[0700] Agonopterix pallorella

Description:

Hexton Chalk Pit Field Trip report - 09/04/14Last night I was joined by Colin Plant and Roger Prue at Hexton Chalk Pit in probably the most North-westerly part of Hertfordshire as we could get, Bedfordshire was literally just over the road.We of course were in search of Northern Drab and trying to add another site for this rare moth (Having previously been caught the night before on chalk downland..I was hopeful)But to cut a long story short we didn't find it.Conditions were perfect, calm cloudy and mild for about an hour after dusk then it noticeably got a lot cooler and coats were zipped up and hats adorned! The sky still stayed thick with cloud.At about 11.30pm the sky cleared and it was time to start packing up.Not a huge amount of moths but a nice variety nevertheless with the bulk of the catch made up of Common Quaker's and Hebrew Character's. 10 examples of Red Chestnut were also nice to see, one that I haven't had in the garden yet.The micro's were where the interest was with 2 Agonopterix pallorella's turning up near the end of the session, an over-wintering Agonopterix and were actually last seen in the County at this very site...13 years ago in 2001.No doubt there may have been a few more records since? But I will have to enquire.Another little micro that was new for the year was Scrobipalpa acuminatella, which was narrowed down to the early flight season, it was so fresh and very shiny. All in all a lovely site, quite compact and easy to set-up traps once you have traversed the 45 degree climb into the pit!Catch Report - Hexton Chalk Pit - 09/04/14 - 2x 125w MV Robinson Trap, 1x 160w MBT Robinson Trap and 1x 80w Actinic TrapLights run from 8.00pm until 12.00amMacro Moths28x Common Quaker2x Double-striped Pug2x Water Carpet14x Hebrew Character2x Purple Thorn4x Nut-tree Tussock10x Red Chestnut1x Early Thorn1x Waved Umber5x Clouded Drab1x Small Quaker1x ChestnutMicro Moths1x Agonopterix pallorella [NEW!]1x Scrobipalpa acuminatella1x Agonopterix alstromeriana1x Mompha subbistrigella