Today's puzzlers (1 Viewer)

CJW

Hit-and-run WUM

• May 20, 2004

• #21

brianhstone said:

the only really significant pale marking is the sub-terminal line with the deep W shape.

Click to expand...

Sorry Brian, I don't understand this comment.

 

Brian Stone

A Stone chatting

• May 20, 2004

• #22

I mean it is overall rather dark and nothing is terribly well defined except for the sub-terminal line. I was trying to convey something of what it looks and feels like in the hand because I don't think the picture is a good representation.

 

CJW

Hit-and-run WUM

• May 20, 2004

• #23

Ah, righto.
Am I missing something though? Because in the photo there seems to be a suite of features to aid i.d. Surely if they aren't there, no matter how bad/non-representative the photo, they couldn't be made to look like they are (if you see what I mean).
The only things that are stopping me from saying that it is definitley a Grey Arches is the depth of the 'W' you mentioned and the darkness of the reniform. The general patterning of the insect is almost identical to Grey Arches.
Still, I suppose I should wait and see the 'new, improved' photos.

 

Brian Stone

A Stone chatting

• May 20, 2004

• #24

I know what you are getting at. All the features must be there sure enough. It is the relative prominence that appears to be out in the pic. For example, by far the most obvious feature was the sub-t line. That doesn't look much paler than other bits in the pic but I am sure it was. The pic shows the stigmata quite strongly outlined in black but you had to look closely to see this in reality.

Given that I seem to get a fair number of dark forms in my garden a dark Grey Arches is a real possibility if such a form exists. All the pics I can find so far show a rather paler moth - e.g.
http://www.habitas.org.uk/moths/photo.asp?item=6241
http://www.bike2nature.co.uk/moths/moth_2150.htm
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/zoothorn/grey_arches080703c.jpg

 

CJW

Hit-and-run WUM

• May 20, 2004

• #25

The majority of those are pale Brian (the third pic' shows a nice dark one, though). Indeed, most of the ones i get are of this form, but dark ones do occur.
I'm working off memory here, as I'm in work.

 

C

Cuckoo-shrike

Well-known member

• May 20, 2004

• #26

Thanks for the Knot Grass i.d. folks - flippin' obvious now. I vow to try harder in future!
Andy