I recently (26/8/19) caught a micro in my garden trap that I initially thought was a Eucosma sp., but as it was rather worn and could not positively ID it, I retained it for dissecting.
It turned out to be a male Lathronympha strigana (NFG), a moth I have only ever seen once, in Norfolk in 2014.
If it hasn’t been recorded in SJ37 in the last few years, my Mapmate database tells me it is only the second record for the 10K square. The first was in 1864.
It's always interesting to compare a worn moth with a picture of the same beastie in its salad days. This critter is supposed to be bright orange according to the Field Guide - yet all the visible markings and patterns are present and correct! I'd never have got near that ID.
I found this species fairly easy to attract into the garden by growing one of its food plants, the native Perforate St. John's Wort Hypericum perforatum. The flowers are also very attractive to hoverflies but if you check the plants in the spring, the spun terminal shoots will contain the larvae.
Regards
Steve
I find it quite amazing that species (not just moths either) find their preferred breeding environment, even when there may only be one or two instances of it within large areas... they must fly all over the place looking for it! I suppose that's why I keep searching the same plants each year, to see if any other species that might call it home have managed to find it. I spend hours each year looking on Dog Rose for Coleophora gryphipennella locally but am still awaiting their arrival!
I have recorded Banded Demoiselles miles from any viable watercourse over the last few years - presumably all looking for new sites - one in our front garden was most definately a double-take moment!
It so happens that a couple of years ago, I did buy a packet of St. John’s Wort seed, and introduced it into my wildflower patch (probably best described as a 2m strip along the edge of my lawn).
Last weekend, I stimmed the whole area of what had become a tangled mass of non-flowering vegetation. Growing out of what looks like a hay meadow after cutting, I left 2 plants of St. John’s Wort that are still in flower. I did have 3 plants, but considering the amount of seed I had, 3 is rather disappointing.
I’ve just read about the Hypericums in my trusty copy of ‘The Wild Flowers of Britain and N. Europe (Fitter, Fitter and Blamey) which states that Imperforate St. John’s Wort has square stems, which my plants do have. However, having also checked my copy of ‘British Moths’ (Manley) it lists the foodplants as St. John’s Worts, so my plants might be suitable.
While looking I found 5 old leaf-mines on the plants. However I also grow Rose of Sharon (Hypericum garden cultivar), which also has vacated Ectoedemia septembrella mines.
