The first had a fw of 6mm and I am fairly certain is Acleris aspersana.
The second has a fw of 5mm and a white head, and looks to me like Cochylis dubitana.
The final one is the smallest, with a fw of about 3 and a half mm. My thought is Phyllonorycter leucographella.
Steve Trigg, Cookham
Hi Steve, the first two are correct but I think you are being a bit optimistic trying to get an ID confirmed from the third picture! To obtain records for many of the Phyllonorycters (and other small species such as the Nepticulids) it is often easier to check the food-plant for larval mines. If you suspect leucographella and have Pyracantha (Firethorn) growing nearby, search the leaves for very obvious silver-looking mines on the upper surface. See http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.leucographella3.htm. The moth will use other food-plants and its mines are quite distinctive, but it is still easier to look at Pyracantha because it is a very common garden plant and there are no other mining species on it which can cause confusion.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Dave. The third picture is rubbish I know. However, I do have Pyracantha in the garden, so I will definitely check it for the larval mines.
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