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Wednesday, 15 February 2017

A flurry of micros - help needed

My garden trap attracted 11 moths last night - no doubt due to the much milder temperature. Of these, only 3 were macros (1 Pale Brindled Beauty, 1 Spring Usher and 1 Early Moth). The remaining 8 were all micros, so I had to blow the dust off the micro-moth guide book!
The first one below I am certain is Agonopterix alstromeriana.


Then there were 6 micros that all looked fairly identical in appearance, and which I have recorded as Acleris ferrugana/notana. Here is one below (fw 7mm).


The final micro, however, has got me completely stumped, so any help much appreciated. The forewing measures 9mm, and I have posted both a top view and a side view.



Steve Trigg, Cookham
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2 comments:

  1. Dave Wilton15 February 2017 at 21:00

    Hello Steve, Agonopterix alstromeriana and Acleris ferrugana/notana are both correct (if you haven't already done so it would be worth keeping one for a genitalia check sometime - ferrugana is by far the more likely locally). The third moth is Ypsolopha ustella which is a highly variable species but is really the only one from that family likely to be tempted out of hibernation at this time of year.

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    Replies
    1. Steve Trigg16 February 2017 at 14:41

      Many thanks Dave. I have looked at various pictures of Y. ustella and it certainly is a very variable species - no wonder I was struggling to identify it.

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