064 Scoparia ambigualis

63.064 Scoparia ambigualis 1334

ws: 15-22mm; May-Aug; moss?; common throughout GB

Scoparia ambigualis §2 male

ID: a variable species easily confused with some of its congeners especially Eudonia truncicolella, S.basistrigalis and S.ancipitella. S.ambigualis often has a faint ochreous hue to the greyish white forewing; the postmedian and subterminal white lines are angled towards each other and touch to form a white 'X' in the terminal portion of the wing; blackish edging of the indistinctly '8'-shaped discal spot forms a distinct blackish 'X' proximal to the angle in the postmedian line. Goater gives differences between the similar as: E.truncicolella has a more pointed forewing, blacker markings and lacks the faint ochreous wash. S.basistrigalis is a little larger (ws20-23mm), broader winged with a blunter apex, greyer, without ochreous hue, more heavily irrorate blackish and with a more chequered fringe. S.ancipitella also lacks the ochreous tint; it has a strongly developed, dark, evenly curved first line (antemedian); a more sinuate second line (postmedian) which is approximated to the subterminal line throughout its length and often indistinguishable from it; paler hindwing.
Genital dissection readily separates these species - see Scopariinae for comparative images.

Dissection

Male genitalia

Female genitalia

§1 Hollesley, Suffolk; 13/06/2011; male; fw 9.7mm
§2 Hollesley, Suffolk; 13/06/2011; female
§3 Mull; 30/06/2011; male
§4 Kinlochleven, Argyll; 08/07/2011; female
§5 New Forest, Hampshire; 03/06/2012; male; fw 10.2mm
§6 Winterton, Norfolk; 11/06/2015; male; fw 10.1mm; to light
§7 Foulden Common, Norfolk; 23/05/2016; male; fw 9.4mm
§8 Bampton Grange, Cumbria; 12/06/2017; female; fw 9.4mm
All images © Chris Lewis

Page published 09/02/2012 | Specimen §5 added 21/01/2013 | §6 added 22/01/2016 | §7 added 20/04/2017 | §8 added 18/03/2018