Moving into May (1 Viewer)

[Brian Stone]

Morning,
Sorry to take you away from your pugs but I got a change from the usual Muslins this morning. I have Googled forever but am still unsure if it's hyphoraia aulica or testudinaria. Any ideas? I have more pics if needed.

Ta
Jen :bounce:

Steady tiger! That's a cracker. I can see what you mean about the two possible species. Looking at a few pics testudinaria might be closest but according to this it might not be present in your part of France. The flight time is right for both.

 

[Angus T]

May 12th Wicklow List 25 species

Wicklow List 25 species

This time last year I was getting 50 species a night. But after the record
breaking low temps of previous nights, anything was a bonus. Min temp of 8C with
a bit of a breeze. Had more Cockchafers (6) than moths in the actinic trap.

Highlight is clearly my 3rd Delicate, and first since 2002. A good few new for
year

Garden actinic 4moths of 3 species.
Garden MV 11 moths of 9 species (9 cockchafer)
Farmyard MV 28 moths of 19 species (1 Cockchafer!)

* = new for year.

0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 1
0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
0671 Depressaria ultimella 1
0986 Syndemis musculana 1
1126 Ancylis badiana 3
1725 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe ferrugata) 2
*1727 Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) 1
*1759 Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata) 1
1769 Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica) 2
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 3
*1931 Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) 2
*1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) 1
2015 Lunar Marbled Brown (Drymonia ruficornis) 1
2028 Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda) 3
*2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 1
2063 Muslin Moth (Diaphora mendica) 2
*2069 Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae) 1
2078 Least Black Arches (Nola confusalis) 1
2091 Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon) 1
*2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 1
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 8
*2195 Delicate (Mythimna vitellina) 1
*2425 Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli) 1

 

[Fuchsia]

Looking at a few pics testudinaria might be closest but according to this it might not be present in your part of France. The flight time is right for both.

Hello Brian,
I was leaning towards testudinaria (male) 'til I read this! I did find a French site that only listed testudinaria and was 80% sure. It'll be a shame if it stays an uncertain ID.

Jen :h?: B

 

[Brian Stone]

I was planning to go to my LNR last night but I bottled out again as there was a stiff breeze and the temerature was already down to 7 before dark. The right decision I think as there was nothing at all out in my garden (not even larvae) and it got down to 4 degrees.

 

[hjalava]

Hello Brian,
I was leaning towards testudinaria (male) 'til I read this! I did find a French site that only listed testudinaria and was 80% sure. It'll be a shame if it stays an uncertain ID.

Jen :h?: B

More confusion from here: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/rare/arctiidae/index.htm and here: http://www.inra.fr/Internet/Hebergement/OPIE-Insectes/observatoire/listes/l_lepid5.htm#Noctuoidea

Harri

 

[Brian Stone]

At Jen's request I put that Smashing Tiger to the UKmoths yahoogroup. Martin Honey responded as follows:
"The following comments have been gleaned from my understanding of the European checklist, where aulica and testudinaria are listed as separate species, and de Freina & Witt, 1987 (Die Bombyces und Sphinges der Westpalaearktis).

"The split appears to be a geographical one, aulica being northern and eastern and testudinaria being distinctly southern, as far as Europe is concerned (if the maps are to be believed).

"If you have come across a reference to an aulica as a synonym/subspecies of testudinaria this must refer to aulica of Esper (1790), not that of Linnaeus (1758), i.e. it probably refers to a misidentification."

Unfortunately this doesn't really settle anything as far as Jen's moth goes because Bretagne is outside both ranges! As Martin says:
"Whichever it is my guess is that it is an interesting record."

Ho hum...

 

[Fuchsia]

Maybe I'll start a new list for 'Middle France'!
Thanks ever so much for trying, Brian. :flowers:

 

[harry eales]

I'm pleased that some people are managing to get reasonable catches of late , unfortunately I'm not. The last weeks trapping has produced nothing more than the occasional Hebrew Character, having said that, the cold easterly winds and the nightly frosts are not exactly beneficial to moth trapping.

One piece of good news, is that Dingy Skippers are now being seen in Durham, so if the good daytime weather holds, I will be seeing some later today.

Harry

 

[Fuchsia]

To be honest Harry, apart from the above it's been very sad here. I didn't even bother the last few nights due to rain and high winds.
Fingers crossed for better weather, catches and those darn eggs hatching!

Jen :-}

 

[black52bird]

Some new problems

Dear All
Despite warm daytime temperatures here in Budapest, it's still chilly in the evenings, and last night it started raining at about 10 pm, and today is cloudy and grey, with terrible bands of rain showing on the forecast maps. So it seems very variable everywhere at present.

I have caught a couple of Garden Carpets this week (pic 1), which is nice - a new species for me. Pretty moth.
I also caught something which isn't a moth (pic 2). I wonder if you have any suggestions as to what it might be? It's 1.5 cm long.
The third one is the one I really would like help with (pic 3). It's not the greatest of pictures, I'm afraid. I felt it might be a Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda0 or Pale Mottled Willow (Paradrina clavipalpis), but as I know neither of them I would like "a little help from my friends". To get by. With. From.

Thanks in advance.

David

 

[Surreybirder]

I felt it might be a Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda0 or Pale Mottled Willow (Paradrina clavipalpis), but as I know neither of them I would like "a little help from my friends". To get by. With. From.

Thanks in advance.

David

Hi, David,
I don't think it's a small quaker, if that's any help. I've edited it slightly and the markings don't look right for sq. I'll attach a sq for comparison.
Ken

 

[Angus T]

After a sunny warmish day, the night stayed reasonably mild with 12C at midnight
and falling to 8C by dawn. Wind was light. A reasonable haul though numbers of
some species such as Pale Tussock I'd expect higher. 13 species new for year,
all of them very fresh

Farmyard MV 52 moths 25 species (11 Cockchafers)
Garden MV 41 moths 25 species (14 Cockchafers)
Garden Actinic. 18 moths 13 species.(15 Cockchafers)

* = New for year.

0648 White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) 2
0986 Syndemis musculana 2
1126 Ancylis badiana 4
1288 Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla) 3
*1376 Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) 1
1722 Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata) 1
1725 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe ferrugata) 7
1759 Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata) 8
1768 Grey Pine Carpet (Thera obeliscata) 2
*1778 May Highflyer (Hydriomena impluviata) 3
*1817 Foxglove Pug (Eupithecia pulchellata) 1
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 2
1835 White-spotted Pug (Eupithecia tripunctaria) 2
1858 V-Pug (Chloroclystis v-ata) 1
*1887 Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata) 2
*1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 2
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 4
*1918 Lunar Thorn (Selenia lunularia) 1
1920 Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata) 1
*1955 Common White Wave (Cabera pusaria) 1
*1956 Common Wave (Cabera exanthemata) 1
*1958 Clouded Silver (Lomographa temerata) 2
2003 Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac) 2
*2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina) 1
2028 Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda) 2
2063 Muslin Moth (Diaphora mendica) 3
2078 Least Black Arches (Nola confusalis) 5
2087 Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum) 1
2091 Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon) 2
*2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 1
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 12
*2158 Pale-shouldered Brocade (Lacanobia thalassina) 1
2160 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) 1
2186 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) 2
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 1
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 2
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 7
2236 Pale Pinion (Lithophane hepatica) 1
*2326 Clouded-bordered Brindle (Apamea crenata) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 2
2469 Herald (Scoliopteryx libatrix) 1

 

[hjalava]

The third one is the one I really would like help with (pic 3). It's not the greatest of pictures, I'm afraid. I felt it might be a Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda0 or Pale Mottled Willow (Paradrina clavipalpis), but as I know neither of them I would like "a little help from my friends". To get by. With. From.

Thanks in advance.

David

It is Paradrina clavipalpis. More help from here:http://www.dlc.fi/~peterpa/lepi/lajit/caradrina.htm

Harri

 

[black52bird]

Pale Mottled Willow

Dear Ken
Thanks very much for the Small Quaker picture, which clearly ruled out that idea.
Dear Harri
Thanks very much for the Pale Mottled Willow suggestion and the reference to the excellent website. What brilliant pictures, and such a good way of showing specimens!!

I wonder whether anyone else - Harry, for example!! - has any idea what the central insect is (Thread 150), with it's curious wavy wings?

Best

David

 

[Surreybirder]

I found this pyralid today in a meadow. It's rather frisky so I haven't managed to get a good pic. I'm wondering if its a worn Pyrausta aurata. Any views?
Ken

 

[hjalava]

I found this pyralid today in a meadow. It's rather frisky so I haven't managed to get a good pic. I'm wondering if its a worn Pyrausta aurata. Any views?
Ken

It's a beautiful noctuid Panemeria tenebrata.

Harri

 

[harry eales]

Dear Ken
Thanks very much for the Small Quaker picture, which clearly ruled out that idea.
Dear Harri
Thanks very much for the Pale Mottled Willow suggestion and the reference to the excellent website. What brilliant pictures, and such a good way of showing specimens!!

I wonder whether anyone else - Harry, for example!! - has any idea what the central insect is (Thread 150), with it's curious wavy wings?

Best

David

Hello David,

I missed or rather overlooked your pictures, However, I have played around with your picture in Photoshop, and have what I believe to be the identity of your unknown.

At first glance it looks very much like one of the Hook Tip moths, but isn't in fact a moth at all. It's a Lacewing, Hemerobiidae (Brown Lacewings) which probably goes by the delightfull name of Drepanepteryx phalaenoides.

This species tends to roll its wings slightly (Like an Angleshades Moth) when at rest. Little is known about its biology, but it is believed to overwinter as an adult sheltering in Ivy or other evergreen shrub. The larvae and adults feed mainly on Greenfly (Aphids) It is usually associated with Birch trees. Like many other Lacewings it will come to light.

I have only seen it once, during a specific search for it. I beat a whole plantation of Birch Trees for over four hours without finding it. I returned to my van for lunch and a specimen flew into the van through the open window.
(Not a recommended way of collecting Lacewings). `It now forms a part of my collection, which on my demise, will go to the local Natural History Museum which has the local Neuroptera very poorly represented in its collections.

It may be possible that there other Drepanepteryx species in your area, so please dont take my ID as to species as positive, but at least I know the Genera is correct.

There is a very good book by Aspock & Aspock on the European Lacewings but at over £300 for the two volumes it is a little expensive. (I'm saving up)
It's possible your local Reference Library may have these books, worth checking anyway.

It is likely that a genitalia preparation will be necessary to be precise about the ID. If you still have the specimen (it looks rather dead) I would be willing to do the 'nads job' for you. (Drop me a PM if you still have it)

Harry

Edit, Another view of your picture, somewhat modified.

 

[Surreybirder]

It's a beautiful noctuid Panemeria tenebrata.

Harri

Well blow me down--no wonder I couldn't quite match it to the Pyralids!
Thanks, Harri.
(In Larger moths of Surrey Graham Collins has the rather dry comment: "Perhaps because of its small size and day-flying habits many lepidopterists consider this moth to be scarce, as indeed do several of the adjacent counties' local lists. It is in fact a very widespread and frequently rather common species, probably occurring in grassy areas throughout the county.")
Ken

 

[MikeWall]

Hello David,
At first glance it looks very much like one of the Hook Tip moths, but isn't in fact a moth at all. It's a Lacewing, Hemerobiidae (Brown Lacewings) which probably goes by the delightfull name of Drepanepteryx phalaenoides.
Harry

Edit, Another view of your picture, somewhat modified.

Looks like a jellyfish to me...

 

[MikeWall]

Well blow me down--no wonder I couldn't quite match it to the Pyralids!
Thanks, Harri.
(In Larger moths of Surrey Graham Collins has the rather dry comment: "Perhaps because of its small size and day-flying habits many lepidopterists consider this moth to be scarce, as indeed do several of the adjacent counties' local lists. It is in fact a very widespread and frequently rather common species, probably occurring in grassy areas throughout the county.")
Ken

Hmm, coming from one of his 'adjacent counties', I'm not sure if I entirely agree with Mr Collins. Although wanderers do turn up elsewhere, I've only found Small Yellow Underwing in any numbers in relatively extensive grassland areas, mainly on the downs and in the north-east of my county. I'd classify it as 'widespread but local, can be common where it occurs'.