My 2007 Moth catches (1 Viewer)

[Reader]

I started the trap at 22:00hrs last night but within 20 minutes the heavens opened up. The only way around this was to lift the garage door and put the trap under it, so protecting it from the rain. The rain lightened for a while but just before midnight the heavens opened up gain and for the next hour shed loads of water came down. The trap wasn't getting wet but neither were many moths out so I gave up at 1am.

A fairly low moth total in comparison to previous trapping as I caught just over 60 moths in those three hours. I have ID'd 22 species but I have ended up with four that I need clarification on.
I will do the first two and show two different perspectives of these moths, plus links to UK Moths to show how I arrived at these moths.

1 & 2. Poss Celypha lacunana http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=461
3 & 4. Poss Eudonia mercurella http://ukmoths.org.uk/showzoom.php?id=2445

John

 

[Surreybirder]

lacunana looks good to me but rurestrana is said to be a confusion species (recorded only once in Surrey, so presumably a long shot!)
If Brian cannot do Scops, I'm sure I can't
Ken

 

[Brian Stone]

Hey, I'm no expert on scops. I can't stand the things. If forced I'd say that was mercurella (ambigualis should have the X infilled with brownish, lacustrata would show more extensive pale central dorsal area, truncicolella would look more stippled black and white - I think!).

Isn't cespitana a possibility for the tort? I still think it's lacunana though.

 

[Reader]

Thanks Ken / Brian

I must admit I was relatively confident with those two but obviously like you there has to be doubts about them. Is there anyone else that wants to throw their ideas in.

The following two are one's I can't work out. The Wainscott is a species I find hard at any time. I thought it could be Southern Wainscott but I bow to your expert ID's. I have managed to photograph the underside of this moth if it will help.

The 2nd I just can't work out. I think I have checked everything but can't seem to find a match. See what you think.

John

 

[Brian Stone]

The following two are one's I can't work out. The Wainscott is a species I find hard at any time. I thought it could be Southern Wainscott but I bow to your expert ID's. I have managed to photograph the underside of this moth if it will help.

If you suspect a Southern Wainscot get this view and look for the diagnostic 'headband'.

Would it upset you very much if I suggested Cnephasia again for the micro?

 

[Brian Stone]

Note that although Cnephasias generally need dissecting, I believe large examples (WS 20mm+) can normally be safely assigned to stephensiana (although I note UK Moths quotes sizes for the scarce genitalana up to 22mm) and the uniform form of longana is also distinctive.

 

[Reader]

If you suspect a Southern Wainscot get this view and look for the diagnostic 'headband'.

Did you mean to put in an attachment when you asked to get this view?

Warings doesn't mention anything about a headband but luckily I have kept this moth in the Fridge and have just taken this image. Is this what you are looking for?

Would it upset you very much if I suggested Cnephasia again for the micro?

No you wouldn't upset me. I did look at that family and I suppose I did consider Cnephasia genitalana but my moth just seemed to lack enough markings. I suppose this one will remain a mystery.

John

 

[Brian Stone]

I'll post the pic here so it's on the same page as yours. Thought I'd done it before but a bit rushed today.

Don't think yours is Southern based on that pic.

 

[Reader]

I'll post the pic here so it's on the same page as yours. Thought I'd done it before but a bit rushed today.

Don't think yours is Southern based on that pic.

I agree. What do you think it is then. A Common Wainscott?

John

 

[Brian Stone]

Wing shape looks right for Southern though. Perhaps not all show the headband.

 

[Surreybirder]

Southern is said to be quite local in the Midlands. It's food plant is common reed and reed canary grass. I don't know whether that helps at all! Perhaps another dissection job
Ken

 

[Reader]

Wing shape looks right for Southern though. Perhaps not all show the headband.

Now you have confused me. :-O

Doesn't the underside help at all Brian.

John

 

[davidg]

I'd go for Southern based on the wing-shape as well - square rather than rounded. The underside of the wing looks right too. Obviously the headband isn't diagnostic then - shame.

David

 

[Brian Stone]

Can't remember what the underside should look like. You've presumably checked the hindwing for smoky?

I should think there's enough there for someone more experienced to make the call.

 

[Brian Stone]

I'd go for Southern based on the wing-shape as well - square rather than rounded. The underside of the wing looks right too. Obviously the headband isn't diagnostic then - shame.

Should still be OK if it's there David. Just the absence doesn't mean it isn't Southern. More comments would be welcome.

 

[davidg]

Should still be OK if it's there David. Just the absence doesn't mean it isn't Southern. More comments would be welcome.

Yes, that's what I meant - just not what I said!

David

 

[Reader]

Should still be OK if it's there David. Just the absence doesn't mean it isn't Southern. More comments would be welcome.

Well I have reedbeds within half a mile of my house at Coombe Abbey plus massive reedbeds within three miles (as the Crow flies) at Brandon Marsh if that helps.

John

 

[black52bird]

Spelling

Sorry to be a bore at the end of this very illuminating discussion on your Wainscot, Reader, but I just wanted to point out that Wainscot is spelt this way, rather than with a double 't' as you consistently spell it in your thread. Just thought it'd look better in your records spelt right......
For those of a pedantic tendency like me, you may be interested to know that the name comes from the old word for wooden panelling on the inside of walls, and that in turn comes from the Middle Dutch waeghe = wave (thus the grain-pattern of the wood) and schot = partition. So the patterning on the Wainscot moth presumably reminded the namer of the grain on woodwork panelling.

Best..and sorry again.

David

 

[Reader]

What a night. The wind was so bad that I moved the trap into the garage with the door up so the trap wouldn't blow away. The wind blew a few of my feeders off the trees plus a couple of bird tables were blown over. A few showers came and went then the wind turned around and blew straight into the garage, lifting the perspex on the traps. I had to place a couple of pieces of wood on them to hold them down then the wind started to move the trap so at 2am I gave up.

In the end I still managed to trap 48 moths even in those conditions. Within those 48 Moths were 20 species, of which I managed to ID 18 of them plus these two below.

I am fairly certain that the first is a Shuttle Shaped Dart but the second could be a Small Fan-footed Wave (the WS was 10mm).

John

 

[Brian Stone]

Thats a Heart & Dart - check out the black headband. Plus it's usually bigger than Shuttle-shaped Dart. If those are 2mm squares it would be far too big for the latter.

Yes to Small Fan-footed Wave.