70.1271 Horisme radicata (Cryptic Fern)
fw: 14-18mm?; bivoltine May-Jun, Aug; travellers joy (Clematis vitalba); recently discovered in Kent and Sussex but likely to have been overlooked.
ID: Very similar to H.tersata (Fern). May be suspected by pallor of the forewing apex costal to the dark apical streak; absence of a forewing discal spot and brown rather than ochreous colour.
Male genitalia: The two 'Fern' species differ particularly in the form of the harpes at the apices of the sacculi - which are somewhat variable in both species. The harpes are composed of a ~rectangular base and a narrower apical process. In H.tersata the rectangular base is longer than the apical process and the apical processes are fairly broad-based and taper from the base. In H.radicata the rectangular base is shorter than the apical process and the apical processes are fairly narrow-based and the longer left process is of fairly even diameter for most of its length. The degree of asymmetry seems to vary considerably but in H.radicata the left process is always noticeably longer than the right, while in H.tersata the processes may be of more or less equal length. |
§1 Ham Fen, Kent; 10/08/2010; male; fw 14.1mm; ID confirmed by gen.det; formerly presented as H.tersata §1
§2 Covert Woods, Kent; 09/05/2022; male; fw 17.3mm; to light
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Covert Woods, Kent; 09/05/2022; male; fw 17.3mm; to light
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 28/05/2022 (§1&2)