Thursday 26 November 2015

Help needed on some dodgy IDs

I started trapping and identifying moths in the spring of 2013, before this marvellous site was up and running. As a result, I was reliant mainly on a couple of books and the UK moths website to help me out, and it was quite a steep (but very enjoyable) learning curve.
Now at virtually the end of 2015, I thought I would look back to my early mothing days and see if I have made any serious blunders. Many of the moths I first identified in 2013 I have subsequently seen again in the subsequent years, but there are a small number that I have not seen again since that first year. This led me to thinking that maybe some of these were in fact wrongly identified.

Having gone through my photos, I have to say that I am pretty happy with most of them. However, below are a couple that I probably mis-identified in my novice days.
The first, trapped on 3rd July 2013, I had identified as a Pale-shouldered Brocade, but looking at the photo now I think it was in fact a Light Brocade.


The second, trapped on 29th May 2013, I have recorded as a Blossom Underwing. I did not record its size or the colour of the hindwings unfortunately (I only found out the importance of these things later!). Looking at the photo now, I am not really sure about this one. What do the experts think?


Finally, below are photos of 2 moths that I think I did identify correctly, but please let me know if you think otherwise. The first of these, trapped on 24th July 2013, I have recorded as a Kent Black Arches.


And the second, trapped on 25th September 2013, I believe is a Dusky-lemon Sallow.


All help much appreciated.

Steve Trigg, Cookham

6 comments:

  1. I'd say the second is Large Nutmeg, but I always have a problem with this and Rustic Shoulder-knot! The first I'd say is Light Brocade, I've only had this before, never seen Pale-shoulder Brocade . 3rd and 4th look correct to me. Of course wait for an expert, I'm just doing this to see if I'm correct.

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  2. Hello Steve, there's no doubt about Light Brocade, Kent Black Arches or Dusky-lemon Sallow (those last two are very nice records, by the way). That leaves the second picture. I agree with Darren that it is one of the Apamea species but it is surprising how quickly one loses touch with them when out-of-season! My first thought on seeing it was remissa (Dusky Brocade) and I still think that's what it is. Anyone else care to comment?

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  3. Is there a trace of a black basal streak on the left-hand side? Which would make it Rustic Shoulder-knot.

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  4. Many thanks everyone for your comments. I can see now why the second moth would have caused me trouble when I first started looking at moths.

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