Pammene
Pammene ignorata, giganteana, argyrana, suspectana, albuginana
P.giganteana can usually be identified from its large size (fw 6.5-7.5mm), early flight season (March-May) and obscure mediodorsal blotch.
Male P.argyrana can be identified from the black border around a pale centre in the hindwing.
Male P.suspectana and P.albuginana can be distinguished by the bundle of setae on the sacculus of P.suspectana.
Females to follow eventually
Male P.argyrana can be identified from the black border around a pale centre in the hindwing.
Male P.suspectana and P.albuginana can be distinguished by the bundle of setae on the sacculus of P.suspectana.
Females to follow eventually
Pammene obscurana vs agnotana
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P.obscurana |
P.agnotana |
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Flight |
May-Jun |
April |
Foodplant |
Birch |
Hawthorn |
Habitat |
Birchwood / moor / heath |
Borders of mixed woodland |
Wingspan |
12-14mm |
10-12mm |
Male hindwing upperside |
Patch of androconial scales along costa |
No androconial scales |
The forewing mediodorsal blotch is said to be placed more proximally in P.agnotana - but, assuming my identifications are correct, I cannot confirm the validity of this feature.
Female genitalia: Both species are illustrated but not described in BTM and MBGBI5.2 and both are shown at Moth Dissection. Differences between the species are not entirely consistent between these sources but the following seem to be important:
1. Shape of ostium - In P.obscurana this forms a 'U' shape with margins of fairly uniform thickness and the arms of the 'U' only slightly longer than the width of the ostium; in P.agnotana the arms of the "U' are about twice as long as the width of the ostium, they appear to be more heavily sclerotised than the curve of the 'U', which forms the anterior margin of the ostium, and the junction between the curve and the arms appears to be more angular.
2. Sclerotisation of the ductus bursae - elongate in P.obscurana, more quadrate in P.agnotana - (but this difference cannot be confirmed from the image at Moth Dissection).
3. Shape of the S8 ventral plate - longer and with a shallower curve in the posterior margin in P.obscurana (width of plate 2-3x length in P.obscurana vs 3-4x in P.agnotana - (but this difference cannot be confirmed from the illustration in MBGBI5.2).
1. Shape of ostium - In P.obscurana this forms a 'U' shape with margins of fairly uniform thickness and the arms of the 'U' only slightly longer than the width of the ostium; in P.agnotana the arms of the "U' are about twice as long as the width of the ostium, they appear to be more heavily sclerotised than the curve of the 'U', which forms the anterior margin of the ostium, and the junction between the curve and the arms appears to be more angular.
2. Sclerotisation of the ductus bursae - elongate in P.obscurana, more quadrate in P.agnotana - (but this difference cannot be confirmed from the image at Moth Dissection).
3. Shape of the S8 ventral plate - longer and with a shallower curve in the posterior margin in P.obscurana (width of plate 2-3x length in P.obscurana vs 3-4x in P.agnotana - (but this difference cannot be confirmed from the illustration in MBGBI5.2).
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