2009 Highlights

All records are from our garden unless stated otherwise.

	The red flag indicates a record that appears to be a first for the valley.  However, we continue to research existing records and if a species has already been recorded, this page will be updated.
	Where the record appears to be a first for the county or one of only a few records, a double red flag is shown.

1 Jan	The Herald 2469 Scoliopteryx libatrix	Status: National - common Marsland - common	This year's count of hibernating Heralds in the wood store was 12 compared to 14 in 2008.
6 Mar	Garden Moth Scheme		This year we are taking part in the Garden Moth Scheme, recording both in our garden and helping the local primary school, St Mark's CE, record in their nature reserve. Our results can be found here.  The school's results have been included on their science project website here. St Mark's is the first primary school in Cornwall to take part in this national moth recording scheme.
20 Mar	Oak Beauty 1930 Biston strataria	Status: National - common Marsland - common	Despite being a very common moth in the garden, this is the only brown variation to date.
30 Mar	Frosted Green 1660 Polyploca ridens	Status: National - common in southern England Marsland - common	Recorded in the garden annually.  This specimen is strangley pale banded.
31 Mar	Grey Birch 1951 Aethalura punctulata	Status: National - local Marsland - first recorded 2007	Recorded in the garden annually in low numbers.  This is the earliest record to date.
17 Apr	Emperor Moth 1643 (Saturnia pavonia)	Status: National - common Marsland - previously recorded	This is only the second garden record to date.
17 Apr	Emperor Moth 1643 (Saturnia pavonia)	Status: National - common Marsland - previously recorded	The female Emperor Moth laid eggs in the trap overnight.
5 May	Emperor Moth 1643 (Saturnia pavonia)		Three-quarters of the Emperor Moth eggs hatched and are being reared.  Some larvae are being looked after by the children at St Mark's Primary School as part of their life-cycle studies.  Each group is feeding their larvae on a different food source to monitor if there is any variation in their development.
19 May	Micropterix aruncella 4	Status: National - common Marsland - first record	Despite being a first record for the reserve, several were seen in the bright sunshine on Mountain Knapweed (Centaurea montana) in the garden. It has been recorded since in other parts of the valley, suggesting it is reasonably common.
21 May	Mompha locupletella 882	Status: National - common Marsland - previously recorded	We joined St Mark's Primary School's Activity Day to help the children map their different habitats and record the wild flowers and wildlife present. This moth was recorded in the school's nature reserve.
21 May	Emperor Moth 1643 (Saturnia pavonia)	The children at St Mark's are successfully looking after the larvae which are growing at a phenomenal rate.  The larvae fed on willow have made the most rapid growth.
22 May	Devon Wildlife Trust		Gary Pilkington arranged for ten members of staff from the Devon Wildlife Trust to come to the garden as part of their visit to the Marsland Reserve.  They were shown the results from the previous night's trapping, including the Beautiful Golden Y, pictured right.  This was one of five First Dates for 2009 recorded on the night. Details of the results can be seen here.
22 May	Pseudargyrotoza conwagana 1011	Status: National - common Marsland - first recorded 2007	Only the second garden record.
23 May	Eulia ministrana 1015	Status: National - common Marsland - first record	First record for the reserve. Daytime in the valley.
24 May	Grapholita jungiella 1251	Status: National - common Marsland - first record	First record for the reserve. Daytime in the valley.
28 May	Treble-bar 1867 (Aplocera plagiata)	Status: National - common Marsland - previously recorded	First garden record.
28 May	Barred Hook-tip 1647 (Watsonalla cultraria)	Status: National - local Marsland - first record	First reserve record. Two came to an MV light.
29 May	Devon Wildlife Trust		Another eleven members of staff from the Devon Wildlife Trust visited the garden as part of their day on the Marsland Reserve with Gary Pilkington. It was good the visitors could see a first record for the Reserve, the Barred Hook-tip shown above, as part of the previous night's catch. Details of the results can be seen here.
31 May	Common Heath 1952 (Ematurga atomaria)	Status: National - common Marsland - previously recorded	First garden record. This female was flying in sunshine across the garden and was netted to confirm id.
31 May	Barrett's Marbled Coronet 2169 (Hadena luteago)		Two of this nationally scarce species were recorded whilst light trapping on the cliffs at Duckpool.  These are first records for the site.  See more about Duckpool on the Out and About page.
2 Jun	Aethes cnicana 945	Status: National - common Marsland - first record	The first of several recorded in the garden suggesting that it is reasonably common in other parts of the valley.
22 Jun	Emperor Moth 1643 (Saturnia pavonia)	The larvae feeding on willow were the first to pupate.  The children did exceptionally well, getting a very high proportion to this final stage.
23 Jun	Ancylis achatana 1115	Status: National - local Marsland - first record	Thought to be a first record for VC4.
24 Jun	Clearwing Hunt	Leon Truscott, Dave Allen, Steve Madge and John Nicholls of the Cornwall Moth Group joined Steve on the cliffs at Duckpool and in the fruitcage hunting for clearwings - see results below.
24 Jun	Six-belted Clearwing 382 (Bembecia ichneumoniformis)		Significant numbers of this nationally scarce moth were attracted to pheromones at all levels on the cliffs at Duckpool.  As far as we know this moth hasn't been recorded before on this part of the north Cornwall coast.  The nearest recording would appear to be at Perranporth.  Further sessions at Duckpool show this clearwing is present in substantial numbers at this site.
24 Jun	Thrift Clearwing 383 (Synansphecia muscaeformis)		This species is nationally scarce. It was attracted to pheromones on the more exposed coastal outcrops at Duckpool. Again, as far as we know, it is the first record for this site.
26 Jun	The Miller 2280 (Acronicta leporina)	Status: National - common Marsland - previously recorded	First garden record.  Two came to an MV light on the same night.  Having not been recorded in 2007 or 2008 it would suggest that this species is not common in the valley.
26 Jun	Crambus uliginosellus 1297	Status: National - local Marsland - first record	First record for the reserve. Rare in both VC2 and VC4.  Thanks to Leon Truscott and Bob Heckford for confirming identification and status
26 Jun	Bird-cherry Ermine 424 (Yponomeuta evonymella)	Status: National - common Marsland - first record	Not previously recorded in the reserve.  The sudden arrival of 12 in the garden between 26 June and 15 July suggest these were migrants. A maximum of 8 were recorded on 26 June.
28 Jun	Beautiful Snout 2476 (Hypena crassalis)	Status: National - common Marsland - previously recorded	First garden record.
1 Jul	Apomyelois bistriatella 1486	Status: National - scarce Marsland - first record	First VC4 record. Thanks to Bob Heckford for confirming the identification and status.
8 Jul	Pammene aurita 1233	Status: National - local Marsland - first record	First record for the reserve.  Few records for VC2.
9 Jul	White Plume Moth 1513 (Pterophorus pentadactyla)	Status: National - common Marsland - previously recorded	First garden record.
12 Jul	Hummingbird Hawk-moth 1984 (Macroglossum stellatarum)	Status: National - regular migrant Marsland - previously recorded	The first of two garden records this year.  Three seen at Duckpool.
15 Jul	Crescent Dart 2090 (Agrotis trux lunigera)	Status: National - common Marsland - previously recorded	Two came to light.  Only one previous record in the garden on 22 July 2008.
16 Jul	Swammerdamia pyrella 438	Status: National - local Marsland - previously recorded in 2007	This was the second record for the reserve with a third on 3 August.  We recorded the first on 11 August 2007. We believe these are the first records for VC4.
25 Jul	Acleris holmiana 1037	Status: National - local Marsland - first record	First record for both the reserve and VC4.
29 Jul	Roeslerstammia erxlebella 447	Status: National - local Marsland - first record	First record for the reserve. There appear to be few records in either VC2 or VC4.
1 Aug	Clouded Yellow Butterfly 1545 (Colias croceus)	Status: National - annual migrant in variable numbers Marsland - previously recorded	First garden record since 2006.  Two further records at Duckpool this summer.
1 Aug	Comma Ab. dilutus Butterfly 1598 (Polygonia c-album ab.dilutus)	Status: National - rare Marsland - first record	This rare aberration of the Comma butterfly was found nectaring on Buddleia in the garden.  It was also recorded flying across the stream into Devon where it sat on a Hazel leaf in the sun. The exact status of this aberration is uncertain.  However, it seems likely it is a first record for Cornwall and possibly for Devon.  The National History Museum has only 2 set specimens amongst their collection of 1,500 Comma (Polygonia c-album).
3 Aug	Ringed China-mark 1348 (Parapoynx stratiotata)	Status: National - local Marsland - first record	Six specimens were recorded in the garden between 3 and 19 August.  Strangely, prior to this, the species had not been recorded either in the garden or elsewhere in the valley.
11 Aug	Antler Moth 2176 (Cerapteryx graminis)		Recorded nectaring during a daytime walk at Tintagel.  This species is yet to be recorded in the Marsland valley.
16 Aug	Helcystogramma rufescens 868	Status: National - local Marsland - previously recorded in 1964	Few records in either VC2 or VC4.
17 Aug	Dichrorampha acuminatana 1279	Status: National - local Marsland - first record	First reserve record and rare in both VC2 and VC4.
17 Aug	The Annulet 1964 (Charissa obscurata)	Status: National - local Marsland - previously recorded	First garden record.
26 Aug	Yellow-tail 2030 (Euproctis similis)	Status: National - local Marsland - previously recorded	First garden record. First Marsland record since 1986.
11 Sep	Eucalybites auroguttella 297		Only two previous 20th Century Cornish records, this specimen was found high up on the cliffs at Duckpool during a daytime search. See more about Duckpool on the Out and About page.
16 Sep	Hypatima rhomboidella 858	Status: National - local Marsland - first record	First valley record beaten from a hazel tree while searching for larvae.
18-19 Sep	Run jointly by Atropos and Butterfly Conservation		In the week leading up to NMN, 147 moths of 14 different species were marked on the bottom corner of the right forewing with a grey spot.  This included 106 Silver Y. Over the following days, 3 Silver Y, 3 Large Yellow Underwing and 1 Flame Shoulder were re-trapped in the garden.
18 Sep	St Mark's Nature Night		There were over 60 people who attended a Nature Night at our local primary school, arranged as an event for National Moth Night. 163 moths of 30 species were attracted to a 15W actinic and 125W MV lamp left overnight - see the post on the school's blog.
25 Sep	The Anomalous 2394 (Stilbia anomala)		8 The Anomalous were attracted to a MV lamp run at the top of Duckpool cliffs.  This is believed to be the first record of this species at this site.  It is unrecorded in the Marsland valley. See more about Duckpool on the Out and About page.
27 Sep	Brown Long-eared Bat feeding station	An inspection of a neighbour's Brown Long-eared Bat feeding station for the second year resulted in the following meals identified: 10 Silver Y 2441 (Autographa gamma) 8 The Herald 2469 (Scoliopteryx libatrix) 5 Large Yellow Underwing 2107 (Noctua pronuba) 1 Pale Pinnion 2236 (Lithophane hepatica) 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 2111 (Noctua janthe) 1 Green Arches 2138 (Anaplectoides prasina) 1 The Spectacle 2450 (Abrostola tripartita) the wings of four Lacewing species were also found It was interesting to note the wings of 10 Silver Y were present whereas in 2008 there were none.  Thanks to Mark Tunmore of Atropos for identifying the mystery wing shown right as Large Yellow Underwing.  It certainly had a few of us puzzled!
6 Oct	L-album Wainscot 2202 (Mythimna l-album)	Status: National - migrant (possible resident) Marsland - first record	First garden record. Although this species is believed to be resident on the south coast, it is likely this was a migrant. A second specimen was recorded on 9 October.
22 Oct	Brindled Ochre 2229 (Dasypolia templi)	Status: National - local Marsland - previously recorded	Recorded annually in the garden but three is the most in a single night.
22 Oct	Dark Chestnut 2259 (Conistra ligula)	Status: National - common Marsland - previously recorded	First garden record.
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