Lots arriving at the moment including Snout, Common Wainscot, Middle-barred Minor, Lychnis, Poplar and Elephant Hawks - and these three. Are they Dusky Brocade, Pale Oak Beauty and Rosy Minor by any chance? Wiser counsels sought; thanks in anticipation, Martin Wainwright
Hello Martin, I'd say yes to the first two but the third is not Rosy Minor. It will be one of the other Minors and will need dissection to confirm the species. Around here Rosy Minor is a chalk downland moth; it does sometimes wander but a garden record well away from the Chilterns would be rather unusual.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, it would be helpful if you could extract your query moths from the darkest recesses of the egg-trays before photographing them. It isn't easy to ID some species from photographs but when part of the moth is in shade and not clearly visible it makes things that much more difficult!
I fully endorse the comment about moths on egg trays. Also putting them in a pot and studying them for longer is a better way to learn them. Top one is a Shears. Rosy Minor mid-July onwards. Its all in the books ...
ReplyDeleteThanks so much both for wisdom - and patience. Dave - I entirely take your eggbox point and will do my best but alas - without digressing into life at the Wainwrights - I have a very small window of Id-ing opportunity between scooting out to the trap and taking tea to Mrs W, who has been known to use such phrases as 'moth widow' albeit in kindly jest.
ReplyDeleteMartin, I take the anachronism point but this seems to be something of an anachronistic year. Alas, my copy of the Moth Bible is also the original edition. I will save up for the more recent one (or maybe wait til the next one comes out with even more up-to-datery as species spread.
All warm wishes and thanks again, M