Last night (16/02/2018) I recorded 2 micro species. Tortricodes alternella was NFY, but Carpatolechia decorella was probably my second of the year. I also caught one in January.
I say probably, because, while checking my Mapmate database earlier, I noticed that I seem to have recorded more individuals than anyone else.
My first record was back in Feb. 2011. Mike Dale identified the specimen for me, and I later sent a photo to SteveHH.
In Feb. 2015 Greg, Harry, Huw and I recorded one in Delamere. This was confirmed by SteveHH from a photograph.
In 2016 I had 2, in January and March. The January specimen was confirmed by dissection by SteveHH.
In Feb. 2017 I recorded one in the garden, and confirmed one by dissection caught also in February when mothing at Llanymynech Rocks with Greg, Harry, and Huw.
This year 2018 I have caught 2. I have not dissected either, as I feel that I know this moth. However, I’m sure that I will be reminded later that it is a Category 3 moth according to our recording template guidelines.
OK, so it has C. alburnella as a confusion species, which in turn has C. proximella as a confusion species, but I find this guidance rather confusing.
Since my original post, I have added the following edit.
After further searches for information and by looking at the flight times of all of the Gelechids (not just the confusion species), so far I can only find mention of three species that appear to over winter in the UK. Carpatolechia decorella, Carycolum juctella and Scrobipalpa costella. This latter species was formerly thought to hibernate per MOGBI.
Neither of these 3 species are considered to be confusion species, so is it safe to record Carpatolechia decorella after hibernation, or is there still something I don’t know?
Mel.
- Carpatolechia decorella - Jan. 2018
- Carpatolechia decorella - Feb. 2018
- Carpatolechia decorella - Feb.