005 Micropterix calthella

01.005 Micropterix calthella (Plain Pollen-moth)

ws 7-10mm; May-Jun; adults feed on pollen of herbaceous plants, especially sedges (Carex spp), buttercups (Ranunculus spp); damp woodland rides & clearings.

Micropterix calthella §7

ID: Head not black; forewing without fasciae > M.calthella or female M.aruncella. These are distinguished in the key in MBGBI1 by the extent of purple at the forewing base, which in M.aruncella is confined to the costal half. However, determining that there is some purple in the dorsal half of the base of the forewing is not always straightforward.

Variation
DIssection
Male genitalia
Female genitalia

§1 Ham Fen, Kent; 22/05/2010
§2 Llyn Cynwch, Gwynedd; male; 23/06/2010
§3 Llyn Cynwch, Gwynedd; female; 23/06/2010
§4 Upton Fen, Norfolk; 10/05/2014; female; fw 4.2mm
§5 Upton Fen, Norfolk; 10/05/2014; male; fw 4.4mm
§6 Hadleigh CP, Essex; 19/05/2014
§7 Upton Fen, Norfolk; 14/05/2015
§8 Foulden Common, Norfolk; 24/05/2016
§9 Foulden Common, Norfolk; 06/06/2016; fw 3.7mm
All images © Chris Lewis

§10 Arnside Knott, Cumbria; 22/06/2019; female; fw 3.7mm
§11 Tile Wood, Essex; 24/04/2020; female; fw 4.3mm; found on wood sedge
§12 Tile Wood, Essex; 24/04/2020; male; fw 3.3mm; found on wood sedge
§13 Tile Wood, Essex; 24/04/2020; female; fw 3.9mm; found on wood sedge
§14 Tile Wood, Essex; 24/04/2020; male; fw 3.6mm; found on wood sedge