Having put the TIP lure out on Friday it attracted its target species (Currant Clearwing) as well as 2 Psychoides one of which I think is verhuella which would be a new garden record. The other (not photographed) was filicivora which is fairly common here.
Also down a local lane there are about a dozen Spindle bushes that are covered in occupied larval webs.
The bushes have been stripped almost completely bare. Given the foodplant is it appropriate to record these as Yponomeuta cagnagella?
Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.
Hi Andy,
ReplyDeleteThat's rather a dark image of the Psychoides but it must be verhuella as there's no sign of a white tornal spot.
Regarding the infestation of webs on your local spindle, assuming that large numbers of larvae are involved then do please record as Yponomeuta cagnagella. It is worth keeping in mind that two other species do use the same food-plant, but irrorella is limited in range to the south coast and the more common plumbella has very small webs with only a few larvae.
Thank you for your feedback. The Yponomeuta webs are large with many larvae present so I will record it as cagnagella.
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