Tuesday 12th December 2006
This 14-spot Ladybird was found indoors at Gutcher on Yell. It had,
however, probably been brought in with material brought in from the garden
earlier in the day, and so was probably a migrant which was looking to
hibernate. There are no previous record for Shetland.
photo Andy Gear
This diving beetle was found at North-a-voe, Yell, in October 2005 and it
appears closes to Cybister laterimarginalis but comments on the identity
are welcome.
photo Andy Gear
Monday 30th October 2006
A Rusty-dot Pearl was at a lighted window at Ocraquoy.
Saturday 28th October 2006
A Red Sword Grass was at a lighted window at Ocraquoy.
Tuesday 24th October 2006
There are 2 Hummingbird Hawkmoths at Hoswick.
Sunday 15th October 2006
Red Admirals have been prominent all month, unusually being recorded
almost daily. In bright sun today there were at least 35 seen on Unst and at
least 20 on Yell.
Thursday 12th October 2006
Large Wainscot at Baltasound - Paul Cook
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth is on Foula along with 20 Red
Admirals. A Peacock and a Large Wainscot were seen at
Voesgarth, Baltasound.
Sunday 8th October 2006
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth is at Norwick.
Sunday 1st October 2006
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth is in Scalloway and a scatter of Red
Admirals are still being reported.
Friday 29th September 2006
Hummingbird Hawkmoth at Hoswick - Jim Nicolson (2 photos); Dave Hall
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth is at Hoswick.
Thursday 28th September 2006
There were 17 Angle Shades, 4 Bricks, 22 Dark Swordgrasses,
a Gem, a Lesser Yellow Underwing, 5 Pearly Underwings, 4
Turnips, 40 Silver Ys, a Satellite, and 774 Rush
Veneers at Eswick.
Wednesday 27th September 2006
On Foula there were 4 Rush Veneers and 2 Red Admirals.
Belated news of a first for Shetland, a Swallow-tailed Moth found at
Wester Quarff on 7th July.
Swallow-tailed Moth at Wester Quarff in July - Russ Haywood
Tuesday 26th September 2006
Vestal at Eswick - Jim Nicolson; Birch Shieldbug at Cunningsburgh - Jim Nicolson; Herald at Ocraquoy -
George Petrie
There are 12 Red Admirals, 11 Rush Veneers and a
Diamond-back Moth on Foula.
Birch Shieldbugs continue to turn up, with reports from Baltasound,
Sullom Voe, Lerwick and Cunningsburgh over the last few days.
A Vestal was trapped at Eswick, just the second for Shetland. Also at
Eswick there were 12 Angle Shades, 66 Brindled Ochres ,5 Bricks,
47 Dark Swordgrasses, 4 Pearly Underwings, 2 Large Wainscots,
2 Red-green Carpets, 2 Scarce Bordered Straws, 2 Setaceous
Hebrew Characters, 72 Silver Ys, 14 Turnip Moths, 4 Small
Mottled Willows, 4 Rusty-dot Pearls and 1326 Rush Veneers.
On sugar at Ocraquoy there were 3 Rush Veneers, a Turnip, 3
Red Swordgrasses, a Satellite, a Scarce Bordered Straw and a
Herald.
Monday 25th September 2006
Pearly Underwing at Walls - Peter Duncan
There are 5 Red Admirals and 5 Rush Veneers on Foula.
A Pearly Underwing was trapped at Leeans, Walls.
At Eswick, moths included 5 Angle Shades, 5 Bricks, a
Convolvulus Hawkmoth, 3 Dark Swordgrasses, 3 Large Wainscots,
2 Scarce Bordered Straws, 67 Silver Ys, a Rusty-dot Pearl
and 208 Rush Veneers.
Sunday 24th September 2006
White-tailed Bumblebee at Burrafirth - Wendy Dickson
Bumblebees have been unusually abundant on this fine late autumn weekend.
There were still about 60 Red Admirals on Out
Skerries.
Saturday 23rd September 2006
Brindled Ochres at Burrafirth - Wendy Dickson
A Convolvulus Hawkmoth was found on a wall at Ulsta on Yell and a
Hummingbird Hawkmoth was at Hoswick. There was a Red Admiral, 2
Rush Veneers and a Diamondback Moth on Foula. There were estimated to
be about 60 Red Admirals on Out Skerries, along with a Hummingbird
Hawkmoth. Another 4 Red Admirals were at Sandside, Firth.
National Moth Night results reported so far were as follows:
Burrafirth (MV): Square Spot Rustic 3, Brindled Ochre 2,
Small Wainscot 1
Haroldswick (MV):
Square Spot Rustic 2, Brindled Ochre
1
Baltasound (MV): Large Yellow Underwing 1, Small Wainscot 3,
Silver Y 1
Leeans, Walls (MV): Brindled Ochre 8, Rosy Rustic
2, Silver Y 1, Small Wainscot 1
Lea Gardens, Tresta (MV): Rush Veneer 2, Garden Rose Tortrix
110, Dark Swordgrass 2,
Brick 1, Large Wainscot 1, Silver
Y 2
Brettabister, Nesting (MV): Brindled Ochre 7, Small
Wainscot 1
Eswick (MV and by day): Red Admiral 1,
Turnip 2, Dark Swordgrass 1,
Satellite 1,
Angle Shades 8 (highlights only)
Setter, Sandwick (actinic) Brindled Ochre 5,
Large Yellow Underwing 2, Rosy Rustic 2
Ocraquoy (MV, sugar and Buddleia): Garden Rose Tortrix 3, Turnip
4, Dark Swordgrass 1, Large Yellow Underwing 3, Square Spot
Rustic 1, Brindled Ochre 1, Red Swordgrass 2, Angle Shades
8, Rosy Rustic 1, Scarce Bordered Straw 1, Haworth's Minor,
Silver Y 4
Virkie (MV and sugar): Turnip 1, Large Yellow Underwing 2,
Dark Sword Grass 3, Square Spot Rustic 6, Brick 1, Sword
Grass 1, Angle Shades 2, Rosy Rustic 6, Silver Y 2
Friday 22nd September 2006
There were 40 Red Admirals and 2 Painted Ladies at Eswick, At least 7 Red Admirals were reported in various parts of Lerwick in
the morning. They have been regularly sighted all month.
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was seen at Swinister and another was on
Fetlar.
A Sword Grass was on sugar at Virkie.
A specimen of Euchromias ocellea was in the Ocraquoy trap.
At Eswick there were 3 Convolvulus Hawkmoths, 3 Bricks, 7
Dark Swordgrasses, 3 Pearly Underwings, a Small Mottled Willow
and a Turnip.
Wednesday 20th September 2006
Birch Shieldbugs are turning up all over the place - this one was photographed
by Gordon Waddell at Gremista in Lerwick.
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was at Northdale, Unst.
Tuesday 19th September 2006
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was at Norwick in the morning and another was at
Cunningsburgh.
There are Red Admirals in Lerwick and on Noss.
Monday 18th September 2006
Birch Shieldbug -
Mike Pennington
This shieldbug was caught on a boat off Baltasound. It, and almost certainly all
the other shieldbugs seen over the last few days, is a Birch Shieldbug,
not previously recorded from Shetland. Another 2 were seen at Burrafirth.
A Large Wainscot was in the Baltasound trap.
A Satellite and a Scarce Bordered Straw were at sugar at
Ocraquoy.
Sunday 17th September 2006
Dark Spinach at Virkie, Blood-vein and Scarce Bordered Straw at Virkie - Jim Nicolson; Brindled Ochre at Walls -
Peter Duncan
Another Clifden Non-pareil was trapped at Virkie, along with
a Scarce Bordered Straw, a Blood-vein at light and a
Satellite at sugar.
A Dark Spinach at Virkie is the second for Shetland and a Scarce
Bordered Straw and a Turnip were also trapped there.
In the Eswick traps there were 25 Bricks, 36 Dark Sword Grasses,
6 Large Wainscots, 34 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, a Clifden
Non-pareil, 2 Red Sword Grasses, a Herald, a Small
Mottled Willow, 6 Dioryctria abietella, 23 Rush Veneers
and a Rusty-dot Pearl.
A Convolvulous Hawkmoth, 2 Large Wainscots and a
Dioryctria abietella were in the Ocraquoy trap.
Saturday 16th September 2006
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth is at Toab.
In the Eswick traps there was a Scarce Bordered Straw
along with Blood-vein, an Autumn-green Carpet, and a Common
Wainscot, while 5 shieldbugs were found.
Friday 15th September 2006
Clifden Non-pareil at Virkie - Jim Nicolson; Setaceous Hebrew Character,
Smoky Wainscot and Large Wainscot at Burrafirth - Wendy Dickson
A Flame moth caught at Eswick is the first for Shetland. Also there
were 2 Heralds and 2 Satellites on sugar and the traps contained a
Rusty-dot Pearl, a Dioryctria abietella, 12 Rush Veneers,
6 Dark Swordgrasses, a Gem, 4 Large Wainscots, a Pearly
Underwing, 27 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, a Crescent and a
Scarce Bordered Straw.
A Clifden Non-pareil in the Virkie trap is the 6th for Shetland.
In the Burrafirth trap there were 3 Large Wainscots, 2 Setaceous
Hebrew Characters and a Smoky Wainscot. Another 2 Setaceous Hebrew
Characters were in the Baltasound trap.
Two Birch Shieldbugs were found during the day at Norwick. There are just a handful of previous records in Shetland and,
unlikely though it may seem, the species appears to be a migrant.
Wednesday 13th September 2006
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth is at Levenwick.
Sunday 3rd September 2006
A Rusty-dot Pearl was in the trap at Baltasound.
Thursday 31st August 2006
There are Red Admirals at Skaw and Norwick and a scatter of further
Large Whites.
A Convolvulus Hawkmoth was in the trap at Ocraquoy.
This cranefly Pedicia rivosa
was found on Muckla Moor in central Mainland. Photo - Dave Hall.
Monday 28th August 2006
A Convolvulus Hawkmoth was in the trap at Voehead, Bressay.
Sunday 27th August 2006
Convolvulus Hawkmoth at Baltasound
-
Mike Pennington (one
photo);
Micky Maher (three photos); two
different individuals
Mike Pennington
(two photos)
On Unst, a Painted Lady and a Red Admiral are at Norwick, with
another 2 Red Admirals at Lund and one at Easting while 2-3 Large Whites
are at both Baltasound and Norwick. Another Painted Lady was on Out
Skerries.
A Convolvulus Hawkmoth was flying round the Baltasound trap at night
and there were 2 in the trap the following morning.
Saturday 26th August 2006
At least 8 Large Whites (2 at Baltasound and 6 at Norwick) have
suddenly appeared on Unst. There were 8 Red Admirals in one garden at
Wester Quarff.
A Crescent was in the trap at Haroldswick.
A Convolvulus Hawkmoth was in the traps at Eswick.
Friday 25th August 2006
A Red Admiral was at Norwick and a Painted Lady at Haroldswick.
A Bedstraw Hawkmoth was caught in the traps at Eswick.
Thursday 24th August 2006
A Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing was in the trap at Voehead, Bressay,
along with a Crescent.
Wednesday 23rd August 2006
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was at Grutness during the day.
A Lesser Yellow Underwing in the Baltasound trap is the first for
Unst.
There were 2 Crescents in the Eswick traps, following singles there on
9th and 13th.
Monday 21st August 2006
There were 2 Convolvulus Hawkmoths in the traps at Eswick.
Sunday 20th August 2006
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Convolvulus Hawkmoths and Lesser Yellow Underwing at Ocraquoy - George Petrie; Chevron at
Cunningsburgh - Jim Nicolson
During the day a Painted Lady was at Skaw, Unst.
There were 2 Convolvulus Hawkmoths and a Lesser Yellow Underwing in the trap at Ocraquoy. A
Bird-cherry Ermine was trapped at Baltasound.
A Juniper Pug was trapped at Cunningsburgh.
There has been a Suspected, a Dotted Clay and 2 Great
Brocades in the Virkie trap in the last week.
A Hawthorn Shieldbug was trapped at Eswick; this appears to be a
migrant in Shetland.
Saturday 19th August 2006
Crescent and both forms of Autumnal Rustic at Baltasound
-
Mike Pennington
A Red-green Carpet and a Scarce Silver Y were in the Eswick
traps.
Friday 18th August 2006
Great Brocade at Baltasound
-
Mike Pennington; Currant Pug at Cunningsburgh - Jim Nicolson
A Great Brocade was in the trap at Baltasound.
Thursday 17th August 2006
A Scarce Silver Y and a Crescent were in the trap at
Baltasound.
Tuesday 15th August 2006
A Scarce Silver Y was in the trap at Virkie.
Friday 11th August 2006
Great Brocade at Baltasound
-
Mike Pennington; plume moth
sp. at Ocraquoy - George Petrie
Tuesday 8th August 2006
A Double-lobed in the Eswick traps is only about the
6th for Shetland.
Monday 7th August 2006
A Great Brocade was in the Eswick traps.
Sunday 6th August 2006
Another Scarce Silver Y was in the Eswick traps.
Saturday 5th August 2006
A Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and a
Scarce Silver Y were in the Eswick traps.
Friday 4th August 2006
Large Yellow Underwing at Bigton - John Quirk
Thursday 3rd August 2006
Scarce Silver Y and Large Yellow Underwings (male, left,
and female) at Baltasound
-
Mike Pennington
A Scarce Silver Y was in the Baltasound trap.
Tuesday 1st August 2006
Bird Cherry Ermine at Scalloway - Peter Duncan; Rosy Rustic at Haroldswick
-
Micky Maher
This Bird Cherry Ermine was caught by day at Scalloway. It is a scarce
migrant in Shetland.
At night, the Rosy Rustic caught at Haroldswick is an unusually early
(and brightly-coloured) individual.
Saturday 29th July 2006
Scarce Silver Y at Ocraquoy - Jim
Nicolson; Sexton Beetle at Lunning - Roger Ford
A
Scarce Silver Y has been caught in the trap at Ocraquoy, Fladdabister.
Friday 28th July 2006
Small Clouded Brindle at Cunningsburgh
- Jim Nicolson;
Burnished Brass at Walls - Peter Duncan
A Small Clouded Brindle at Cunningsburgh is the first for Shetland. A
Burnished Brass was caught at Walls.
This species is a likely colonist. It colonised Orkney in the 1960s and was
first recorded in Shetland on Fair Isle in 1997, but there have been several in
the last few years.
Thursday 27th July 2006
Six Gold Spots at Walls - Peter Duncan
Wednesday 26th July 2006
Over 400 moths were in a trap set at Walls including D
ark
Arches (396), Antler (23), Map-winged Swift (1), Red Carpet
(8), Ingrailed Clay (5), Magpie (1), Small Square Spot (2),
Clouded-bordered Brindle (7), Beautiful Golden Y (19) and a
Common Wainscot (1).
Tuesday 25th July 2006
Beautiful Golden Y at Haroldswick
-
Micky Maher
Sunday 23rd July 2006
Gold Spot at Haroldswick -
Micky Maher
Friday 21st July 2006
A Green Arches at Eswick is only the third Shetland record.
A Chestnut-coloured Carpet was seen near the cemetery in Muckle Roe.
Monday 17th July 2006
Uresiphita polygonalis from Bressay - Glen Tyler
This specimen of Uresiphita polygonalis was found indoors on
Bressay. It is new to Shetland, even if its origins are uncertain.
Sunday 16th July 2006
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth is at Scatness.
Saturday 15th July 2006
Magpie Moth at Jarlshof - David Anderson
Thursday 6th July 2006
Common Carpet at Ocraquoy - George Petrie; Dark Swordgrass at Haroldswick -
Micky Maher
The Common Carpet is only the second for Shetland. The only previous
record was at Eswick in 1996.
Wednesday 5th July 2006
A female northern form Bordered White and a Mother of Pearl were
among moths flushed during strimming at Eswick. The former is only the third
Shetland record.
A Peacock butterfly was at the north end of Cunningsburgh.
At Kergord, as well as the common Epinotia caprana, Winter Moth
and July Highflier larvae, 2 Mottled Umber larvae were found, the
first seen there for a few years. One Red Admiral was present and the
hoverfly Sericomyia silentis was common.
Monday 3rd July 2006
Scaeva pyrastri, Syrphus sp. and Large White -
Mike Pennington
Several migrant hoverflies at Baltasound, including Scaeva pyrastri,
Syrphus sp. and Episyrphus balteatus, along with
several Large Whites and a Red Admiral.
Wednesday 28th June 2006
Large Red Damselflies at Sandgarth - Tony & Beth Gerrard
There were 3 pairs of Large Red Damselflies and several singles at
Sandgarth, Voe.
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth is at Scatness.
Another Hummingbird Hawkmoth and a Painted Lady are at Eswick.
Tuesday 27th June 2006
Ghost Moth at Garderhouse - Julie Redpath
Monday 26th June 2006
Angle Shades at Haroldswick -
Micky Maher
Saturday 24th June 2006
Silver-ground Carpet and Clouded-bordered Brindle at Haroldswick -
Micky Maher
Friday 23rd June 2006
There were 2 pairs of Large Red Damselflies ovipositing at Sandgarth, Voe.
Tuesday 20th June 2006
There were 3 Large Red Damselflies at Sandgarth, Voe, including a pair
mating and ovipositing. The species has a two year life-cycle, hence the absence
of records last year and it seems to have established itself at the site. As no
plants have been imported for 5 years, can it have established itself naturally?
Sunday 18th June 2006
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth is on Foula.
Saturday 17th June 2006
Satyr Pug and Ghost Moth at Haroldswick -
Micky Maher
Thursday 15th June 2006
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth is at Frakkafield, north of Lerwick.
Wednesday 14th June 2006
Red Admiral and Painted Lady at Baltasound - Mike Pennington
Tuesday 13th June 2006
An arrival of Silver Ys was noted at Sandwick, with about 50 at dusk in
one garden.
Monday 12th June 2006
Netted Pug at Haroldswick - Micky
Maher
Friday 9th June 2006
Large Red Damselfly at Sandgarth - Tony & Beth Gerrard
A Large Red Damselfly has been seen at Sandgarth, Voe, again.
Friday 9th June 2006
Shetland Bumblebee at Sandgarth - Tony & Beth Gerrard
Several Shetland Bumblebees at Sandgarth, Voe, were the first seen
there this year.
Wednesday 7th June 2006
Painted Lady at Baltasound
-
Micky Maher
An influx of butterflies today with 10 Large Whites, 5 Painted Ladies
and 6 Red Admirals at Eswick,
2 Large Whites, 10 Painted Ladies and
4 Red Admirals at Skellister Ness, Nesting, 6
Red Admirals and a Painted Lady at Sandgarth, Voe, 3 Red
Admirals and a Painted Lady at Eshaness, a Red Admiral, a
Painted Lady and a Small Tortoiseshell in one garden at Virkie and 4
Painted Ladies and 3 Red Admirals in another, and about 6
Painted Ladies and a Red Admiral in north Unst.
There were also
3 Silver Ys, 2 Diamondback Moths, a
Brown Lacewing and a Syrphus sp. hoverfly at Eswick, along
with the first Platycheirus albimanus, a Rush Veneer and 4
Silver Ys at Skellister Ness and a Silver Y at Haroldswick.
Tuesday 6th June 2006
There were 2 Red Admirals and 3 Painted Ladies at Kettlaness,
Burra.
Sunday 4th June 2006
A Large
Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula is at Tony & Beth Gerrard's pond at
Sandgarth, Voe. The only other Shetland record was at the same site in 2004 and
it seems highly unlikely that the only two vagrants should both find the same
tiny pond. Perhaps there was a single arrival of a gravid female in 2004, which
laid eggs and this is one of the progeny, but this also seems unlikely. So
presumably the damselflies were imported with aquatic vegetation, if not to this
pond then to one nearby, despite suspicions in 2004.
A few hoverflies appeared at Eswick including about 40 Eristalis
pertinax and singles of the first Eristalis intricarius,
Platycheirus manicatus and Helophilus pendulus.
There were also 5 Large Whites.
A few Eristalis intricarius, Platycheirus manicatus
and Rhingia campestris were out in the sun at Baltasound.
Saturday 3rd June 2006
It is a very poor spring for moths so far, but the first Garden Carpet
was at Eswick.
Friday 2nd June 2006
The first Large White
of the year was at Eswick.
Thursday 18th May 2006
Great Horntail - Glen Tyler
This Great Horntail was found at Lerwick Building Centre, presumably
imported with building materials.
Wednesday 10th May 2006
A Red Admiral is at Norwick.
Tuesday 9th May 2006
There are 2 Red Admirals and a Silver Y on Noss. A
Diamondback Moth is at Northdale, Unst.
Monday 8th May 2006
A Red Admiral is at Gulberwick.
A Herald was found by one of the traps at Eswick.
Sunday 7th May 2006
A Red Admiral is at Cunningsburgh.
Saturday 6th May 2006
A Red Admiral is at Ocraquoy.
Tuesday 18th April 2006
Hebrew Character at Burrafirth - Wendy Dickson
There were 33 Hebrew Characters in the Burrafirth trap.
Saturday 8th April 2006
A White-tailed Bumblebee was seen in a garden at Burgh Rd, Lerwick.
Thursday 5th January 2006
A Green Lacewing is hibernating in a shed at Sandgarth, Voe.
Nature in Shetland
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