I was pleased to add Small Ranunculus to my garden list last night.
Is it possible to identify these as Phyllonorycter genicullella from the photos?
I have tended to assume all Phyllonorycter need dissection and then of course not all, especially females, can be done anyway.
Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.
Hi Andy,
ReplyDeleteDo you have the size please as this looks more like Large Ranunculus to me, which has just started appearing with my first last night too. BW, Marc
Yes you are right! That's a pity. Well spotted.
DeleteHi Andy,
ReplyDeleteIt looks to me as though your two Phyllonorycters could actually be two different species. Unfortunately the three acer-feeding ones (acerifoliella on Field Maple, joannisi on Norway Maple & geniculella on Sycamore) all look quite similar so I'd still be tempted to keep them for Peter to confirm. All three are reasonably common though.
Thank you. Once I enlarged the images I did wonder if they were different species. I have recorded joannisi earlier this year thanks to Peter but not the others so I will put them in the next batch.
DeleteHi Andy, if you believe the literature, the bottom phyllonorycter should be geniculella, as the second and third chevron are joined by a dark bordered orange line.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. That one certainly looked identical to some of the geniculella images on the Norfolk moths website. As it is in the freezer I will send it off to be checked anyway.
Delete