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6
& 10 August 2008
The small pyralid moth, Pyrausta purpuralis was spotted on the the lower slopes of Mill Hill. |
| 30
July 2008
The most interesting lepidopteran observation were the frequent occurrence of a small brownish moth amongst the Horseshoe Vetch leaves, Hippocrepis comosa, on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. At least twenty flitted about in a five metre square patch. It is expected to be a common species. The flash of grey was a Treble-bar Moth. |
This is Synaphe punctalis, a pyralid moth associated with shingle and sand dunes as well as other dry habitats such as chalk downland. Not a common species, but it seems to have spread its range in Sussex in recent years. The larvae feed on mosses. | ![]() |
20
July 2008
The
small pyralid
moth,
Pyrausta
nigrata was frequently seen on an
acre of the
lower slopes of Mill
Hill, with some of them much more faded than others. There was one
Pyrausta
purpuralis moth.
15
July 2008
The
small pyralid
moth,
Pyrausta
nigrata was occasionally seen on the
lower
slopes of Mill Hill, with some of them
much more faded than others. There were probably many more that went unnoticed.
11
& 13 July 2008
The
small pyralid moth,
Pyrausta
nigrata was frequently seen on the
lower
slopes of
Mill Hill in the afternoon
and morning. Most of them were so faded that they were originally mistaken
for one of the other pyralids.
2 &8 June 2008
2
May 2008
27
April 2008
On
a cool day, just one Pyrausta nigrata
pyralid moth was spotted on the lower
slopes of Mill Hill.
20
April 2008
A
passage journey over the lower slopes
of Mill Hill revealed four Grizzled
Skippers visiting Dog
Violets and at least one of the first Pyrausta
nigrata pyralid moths
of 2008.
| 24
August 2007
On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, very faded versions of the small pyralid moth Pyrausta nigrata were frequently seen with over twenty recorded before I stopped counting. They were so faded I was not sure of my identification by sight alone. |
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13
August 2007
A
small pyralid moth
fluttered around my small pond in my front garden
in Corbyn Crecent, Shoreham. It was Pyrausta
aurata, the Mint
Moth.
9 & 12 August 2007
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3
June 2007
There was a pyralid moth Pyrausta despicata on the northern bank of Slonk Hill, and I also spotted a Cinnabar Moth somewhere on the Adur Levels. |
29
April 2007
The
lower
slopes of Mill Hill produced,
about
a dozen of the small moths Pyrausta
nigrata, as well as small moths I
have not identified yet and many others overlooked.
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|
|
|
| The
dark moth is Pyrausta
nigrata not
Pyrausta cingulata Note
the side spots. The line on the forewing is straight in P. cingulata
and wavy in P. nigrata.
|
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The
fawnish coloured moth is Pyrausta
despicata.
ID
by Mike Wall on UK
Micromoths
However, it could well be the Small Purple-barred Moth Phytometra viridaria
9
April 2007
Two
of the small day time pyralid moths Pyrausta
nigrata were seen flitting between
the clumps of Dog Violets on
the lower slopes of Mill
Hill.
27
August 2006
A
small pyralid moth Pyrausta aurata*
and a larger Treble-bar Moth
were spotted without looking for them on the the lower
slopes of Mill Hill. (*
This was more likely to be Pyrausta
purpuralis as the former has not been
recorded from Mill Hill. This moth is even prettier.)
11
July 2006
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Most smaller moths went unnoted although the first of the second brood Pyrausta nigrata was definitely recorded from the lower slopes of Mill Hill.
28
May 2006
On
the
lower slopes of Mill
Hill, the moths noted were two Pyrausta
nigrata.
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In the central Triangle area (clearing amongst the scrub) of Mill Hill there was a small brown moth that looked like it is Pyrausta aurata from its markings, but not its colour. The alternative species is Pyrausta purpuralis.
10
May 2006
There
was an orange and white moth
that I have not identified and other moths including a Treble-bar
on the lower slopes of
Mill
Hill as well as hundreds both of the micro-moth Pancalia
and Pyrausta nigrata.
7 May
2006
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The sun was out but it was mild (under 20º C) in the afternoon. The number of small moths on the lower slopes of Mill Hill were notable with both Pyrausta nigrata and Pancalia being common (over 100 each).
4 May
2006
The
small moth Pyrausta nigrata
was frequently (25+) seen on the the lower
slopes of Mill Hill,
| 2
May 2006
This very small moth landed on an Alexander leaf at the southern end of the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham. It was only settled for 15 seconds and then it disappeared. This is not a pyralid. It is the Nettle-tap Moth, Anthophila fabriciana. |
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23
August 2005
A
damaged and worn
Pyrausta
aurata moth rested on a Scentless
Mayweed on the Coastal
Link Cyclepath.
22
August 2005
The
Water
Mint was flowering in my front garden
and two of the
small pyralid Pyrausta
aurata moth were flitting around.
8 July
2005
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On
the lower slopes of Mill
Hill, at least one second brood micro-moth Pyrausta
nigrata nectared on Wild
Thyme. There was a similarly sized moth
next to it, but it flew away before I could confirm its identity (1365
Pyrausta
despicata
seems most likely).
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22
May 2005
The first Pyrausta aurata moth of the year was seen in a Shoreham garden. This is sometimes known as the Mint Moth. |
6 May
2005
The
small moth 2470 Small
Purple-barred Moth Phytometra
viridaria was recorded for the first time on the lower
slopes of Mill Hill, although it has
been seen before.
| Small
Purple-barred Moth Phytometra
viridaria
This is not a pyralid but a noctuid, and included for comparison purposes. |
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29
April 2005
On
the
lower slopes of
Mill
Hill
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During
the fifteen minutes stay, I spotted what appeared to be at least
two different Pyrausta Moths,
including Pyrausta nigrata.
I have now provisionally identified the new species as 1365
Pyrausta
despicata.
The 2470 Small
Purple-barred Moth Phytometra
viridaria was present as well.
4 October 2004
Pyrausta
nigrata
Shoreham
Bank
6 August 2003
The
pretty little day-flying pyralid moth known as Pyrausta
aurata, were attracted to their caterpillar food plant Water
Mint in Ray
Hamblett's south Lancing garden.