Friday 2 September 2022

I have 6 of what I assume to be Scrobipalpa ocellatella from my MV in the garden last night. I had never seen it before. Scrobipalpa species are often dissection jobs and even given the numbers appearing at the moment I am making no assumptions, and at least one will be dissected. Other species such as S. atriplicella can be similar. Sterling & Parsons only describe S. costella (variable, but always with the triangular mark) and S. acuminatella. However, MBGB Vol. 4(2) states that ocellatella is distinctive due to "the impression of an angulate fascia at about 3/4". S. atriplicella can have this faintly and beware also of worn Bryotropha species that are still on the wing and also have that fascia. My 6 specimens are variable with some having less distinctive markings than others. I have never seen S. atriplicella here. The other Scrobipalpa species are rare and/or coastal. 

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