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November Moth, Pale November Moth or something else? (1 Viewer)

martin kitching

Obsessed seawatcher
Hi all

This looks to me like November Moth, but I'm not certain. If it is one of these two, and can be identified positively, could someone please give me some pointers as to what to look for if I catch anything similar to this. Whatever it is, it was one of only three moths in my trap last night - two of which were new for the garden, this one and a Streak.

cheers
martin
 

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martin kitching said:
Hi all

This looks to me like November Moth, but I'm not certain. If it is one of these two, and can be identified positively, could someone please give me some pointers as to what to look for if I catch anything similar to this. Whatever it is, it was one of only three moths in my trap last night - two of which were new for the garden, this one and a Streak.

cheers
martin

Hello Martin,
The Epirrita's are a difficult little group to sort out, especially by just the Mk1 eyeball. Genitalia examination is necessary to be absolutely positive.
The small Autumnal Moth is mainly restricted to moorland, which more or less rules this species out, living where you do.

The November Moth, Pale November Moth and the Autumnal Moth males can be seperated by knocking them out with Co2, lay the moths on their back and using a small damp artists brush remove the scales from the tip of the abdomen. Look at these with a lens and compare them with the drawings on page 98 in Waring and Townsends book Field Guide to the Moths if Gt. Britain and Ireland. Females you would have to kill before a dissection.

FWIW on an examination of wing pattern alone (not always reliable) I think it is the November Moth E.dilutata.

Harry
 
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martin kitching said:
Thanks Harry

So, the next one of these I catch I need to start fiddling round with it's genitals...............

martin


Hello Martin,

Yes, that's about the state of things, but just keep quiet about it, Scotland Gate is a very small place, and you don't want a reputation as the village perv... :h?:

Harry
 
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