298 Notocelia trimaculana

TORTRICIDAE | Olethreutinae: Eucosmini

49.298 Notocelia trimaculana (Hawthorn Shoot Moth)

ws: 15-17mm; Jun-Aug; hawthorn (Crataegus spp); common throughout GB
Synonym: Epiblema trimaculana

Notocelia trimaculana §7 male

ID: Similar to N.rosaecolana/roborana. In males - 3 broad and 4 narrow costal strigulae between apical spot and distal end of costal fold which intersects the costa at 1/2 - excludes N.rosaecolana. The size range quoted by Clifton & Wheeler would allow exclusion of N.roborana on this basis, but that quoted by BTM gives overlap at the 16-17mm range. There do not seem to be any reliably consistent differences in forewing pattern between N.roborana/trimaculana; however it does seem from comparison of images that the pre-tornal spot and median fascia are usually less well developed in N.roborana than in N.trimaculana - giving a relatively uninterrupted patch of white ground colour between the basal patch and subterminal fascia in N.roborana. Small specimens probably require genital dissection for confident ID. More information on separating these species is here.

Variation
DIssection
Male genitalia
Female genitalia

§1 Foulness, Essex; 29/05/2011; male; fw 7.9mm
§2 Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk; 29/05/2012; male
§3 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 29/06/2013; female
§4 Warton Crag, Lancashire; 18/06/2014; female
§5 New Forest, Hampshire; 20/06/2016; male; fw 7.4mm
§6 Foulden Common, Norfolk; 06/06/2016; male
§7 Foulden Common, Norfolk; 06/06/2016; male; fw 8.0mm
§8 Cliburn Moss, Cumbria; 18/06/2019; male; fw 7.3mm
§9 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 01/06/2022; male; fw 8.0mm
§10 Stour Wood, Essex; 26/05/2022; female; fw 8.3mm
All images © Chris Lewis