Spring 2012 - Glasgow & SW Scotland Branch of Butterfly ...

side of the bay. Barred Carpet was trapped at Duirsdeer in the north of
VC72 for our sixth record, with Brindled Ochre producing the 7 th to 9 th
records.
Pugs featured heavily this year with Marsh Pug being trapped twice at
different sites. Previous records were from 1996 and 2005 when Scottish
Entomologists’ visited the area and four specimens in the NMS from
1970s and 80s.
Plain Pug was recorded for the first time since 1870 when one was
caught on Luce Bay (VC74) on 8 th July, while two specimens of Shaded
Pug were caught at Kirkton a few days earlier for our 7 th and 8 th records.
Two specimens of Oak-tree Pug were photographed, one near
Palnackie, the other at Carsluith, both VC73, being the 3 rd and 4 th
records. Previously found in 2002 and 2008. And, finally Sloe Pug was
trapped at Durisdeer on 10 th July and verified by Roy Leverton.
Work continued throughout the year on the web site to add the micromoth
species accounts and this has now been achieved to a reasonable
level.
Currently 1,051 species have been seen in Dumfries & Galloway, 470
macros and 581 micros.
Keith Naylor, Moth Recorder for Dumfries & Galloway (VC72,73 ,74)
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2011 Stirlingshire, West Perthshire & Dunbartonshire Moth Update
Micro Moths: In central Scotland we regularly see Bird Cherry trees
defoliated by the larvae of Bird Cherry Ermine. We do not however
usually see Spindle Ermine because Spindle, its main foodplant, is a
plant of the chalky soils of southern England. However, Japanese
Spindle is less calcium-dependent, is often grown as a garden hedge
and can be an alternative foodplant for Spindle Ermine. During the
summer of 2011, such a hedge at the Wickes Home Improvement Store
in Stirling was totally defoliated by the larvae of Spindle Ermine - a new
species for Stirlingshire.
Pugs: It was a good year for pugs. There have been no records of the
day-flying Marsh Pug in central Scotland since1983 until Martin
Culshaw caught one near Killearn on 3 rd June and another on 14 th
August. Neil Gregory caught a third on Carman Muir on 1 st September.
Its preferred foodplant, Field Mouse-ear is rare, indeed probably absent
from vice counties 86, 87 and 99 and it is probably feeding on Common
Mouse-ear. A Bordered Pug caught by Stan Campbell on the banks of
the River Leven is a first ever for record vc99 and the first for the region
since 1995 and the Thyme Pug has been re-found. Iain Christie first
26 On the Spot – April 2012