British Lepidoptera

August 2023

2/8/2023

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Further dissections from my trips in June have added Phyllonorycter dubitella and Cnephasia conspersana

15.057 Phyllonorycter dubitella; Covert Woods; 06/06/2023

37.056 Cnephasia conspersana; Eskmeals dunes; 21/06/2023

2 weeks in the Scottish Highlands have added 3 species.

70.228 Epione vespertaria (Dark Bordered Beauty); Insh Marshes; 01/08/2023

70.139 Martania taeniata (Barred Carpet); Glen Affric; 30/07/2023

73.367 Protolampra sobrina (Cousin German); Inveruglas; 30/07/2023

A night at Orlestone Forest has added Dusky Hook-tip

65.004 Drepana curvatula (Dusky Hook-tip); Orlestone Forest; 16/08/2023

And a search for Marsh Mallow Moth along the Medway was successful

73.125 Hydraecia osseola (Marsh Mallow Moth); Burham; 22/08/023

A trip to the Middlewick Ranges, nr Colchester, with the Essex Moth Group on 23rd August has added Nemapogon falstriella and White-spotted Pinion

12.0221 Nemapogon falstriella; Colchester; 23/08/2023

73.214 Cosmia diffinis (White-spotted Pinion); Middlewick Ranges; 23/08/2023

Specimens sent to the Genital Determination Service have resulted in reappraisal of Delplanqueia with a page on the separation of D.dilutella/D.inscriptella and reidentification of one specimen as D.inscriptella which is new for the site.

Another specimen caused me to examine the criteria for separating Cnephasia pasiuana from C.pumicana - with the conclusion that these two should be remerged until/unless further evidence supporting the split becomes available. For now I will only recognise C.pasiuana. See Cnephasia pumicana

Together with finding C.conspersana and the the work done on C.pasiuana/pumicana I have written a long overdue page on identification of Cnephasia species.

49.303 Clavigesta sylvestrana has also been added

49.303 Clavigesta sylvestrana; Chantry Fireld NR; 02/08/2023 (specimen and image provided by Graham Ekins)

1743 species presented

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July 2023

29/6/2023

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Dissection from my trip to Cumbria in June have added 2 Nepticulid species

04.007 Stigmella luteella; Cliburn Moss; 11/06/2023

04.082 Ectoedemia intimella; Duddon Mosses; 19/06/2023

On 8th July I potted a small tortrix which was resting on my car as I was about to leave home to set traps on Foulness. After a mammoth trapping session with >2000 moths of 180 species, 13 of which were new for Foulness, I found that the only moth new to me was this small tortix.

49.3275 Cydia interscindana; Westcliff-on-sea; 08/07/2023

Seven species have been added from the genital determination service. These include Augasma aeratella which has not been seen in Britain since 1956 and was considered extinct. There have been several subsequent records in southern England all to the NI moth lure. In association with identifying Pammene suspectana I have written a page to aid the identification of the difficult P.albuginana group.

12.020 Nemapogon variatella; Colchester; 25/06/2023

12.042 Monopis fenestratella, Boreham; ??/06/2023

37.001 Augasma aeratella; Boreham; 27/06/2023

49.364 Pammene suspectana; Boreham; 08/06/2023

12.023 Triaxomasia caprimulgella; Boreham; 24/06/2023

35.077 Monochroa hornigi; Dagenham; 07/07/2023

37.026 Coleophora violacea; Boreham; 22/06/2023

1732 species presented

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June 2023

1/6/2023

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A trip to Hampshire with an overnight trapping session on 30th May added Drab Looper (netted in midday sunshine over wood spurge), Bucculatrix frangulatella (netted in evening sunshine); Dingy Mocha and Pammene germmana (to light trap).

14.006 Bucculatrix frangutella; New Forest; 30/05/2023

70.030 Cyclophora pendularia (Dingy Mocha); New Forest; 30/05/2023

49.377 Pammene germmana; New Forest; 30/05/2023

70.117 Minoa murinata (Drab Looper); Harewood Forest; 30/05/2023

A trip to Cumbria with trapping at several sites has added Ebiblema turbidana, Pammene ochsenheimeriana and Eudonia lineola (and will probably add one or two other species once the Coleophora, Elachista and Nepticulids have been identified).

49.290 Epiblema turbidana; Bampton Grange; 16/06/2023

63.071 Eudonia lineola; Eskmeals Dunes; 21/06/2023

49.378 Pammene ochsenheimeriana; Cliburn Moss; 11/06/2023

Identifications confirmed by my genital determination service has also added Cydia pactolana - FIRST FOR ESSEX, Denisia albimaculea - also FIRST FOR ESSEX and Cymolomia hartigiana - SECOND FOR BRITAIN

28.005 Denisia albimaculea; Colchester; 10/06/2023; to light; specimen provided by Alec Undrill

49.176 Cymolomia hartigiana; Falmouth; 11/06/2023; to light; specimen and image provided by Elliott Cornelius

49.336 Cydia pactolana; Shenfield; 23/05/2023; to STR pheromone; specimen provided by Roberta Legg

04.100 Ectoedemia minimella removed (misidentification)
1722 species presented

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April & May 2023

10/4/2023

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Found Indian Meal Moth (Plodia interpunctella) on my kitchen wall on 10th April and my genital determination service has added Stigmella perpymaeella - total species presented now 1713

62.062 Plodia interpunctella; Westcliff-on-sea; 10/04/2023

04.054 Stigmella perpygmaeella; Great Holland; 25/04/2023 (image © Gavin Price)

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January-March 2023

15/1/2023

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1 species added (trapped by Mick Scott)
1711 species presented

73.089 Spodoptera littoralis (Mediterranean Brocade); St Mary's; 29/10/2022

British Lepidoptera checklist updated with amendments from 6th Update (Ent Rec Jan/Feb 2023).
Relevent pages of the website also updated.
36.002 Batrachedra pinicolella reidentified as 36.0029 B.confusella following the split.

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November 2022

10/11/2022

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Spudaea ruticilla (Scarce Chestnut) - First for Britain. Article now published in Atropos and species added to site

Coleophora sternipennella - reinstated following gen.det of specimens obtained at a trapping session at Sutton Fen in July.

37.084 Coleophora sternipennella, Sutton Fen; 11/07/2022

Coleophora solitariella identified from dissection of moths from a trapping session in Pound Wood in July.

37.100 Coleophora solitariella; Pound Wood; 18/07/2022

73.1931 Spudaea ruticilla (Scarce Chestnut); St Mary's, IOS; 26/03/2022

Trifurcula immundella identified from dissection of specimens from a trip to Loch Fyne at the end of July.

04.068 Trifurcula immundella; Loch Fyne; 29/07/2022

1710 species presented

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October 2022

22/10/2022

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A four week stay on the Isles of Scilly has added 4 species new for the BritLep site.

72.072 Eublemma ostrina (Purple Marbled); St Mary's IOS; 11/10/2022 (specimen provided by Ralph Parks)

73.3481 Noctua tertia (Wilson's Yellow Underwing); St Mary's IOS; 03/10/2022

The identification of Noctua tertia (Wilson's Yellow Underwing) is discussed in some detail - click on the moth to see. If anyone has experience of identifying, or trying to identify, this species I would be pleased to received your comments.

1706 Species presented

73.004 Thysanoplusia orichalcea (Slender Burnished Brass); St Mary's IOS; 21/10/2022

73.184 Cirrhia ocellaris (Pale-lemon Sallow); St Mary's IOS; 10/10/2022

Amongst a good catch in warm weather trapping on Foulness on 29/10, I obtained my first Oak Rustic.

73.223 Dryobota labecula (Oak Rustic); Foulness; 29/10/2022

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September 2022

8/9/2022

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While staying in Bampton Grange, Cumbria, we noticed several patches of butterbur and tried for the moth - with some success.

73.124 Hydraecia petasitis (Butterbur); Bampton Grange; 03/09/2022

And genital determinations for the Essex Moth Group have added 35.084 Athrips rancidella (from Bill Crooks)

38.084 Athrips rancidella; Dagenham; 11/09/2022 (image © Bill Crooks)

Genital determinations for Isles of Scilly residents have added Mompha divisella (from Bob Dawson) and Endothenia oblongana (from Mick Scott)

40.005 Mompha divisella; St Mary's, IOS; 30/11/2021

49.187 Endothenia oblongana; St Mary's IOS; 02/08/2022

The genital determination service seems to be going well, so I am now opening it up to other British moth-ers. See GENITAL DETERMINATION SERVICE for details.

1701 Species presented

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August 2022

10/8/2022

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On 8th, while searching unsuccessfully for Butterbur at Swardeston Common I found a Square-spotted Clay nectaring on Hemp-agrimony.

My genital determination service has added Gelechia scotinella (sent by Graham Ekins) and Pammene juniperana (5th for Britain and 1st for Essex) (sent by Alec Undrill)

35.098 Gelechia scotinella (Thicket Groundling); Boreham; 19/07/2022

49.3771 Pammene juniperana; Colchester; 14/08/2022

Also worthy of mention 2 Striped Hawkmoths during my week on Scilly

1697 species presented

73.354 Xestia stigmatica (Squre-spotted Clay); Swardeston Common; 08/08/2022

A summer visit to the Isles of Scilly from 20th to 27th added Ypsolopha vitella (1st for St Mary's)

17.013 Ypsolopha vitella; St Mary's; 20/08/2022

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July 2022

1/7/2022

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On 13th June, I stopped by the Elveden War Memorial on the A11 on my way to Sutton Fen for a trapping session with Ben (warden at Sutton Fen and my son). The trapping session itself did not produce any new species for the website, but I found Grey Carpet near the memorial and was able to photograph Scarce Vapourer at Sutton Fen. The amazing story of how Mick A'Court (assistant warden at Sutton Fen) reared the latter is described on the page for the species.

70.197 Lithostege griseata (Grey Carpet); Elveden; 13/06/2022

72.018 Orgyia recens (Scarce Vapourer); Sutton Fen; 15/06/2022 (image provided by Ben Lewis)

A trip to Scotland from 18th to 26th June resulted in several new species.
Trapping at Kishorn on 4 nights from 18th to 24th June produced two new species - Anania terrealis and Swammerdamia compunctella
On 19th I climbed Beinn Alligin in the Torridon ranges and returned with a tiny Coleophora which I suspected was and proved to be C.juncicolella
On 24th I climbed Maol Chean-dearg and returned over Meall nan Ceaparean netting moths along the way - one of these turned out to be Epinotia nemorivaga.
On 25th and 26th we stayed in Eskadale near the Boblainy Forest and trapped both at the cottage and in the forest. The main purpose of staying here was to find Pine-tree Lappet - this came to light in all 3 of the forest light traps on 25th but not on 26th and did not seem to respond at all to the pheromone lure. As a bonus the owners of the cottage we stayed in had an infestation of Common Clothes Moth and were happy to provide me with a few specimens.

12.026 Tineola bisselliella (Common Clothes Moth); Eskadale; 25/06/2022

16.018 Swammerdamia compunctella; Kishorn; 23/06/2022

49.235 Epinotia nemorivaga; Meall nan Ceaparean; 24/06/2022

37.028 Coleophora Juncicolella; Beinn Alligin; 19/06/2022

63.021 Anania terrealis; Kishorn; 23/06/2022

66.009 Dendrolimus pini (Pine-tree Lappet); Boblainy Forest; 25/06/2022

Dissections from the trip to Covert Woods on 9th June have added a further 2 species (so far)

35.142 Teleiodes wagae; Covert Woods; 09/06/2022

49.329 Cydia illutana; Covert Woods; 09/06/2022

A trip to the South Downs on 6th July was successful in finding Sallow Clearwing - 3 males to the SAL lure in 30 mins (once I'd managed to find some decent willows). This was followed by another night at Covert Woods that added Nemophora cupriacella and Mompha conturbatella.

07.003 Nemophora cupriacella; Covert Woods 06/07/2022

40.001 Mompha conturbatella; Covert Woods; 06/07/2022

52.009 Synanthedon flaviventris (Sallow Clearwing); South Downs; 06/07/2022

I have started a genital determination service for the Essex Moth Group. One of the first specimens received (from Bill Crooks) was Blastodacna atra. I have struggled for years to find some convincing means of separating this from B.hellerella; I still have many reservations. B.atra has been added to the site, and I have also written a page on (my current understanding of) separating B.hellerella vs atra.
The two recognised species seem to have 3 distinct forms of male genitalia between them, I am wondering if a third species is involved.

15.0862 Phyllonorycter pastorella; Dagenham; 18/07/2022

29.002 Blastodacna atra; Dagenham; 02/07/2022

A further specimen (also sent by Bill Crooks) proved to be Phyllonorycter pastorella.

15.047 Phyllonorycter hostis; Little Waltham; 19/05/2022

Another Phyllonorycter sent to me for gen det (by Andrew Raybould) was P.hostis. This came to the NIG (Cydia NIGricana) pheromone lure - one of three very similar Phyllonorycters to come to this lure.

A second visit to Sutton Fen with Ben on 11th July produced 170 species despite a generator failure, but again none of these were new for me. While there we got a call from Anthony Bentley about a possible Caloptilia honoratella he had trapped at Strumpshaw Fen - I readily agreed to do the gen.det. and confirmed the identity.

A further visit to Covert Woods on 24th provided a mammoth haul (~1800/200) but only one obviously new species: Ethmia quadrilella