Even with the Berks book in hand, I'm struggling with this one, as I don't have the experience to know just how variable some of these species can be. I THINK this is Acleris variegana - but I've been wrong before and it has no noticeable 'blotch' behind the thorax! So I guess it could be Epiphyas postvittana, but to me the shape isn't quite right. Can someone put me out of my misery?
Thanks, David
Hi David, Epiphyas postvittana is very variable, and this one is rather pale in the basal part. In my experience, the form of Acleris variegana that you refer to (half-white and half-dark), has a mostly smoother boundary line between the light/dark areas (not undulating as seen here) and the white area is a much 'purer' white (not with mixed brown scales as here). Your moth shows the darker area with some structure - a darker central crossline and an elongated darker costal blotch (a bit obscure here) - while for A. variegana this area would be overall mottled dark grey/brown.
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