Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) Double Line (Mythimna turca) * The Delicate (Mythimna vitellina) * Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impure) L-album Wainscot (Mythimna l-album) Beautiful Arches (Blepharita satura) * Large Dagger (Acronicta cuspis)* Knot Grass (Acronicta rumicis) Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) Orache Moth (Trachea atriplicis) * Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) The Olive (Ipimorpha subtusa) The Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina) Common Rustic (Mesapamea secalis) Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) The Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines) The Rustic (Hoplodrina blanda) Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) Bordered Sallow (Pyrrhia umbra) Scarce Bordered Straw (Helicoverpa armigera) Marbled White Spot (Protodeltote pygarga) Shining Marbled (Pseudeustrotia candidula) * Spotted Sulphur (Emmelia trabealis) * Oak Nycteoline (Nycteola revayana) Scarce Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chryson) * Silver Y (Autographa gamma) Dark Spectacle (Abrostola triplasia) Clifden Nonpareil (Catocala fraxini) * The Passenger (Dysgonia algira)* Beautiful Hook-tip (Laspeyria flexula) Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) Shaded Fan-foot (Herminia tarsicrinalis) * Small Fan-foot (Herminia grisealis)