Indoor Mothing

Mompha subbistrigella was found inside the house today.  I get quite a few micro-moths indoors over the winter months, most of them being the usual Endrosis sarcitrella (White-shouldered House Moth) or Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Brown House Moth).  The next most numerous, because we have huge amounts of the food-plant in ditches locally, are some of the willow-herb feeding Mompha species which hibernate.  Mompha jurassicella and Mompha epilobiella are those most frequently found, followed by Mompha subbistrigella and Mompha bradleyi (unfortunately there have been no records of the last one here since 2011).  Nemapogon cloacella, Acrolepia autumnitella, Esperia sulphurella and Agonopterix heracliana are also seen occasionally, sulphurella presumably brought in on logs destined for the fire.  Macro-moths rarely seem to venture indoors here over the winter, although I have found the occasional Herald inside the garage.

Mompha subbistrigella, Westcott 4th December

UPDATE:  Following dissection by Peter Hall the moth below, found indoors back in March, proved to be the nationally scarce Mompha bradleyi.  Good to know that it is still around after all.

Mompha bradleyi, Westcott 15th March

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks