Buses

The previous post mentioned the beetle Glischrochilus quadripunctatus. Initially, I found this species in a vane trap, deceased, it has 107 records on the NBN so not a common beastie. I've been checking the vane traps at the community woodland at least once a week, but sometimes daily. The next time I looked in a trap there was another Glischrochilus quadripunctatus but this one was alive. I fished it out and released it. Then yesterday the same again, a live Glischrochilus quadripunctatus in the trap, fished out and released.

Glischrochilus quadripunctatus

A few days ago we went for a walk near Callander. The forecast was for a fair bit of rain so a lowland ramble seemed like the best plan. We set off on the Bracklinn Falls Circuit, and as I'm sure most folk do went to the falls first. Fortunately Louise and elder daughter were not marching at pace and so I had time to meander and look at moths and plants along the way. The moth Elachista argentella was seen and photographed early on, a tick.

Elachista argentella

Further along the way, in what initially appeared to be the boring forestry section of the walk, I found Micropterix calthella and more interestingly Micropterix aureatella a species I have seen only a few times previously.  

Micropterix aureatella

 It was the walk back down the hill on the road that proved most interesting though. I scrutinised the verge and very soon came across a Greater Butterfly Orchid.

Greater Butterfly Orchid Platanthera chlorantha

I then found another which was either this species or its relative P. bifolia, the flower was not yet open. Better was to come, as amongst the many Heath Spotted Orchids I found Heath Fragrant-orchid Gymnadenia borealis, a species I had been very much hoping for back at the community woodland, it was listed but not recently located. Of course, years ago when I lived in SE England and there was just "Fragrant Orchid", before the split into three species, it was a familiar plant, that one is now Chalk Fragrant-orchid Gymnadenia conopsea. 

Gymnadenia borealis

 Following this I then came across a large clump of Marsh Lousewort, a plant also on the community woodland "wanted" list, a species I know I had seen in the past, but I just could not remember where and when.

Marsh Lousewort Pedicularis palustris

That same day, in the evening, there was a Weekly Wander with a botanical theme at Comrie Community Woodland (CCW) https://www.facebook.com/groups/comriecommunitywoodland. So, on return from Calander I  hurriedly sorted myself out and headed out to the CCW. I arrived early so headed up the hill to our transects to check a few plants out for the Weekly Wander leader and participants... and bumped into Heath Fragrant-orchid just a few feet from the top of one of our transects.

Gymnadenia borealis

 Light trapping in the garden on 13th June had not been especially productive, just 16 moths of twelve species from three traps. The night was saved by the Four-dotted Footman which was NFM and an uncommon moth in this vice-county.

Four-dotted Footman Cybosia mesomella

Back to the Weekly Wander. Having shown folk the Heath Fragrant-orchid we started to find a lot more butterfly orchids, most in the process of opening, and then a couple of Twayblade. At this point a moth landed on a participant, Four-dotted Footman!

Four-dotted Footman Cybosia mesomella - again

The last of us left the Weekly Wander quite late, around ten, and the midges were starting to become savage. As I walked down the hill something caught my eye. A bright orange insect was whizzing around just above the height of the grasses. I didn't have a net, but I was wearing a hat! A carefully timed swipe produced Gold Swift. 

 

 A couple of days later I was wandering around CCW when in a spider's web I spotted this - 

Gold Swift wing Phymatopus hecta

 And then the following evening I found 12 roding males as I walked elsewhere on the site. (And also bumped into the sought Marsh Lousewort.)

 Last year I was successful in the garden with Lunar Hornet Moth pheromone lure. This is a lure to use sparingly as this is a fairly uncommon species with just 86 records in Scotland from 2000 to 2024 (Leverton & Cubitt 2024). (Pheromones may disrupt the breeding of sensitive moth species.) I tried the lure up at CCW but was unsuccessful. A new lure was purchased ready for this season and deployed with a good result on 23rd.

Lunar Hornet Moth Sesia bembeciformis

I removed the lure. However, I have other lures running at the CCW, including MOL not far from where the lure for the Lunar Hornet was deployed. 

The following day I went up to the CCW again to check all the traps. In the MOL lure trap was this...

Not the best photo as it was very active, but another Lunar Hornet Moth (clearly a different individual).