. . . .for my first Lead-coloured Drab. Of these two possibles - I'm thinking the first is Clouded, but the second one . . . . .???
What do you think?
David
A Blog for moth recorders in Bucks, Berks and Oxon
A Blog for moth recorders in Bucks, Berks and Oxon
You're still looking David
ReplyDeleteOK - FAIR ENOUGH! BUT WHAT IS IT ABOUT MY SECOND IMAGE THAT MAKES IT CLOUDED AND NOT LEAD-COLOURED DRAB - COS I CAN'T SEE WHY?!!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
David
Hi David, the characteristics of Lead-coloured Drab can be a bit subjective, except for the antennae which if you have a male will be 'pectinate' (feathered) while those of the Clouded Drab are not (or at least hardly enough to see). There will often be a central pair of dark marks (sometimes red but mostly blackish) on the sub-terminal line - a bit like those of the Twin-spotted Quaker but less pronounced - and little or no such marks at the costal end of this line (while the rather variable Clouded Drab can have a dark smear at this central position and another at the costal end of the line - you can at least see this on your specimen). The wing shape of CD is more elongate, with the wing tips usually looking 'cut off' (rounded on L-cD). The oval and kidney marks usually seem a bit larger on L-cD but this is rather subjective as especially CD is rather variable. Colour is greyer on L-cD but somewhat variable, but more variable on CD and often quite dark almost purple-brown (so markings can't be readily seen) - the central (dark) band is often pronounced on DC (as with your specimen), especially close to the costa. I hope that you can see all this by checking out photos on various websites - because as you can see it is rather lengthy trying to explain it in words!
DeleteThanks, John - really clear and most helpful. The problem for a novice like me is to get to know which characteristics are reliable and diagnostic and which are just natural variations within one species. Your explanation does just that - terrific!
ReplyDelete