Hi - looking for confirmation of these. This tiny Plume moth is new to me, but the wing pattern and abdomen look right (I think!) for Beautiful Plume. And it's a bit early for Oak-tree Pug, but this doesn't look like Brindled to me??
Many thanks
David
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteThe plume is Amblyptilia acanthadactyla as you suggest. There's actually very little choice at this time of year because so few plume species over-winter as adults. For the pug I'd suggest that it is actually Brindled, especially because of the wing shape leading to quite a pointed tip and the fact that the discal spot is more of a dash than the blob you'd expect on Oak-tree. They can be a difficult pair to separate though. Flight time can be a helpful guide - I don't normally start seeing Oak-tree until the second week of April - but you are right to be cautious because I have had one March record and you never know when something is going to be tempted out early.