Following your suggestion Dave, I took a look around the base of the Grey Poplar which was the suspected source for my Hornet Moth and found what appear to be four exit holes close to each other and very near the ground. They seem to be the size I would expect...the sycamore key gives a sense of size...and they seem to fit your description of location.
A couple of micros from Friday night, (which I have only just finished sorting as I got 88 species), for confirmation or otherwise please. The first I think is Swammerdamia pyrella and the second Swammerdamia caesiella, both new for me if correct.
Phil
Hi Phil,
ReplyDeleteIt looks as though that Grey Poplar may well be the source of your Hornet Moth then! Of your two micros, the first looks to me like the melanic form of Prays fraxinella with the black markings of the normal form showing through quite clearly. The second one I think is more likely to be Paraswammerdamia nebulella but that one and caesiella can sometimes be difficult to tell apart.
Thanks Dave,
ReplyDeleteI didn't think the first one looked the right shape for a Swammmerdamia, but the coppery tone on the cilia convinced me otherwise! As to the second, unfortunately I didn't pot it so I will have to wait for the next one!