Sunday 19 August 2018

Dark Sword-Grass & confirmation / IDs please

Got my first Dark Sword-Grass of the year. Dusky Thorns continue to outnumber all the other Thorns combined.

I felt there was something not right about the Garden Carpet but can't see what else it would be.

The "Small Ermine" looked different from the others I've seen - I have it for dissection if needed.

Finally another I couldn't quite fit - a Cochylis I think. 





Mark Griffiths, Garsington, Oxford.

5 comments:

  1. Hi Mark, I suspect the Carpet is indeed Garden and that the hint of a Galium-type wing shape is because it is being forced to sit on a curved surface inside the pot (a photo on a flat surface would have been preferable). Taking pictures through plastic/glass is never very helpful either as there is always some degree of distortion and loss of definition.

    Unfortunately the Yponomeuta can't be done, either on sight or by dissection, so I'm afraid that's one to forget about. The Cochylis is rather worn to be positive about its ID, the choice being between hybridella or molliculana (probably the former).

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  2. thanks Dave - I was planning on sending other Yponomeuta to Peter - if they can't be done I'll chuck them. How are they seperated? Differences in the larvae or DNA?

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    1. I think if you find larvae on the appropriate food-plant and rear them through then that's supposed to be acceptable, but otherwise padella, malinellus, cagnagella & rorrella are not safely separable. There is no difference in their genitalia. I've got hawthorn/blackthorn, apple, spindle and willow in my garden and I've never yet found a larva to rear on any of them - I just ignore the adults!

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