Some improvement in numbers of the commoner moths in Wolvercote, Oxfordshire, this last week, with Large Yellow Underwing finally putting in respectable performances (22 in the trap on 24th August), and micros such as
Celypha lacunana and
Epiphyas postvittana starting to show in reasonable amounts. Pleasing new species for the year have included Old Lady on 25th August (just the one, but always a good species to see), Rosy Rustic on the same date and Tawny Speckled Pug on the 26th.
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| Tawny Speckled Pug, 26/8/16 |
A micro which might be
Coleophora trifolii (but equally might not be pin-downable), around 7mm long, showed up in the trap on the 25th; and I've been puzzled by the species below, which looks like a footman, but was very small -- 11mm, and doesn't really seem to fit in with any of the footman species. About the only other vaguely similar species I could find was the micro
Spuleria flavicaput, but that's way too small, and isn't about at this time of year.
Steve and Xander Goddard
Hi Steve & Xander, your "footman" is actually a micro, Achroia grisella, one of several species associated with bees. It seems to have become more widespread locally over the past couple of years.
ReplyDeleteYour Coleophorid is one of the few that are do-able without resorting to the microscope, but I need a better shot of the antennae. Do you have one?
ReplyDeleteThanks, both: Achroia grisella is a garden tick, so that's nice. Peter, I've posted the only other remotely recognisable photo of the Coleophorid, and I don't think it'll do much good: it's very similar to the other, except that the focus on the right antenna is a little clearer. However, I fully expect it to remain unplaceable.
ReplyDelete