A greenhorn lepidopterist at large in suburban London

Berrylands Station is on the London Waterloo to Hampton Court line between New Malden and Surbiton, a 25 minute train journey from central London. I became aware of its potential for attracting moths in late August 2008. The station is situated on an embankment with the Hogsmill Sewage Farm directly to the north and a typical mix of suburban houses and gardens to the south. The elevated aspect of the station and the comparative lack of domestic and street lighting in the immediate area mean that it acts like a huge moth trap, there are white-painted covered waiting areas and staircases on both platforms, these are illuminated at night and most of the moths are found in these areas. What follows is my attempt as a novice lepidopterist to record and catalogue all the macro moths I encounter on my daily commute to work along with the occasional "awayday" in search of other British lepidoptera .

Friday, April 01, 2016

Common Marbled Carpet

Chloroclasta truncata

Chloroclasta truncata

2009: singles recorded on nine dates between May 18th and October 8th, two on October 5th.
2010: one on October 9th.
2011: singles recorded on eight dates between April 25th and October 8th.
2012: singles on June 3rd, 4th, 10th & 19th and October 7th.
2013: singles on June 10th and October 9th, two on June 18th, three on June 25th.
2014: singles on May 23rd and from May 28th to 30th.
2015: singles on May 26th and June 4th & 28th.


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