73.159 Apamea unanimis (Small Clouded Brindle)
fw: 15-17mm (Waring & Townsend), ws: 30-38mm (MBGBI10); May-Jul; grasses (Poaceae); common in England and Wales, local in Scotland.
ID: Forewing varies in shade of brown; kidney mark outlined white more boldly on its distal edge; oval concolorous with a partial black outline; dart small, black-outlined; two basal streaks, central and dorsal; veins partially lined fuscous. Antenna: according to MBGBI10: male - finely fasciculate, female - finely setose, but it is clearly also setose and ciliate in the male. May be mistaken for the very variable Mesapamea secalis/didyma (Common/Lesser Common Rustic) which flies Jul-Aug and usually lacks the central basal streak. A crescent-shaped mark on the hindwing, better marked on the underside, is larger and broader in A.unanimis.
§1 Upton Fen, Norfolk; 08/06/2008; male; fw 16.6mm
§2 Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk; 04/06/2009; male; fw 16.0mm
§3 Buttermere, Cumbria; 20/06/2014; male; fw 15.0mm
§4 Foulden Common, Norfolk; 06/06/2016; male; fw 15.6mm; to light
§5 Foulden Common, Norfolk; 06/06/2016; female; fw 16.3mm; to light
§6 Eskadale, Inverness-shire; 25/06/2022; female; fw 16.3mm
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk; 04/06/2009; male; fw 16.0mm
§3 Buttermere, Cumbria; 20/06/2014; male; fw 15.0mm
§4 Foulden Common, Norfolk; 06/06/2016; male; fw 15.6mm; to light
§5 Foulden Common, Norfolk; 06/06/2016; female; fw 16.3mm; to light
§6 Eskadale, Inverness-shire; 25/06/2022; female; fw 16.3mm
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 19/03/2016 (§1-3) | §4&5 added 13/08/2017 | §6 added 15/10/2022