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Not a moth, but it was in the trap... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter robmeades
- Start date
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
robmeades said:
Hello Rob,
As Angus has said it is a Caddisfly, and they range in size from Nepticulid moth to a Large Yellow Underwing in wingspan. It's also true that if you live near a water body they can outnumber moths in the trap.
Identification is far from easy and relies on the position of hairs, leg spurs and genitalia. Books on ID are very few and far between with even fewer recent publications. Your better off sticking to Moths and Butterflies.
Harry
One advantage to 'doing' caddisfly that I learnt recently is that they don't need to be dissected as they have external genetalia, though they do shrivel up once the beast is dead, but then if you don't have reference to this genetalia................your're at nothing anyhow.harry eales said:
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
Angus T said:
Quite right Angus,
If a specimen is needed for future identification it should be placed in a tube filled with 70% alcohol. This will preserve the specimen and prevent it shrivelling. The only thing harder than ID'ing a Caddisfly is finding someone who is competant enough to do it for you. lol. I only know one person who can do it and he is the National Caddis Recorder.
Harry
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
robmeades said:Selfishly, I think moths are more attractive and varied. Not gonna be a Caddis Fly trapper, except by accident.
Hi Rob,
A wise decision, a very wise decision. lol.
Harry
black52bird
Registered User
On the other hand, guys, Caddis fly larvae are actually relatively easy to identify, and can be distinguished by the way in which they make either the protective 'tubes' around themselves, or, in the free species, their nets. At the tender age of 18, I undertook a survey of the species in various pieces of water around my home town of Walsall (then still in Staffordshire, before Maggie's remanagement!!), and came up with around 20-odd species. The book I got on inter-library loan was a specialised monograph the title of which escapes me 30+ years down the line. Maybe by Neville somebody, who worked in the Wyre Forest in Worcestershire. One of the most fascinating was one called (again I hope I remember well!) Phyragana, which was rather unusual in being a free-swimming larva, which wrapped a spiral of cut reed around itself. One fun 'trick' is to gently ease a larva out of its 'tune' with a matchstick from the rear end, and then leave it all sorts of interesting bits from which to make its 'tube' - silver paper, blue glass, pink plastic...and it will stick it all together. But then that was in the days of psychodelia!!
But as everyone says, don't even go near the adults!!
Best
David
But as everyone says, don't even go near the adults!!
Best
David
Surreybirder
Ken Noble
Are there recorders for all insect groups? In Surrey we have a lacewing recorder--he got quite excited when I said I lived near some pine trees!!--but I think there are lots of groups we don't have a recorder for (even our Odonata recorder we share with two other counties!).
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
Surreybirder said:
Hello Ken,
BRC list National Recorders for just about every invertebrate group. The more popular groups of invert's, i.e. Lepidoptera and Odonata have been passed over to their individual Conservation Charities and they organise County Recorders, and frequently assistant CR's.
The less popular Invert., groups simply don't have enough recorders in total in Britain to justify CR's. In instances like that the individual recorder sends in his records and occasionally his specimens if verification is needed, to the National Recorder for that particular group. See:-
http://www.brc.ac.uk/
Harry
Surreybirder
Ken Noble
Thanks, Harry, very helpful.
Our CR has just sent out an email asking us to look out for Peyerimhoffina gracilis--apparently a lacewing only added to the Surrey list last year. Two more so far this year. I wonder if itwill reach Durham!
Our CR has just sent out an email asking us to look out for Peyerimhoffina gracilis--apparently a lacewing only added to the Surrey list last year. Two more so far this year. I wonder if itwill reach Durham!
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
Surreybirder said:
Hi Ken,
Just make sure you know how to identify it. It was added to the British List last year from a number of species caught in an experiment using pheremones in Hampshire. Lacewings are NOT identifiable from photographs with the exception of just one or two species so please don't post any.
Peyerimhoffina gracilis is a large green lacewing, and one of many similar species, and it's so new to this country I know of no keys to ID it.
New Neuropterans are being added at the rate of one or two species a year to the British List so even the most recent book on their ID by Colin Plant is somewhat out of date.
You should be getting some numbers of Lacewings in your trap, I certainly am, with all the Greenfly that have been around this year.
I'll have to look into this Pheremone as it apparently attracts several species, it will be a lot easier than beating for them as I do at the moment.
It's a little early to say if it will reach Durham, but who knows, once I have the necessary ID info I'll look for it. By the numbers caught so far it appears to be a resident species, rather than just a casual migrant.
Harry
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