Thursday 12 July 2018

ID help please!

Having great difficulty pinning this one down. Have searched reference books, UK Moths, Butterfly Conservation etc. but nothing quite seems to fit. Common White Wave seems near, but apparently has plumed antennae which this doesn't as far as I can see. From measuring the foliage, wingspan is about 32mm. Found in my garden last evening at Stowe
Phil Tizzard



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4 comments:

  1. Mark Griffiths12 July 2018 at 12:02

    Mother of Pearl?

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  2. Dave Wilton12 July 2018 at 12:57

    Yes, Phil, it is a large micro-moth, Pleuroptya ruralis (Mother of Pearl). It is around in large numbers at the moment, especially if you've got nettles nearby.

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  3. Phil Tizzard12 July 2018 at 13:17

    Thanks to Mark and you for the ID. I never considered micro-moths as I assumed it was too large...but then I am very much a beginner. Plenty of nettles around in my garden!
    I did have my first Hummingbird Hawk Moth of the year in the garden yesterday.

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  4. Dave Wilton12 July 2018 at 14:43

    Mother of Pearl was just about our largest micro until the recent invasion by Cydalima perspectalis (the Box-tree Moth). It is about twice the size and coming to a box hedge near you very soon...

    The distinction between micros and macros (and butterflies for that matter) is rather arbitrary and there are quite a few tiny macros! It is better to consider them all simply as Lepidoptera.

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