Among the very bedraggled Clouded Drabs there were a few more interesting moths including my first Cabbage moth (photos 2 and 3) and first Coronet of the year. I assume the rather grainy photo 3 shows the spine on the tibia of the Cabbage moth.
I'm sure the specimen in photo 1 is too far gone for identification but just for future reference I wondered why the twin-spot carpet needs verification on the moth recording spread-sheet and is not included in the GMS records. The moth book does not suggest it should be particularly challenging to identify given a decent specimen. Again I assume the specimen in photo 4 is too worn for identification.
Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris' Oxon
Hello Andy, believe it or not your first moth isn't too far gone - it is a Seraphim on its last legs. It is always worth a try with worn specimens (provided they're not pugs!) just in case someone else can pick up on some identifying features. The middle two are indeed Cabbage Moth (showing the spine very nicely)while the third is a Poplar Kitten.
ReplyDeleteThank you once again for your help. After a very long break from regular moth trapping I am slowly getting back into it but having the internet and this blog in particular is so useful. Newer identification guides and digital photography also help.
ReplyDelete...and regarding your comment about Twin-spot Carpet, that species is not encountered very often in Bucks so I presume the same applies in Oxon. Looking at the books, it appears to be common further north in the UK but is not found frequently in the south which is probably why it doesn't appear on your GMS list. As you say, given a specimen in reasonable condition it should be relatively easy to identify, although the earliest I've seen it locally is mid-June.
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