I know you can't normally split Yponomeuta padella/malinellus/cagnagella from sight (or dissection) but I got this all grey one this morning. Reading my Sterling & Parsons it says Y.sedella can be distinguished for all grey forms of Y.padella..." I've ruled out Y.sedella because this one has spots at the apex, so can I record this as Y.padella?
Mark Griffiths, Garsington, Oxford.
Hello Mark,
ReplyDeleteI would certainly agree with the first sentence about this group in Sterling & Parsons (top of page 94) which says "The Yponomeuta padella/malinellus species pair cannot be reliably separated...", but then there is much in their subsequent text which tempts the unwary to guess at an ID, even suggesting that dissection may help (which it doesn't). I hope this has all been re-written in the updated version of the book which is due out very soon. I wouldn't accept a record of cagnagella, padella or malinellus unless the moth had been reared from the appropriate food-plant.
ok, thanks Dave!
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