34.004 Limnaecia phragmitella (Bulrush Down Moth)
ws: 16-20mm; Jun-Aug; lesser bulrush (Typha angustifolia), bulrush (Typha latifolia); leaf-mine from Sep, larva hibernates in the flower spike, pupates in June; locally common throughout Britain except N.Scotland.
ID: Head smooth scaled; ocelli absent; proboscis scaled; antenna 3/4 length of fw, ciliate, scape long and club-shaped with a pecten*; labial palp long, cylindrical, porrect, S3 angled up and reaching well above head, S2 3/4 length of S3 thickened by coarse scales ventrally, maxillary palps developed but short.
*(MBGBI41 states that the pecten for genus Limnaecia has 1-3 "pectines", the only image I have of L.phragmitella, which is the only British representative of the genus, shows 3 pecten hairs at the extreme base of the scape; they do not seem to be visible in dorsal or lateral view and may be best seen in a ventral view. It is not clear to me whether the MBGBI reference to 1-3 pecten hairs refers to variability across species within the genus or whether there is variation in number of hairs within an individual species).
*(MBGBI41 states that the pecten for genus Limnaecia has 1-3 "pectines", the only image I have of L.phragmitella, which is the only British representative of the genus, shows 3 pecten hairs at the extreme base of the scape; they do not seem to be visible in dorsal or lateral view and may be best seen in a ventral view. It is not clear to me whether the MBGBI reference to 1-3 pecten hairs refers to variability across species within the genus or whether there is variation in number of hairs within an individual species).
§1 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 01/07/2008; female; fw 10.0mm
§2 Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk; 16/07/2008; fw 8.5mm
§3 Sutton Fen, Norfolk; 22/07/2008
§4 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 13/08/2011; female; fw 10.2mm
§5 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 04/07/2018; female; fw 10.1mm
§6 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 10/08/2023; female; fw 8.3mm
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk; 16/07/2008; fw 8.5mm
§3 Sutton Fen, Norfolk; 22/07/2008
§4 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 13/08/2011; female; fw 10.2mm
§5 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 04/07/2018; female; fw 10.1mm
§6 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 10/08/2023; female; fw 8.3mm
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 06/11/2011 (§1-4) | §5 added 25/04/2019 | §6 added 21/12/2023