053 Herminia tarsipennalis (Fan-foot)

72.053 Herminia tarsipennalis (Fan-foot)

fw: 13-16mm; Jun-Aug; withered leaves; common mainly in broadleaved woodland in most of England and Wales, more local in far N.England and S.Scotland

Herminia tarsipennalis (Fan-foot) §1 male

ID: Brown with 3 dark brown cross-lines: subbasal curved, postmedian sinuate and subterminal almost straight and meeting the costa before the apex; a fine dark crescent between subbasal and postmedian lines and a terminal row of dashes; hindwing grey-brown with a dark subterminal line which becomes obsolete in its costal 1/3, pale-edged distally; the male antenna has a small bulge at ~1/2 of its length. Pechipogo strigilata (Common Fan-foot) has similar but more diffuse markings, a grey-brown forewing and whitish hindwing. H.tarsicrinalis (Shaded Fan-foot) averages smaller (fw 12-14mm) and has a distinct diffuse darker brown cross-band through the crescent mark. H.grisealis (Small Fan-foot) is smaller (fw 11-13mm) and has the subterminal line to the apex. Zanclognatha lunalis (Jubilee Fan-foot) has a bolder more strongly arched crescent mark and the postmedian line is finely scalloped (rather than smooth). Z.zelleralis (Dusky Fan-foot) has a bolder more ring-shaped 'crescent' and the subterminal line is pale and a similar line is present on the hindwing. P.plumigeralis (Plumed Fan-foot) also has a bold ring-shaped 'crescent' mark and a white subterminal line; it has a red-brown forewing ground colour and a slightly hooked forewing apex; the male antenna is bipectinate.

DIssection

Male genitalia

§1 New Forest, Hampshire; 29/06/2009; male; fw 14.8mm
§2 Ham Fen, Kent; 16/07/2010; male; fw 13.9mm
§3 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 25/07/2012; male
§4 Silverdale, Lancashire; 20/06/2014; male; fw 14.3mm
§5 Cranwich Heath, Norfolk; 05/07/2018; male; fw 13.0mm
All images © Chris Lewis

Page published 18/03/2015 (§1-4) | §5 added 29/04/2019