Thrupp has joined the Udea ferrugalis gang with the chap above making a change among lots of Feathered Thorns, Autumn/November moths and Epiphyas postvittanas. I've also had the two Carpets below which I think are Spruce but would be grateful for confirmation as to my unreliable eye they also look a bit Junipery. Also in the trap: Silver Y, Sprawler, Red-green Carpets, Straw Dot (rather late, I think) and Green-brindled Crescent. Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon
Hi Martin, following all the comments below and Ched George's submission of a set specimen added on 6th November, for comparison purposes I've placed a picture here of the last (living!) Juniper Carpet I saw, which was five years ago now. If the size was right I still think your examples could be candidates for it. The moth's central bands must show a degree of variability (compare the picture below to the images in the field guide - there are differences) and the wing-tip streak(s) would probably be the first areas to get worn (Ched's set example doesn't show them particularly clearly either). However, we'll never know for sure without a specimen to inspect closely! Dave Wilton
 |
| Juniper Carpet, Rushbeds Wood 27 Oct 2009 |
I was hoping that someone else might have passed comment on your Carpets by now! I'm afraid I've only ever seen Juniper a couple of times and that was a few years ago now, so I'm hardly the best person to pass judgement, but I remember that it was its noticeably smaller size which initially alerted me to the possibility (note that there's an error in the wingspan sizes given on the UK-Moths website for these two species - Juniper is the smaller of the two). Unfortunately there's no indication of size in your pictures. However, assuming that the size fits, your top photograph at least does look to be a good candidate for Juniper. Anyone else care to comment?
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Dave Sorry for lack of scale; I must improve. But the second one was definitely small, so much so that I very nearly overlooked it. It might be possible to tell from the eggbox ridging - and actually I may be able to calculate the top one (which was larger) from the angle between the crack in my plastic cover and that other line. Scientific or what?
ReplyDeleteI don;t think either of them are Juniper Carpets.
ReplyDeleteHi Chad - any particular reasons would help greatly. Do you think they are Spruces?
ReplyDeleteThe Kirtlington Death's Head meeting last night went very well btw, with lots of good moth enthusiasm-spreading by Martin T and Julian Howe from Bletchingdon.
I'll have to stick my neck out here then. I would say the first is Grey Pine and the second is probably Grey Pine rather than Spruce. The jizz is wrong for Juniper and the streak at the outer corner of the forewing is not strong enough. I await the flak!
ReplyDeleteNo flak at all - I am so hopeless in these matters. Martin T had a look after last night's Kirtlington meeting and goes for Juniper, but all opinions eagerly welcomed (and I won't count it as a proper record when I get down to doing my list, if I ever do). Thanks v much for taking the trouble
ReplyDeleteThanks VERY much Dave for your learned addition - much appreciated; and to you Ched and to all who've taken part Another example of this blog proving so useful and interesting M
ReplyDelete