Six Micros

[JulianB]

Hi all,

Six micros here from last week or so, from different sites in the hills. The Grapholita internana is the only one I'm 100% sure on - quite a striking beastie. This was day-flying in the garden along with the ?Ash Bud Moth. The others all to light, including one rather drab micro that's actually quite fresh when you look closely (labelled Beats Me in photos). A/B are different views of the same moth. And a query LBAM, but poor photo. Thoughts or confirmation from any/all parties very welcome.

Thanks, Julian

[PaulHopkins]

Hi Julian,

I’ll defer to others on most of these, but I do think your Epinotia immundana is a dead ringer for Bob and Helen’s Cydia fagiglandana posted on 20th May - what do you reckon?

Cheers
Paul

[JulianB]

Thanks Paul - I'm definitely liking Cydia fagiglandana - also fits with the beech trees close to the trap. This one was from SJ96. Quite a speckly moth.

Cheers, Julian

[stevehind]

Hi Julian
Agree Cochylis nana & Cydia fagiglandana.
Your Grapholita internana is another gorse speciality. You can sometimes see them flying round the bushes in the afternoon/evening sunshine.
I reckon your 'beat me' and LBAM could be the same species but can't think what they might be. Try posting on somewhere like the UK Micro Moth identification Facebook Group for a wider audience.
Not sure what your 'Ash Bud Moth' is but it's not that species. Always look at the features on the head to try and work out the family. Your moth has the labial palps strongly upwardly curved, like in the Gelechiidae, Oecophoridae families. The palps are not like this on the Ash Bud Moth. It reminds me more of Roeslerstammia erxlebella, although that species has paler legs, head and tips to the antennae
Regards
Steve

[JulianB]

Many thanks for the help and suggestions Steve.

I've posted the three remaining moths on fb, but fear there may be more attractive micros there with stripes of many colours attracting more attention! No replies yet.

Part of the game is deciding if the moth is worn. I'd thought the non-ash bud moth was in good condition based on the fringe, but looking at it again, it's possible it's lost a great many scales.

For the other two unidentified moths, I've made an error in labelling the photos above . In these pictures, the Beats Me A and the query LBAM are two shots of the same individual moth (hence you thinking they looked similar!). The Beats Me B is a separate moth, and I've attached another picture of this guy below (the original on the egg box, the further picture when tapped out onto slate). This moth does look in good condition, plain, but with one slightly orangey tuft on each wing.

I suspect these will all remain unidentified .

Cheers, Julian

[stevehind]

Hi Julian
There is a plain form of Scoparia ambigualis form atomalis which this may be
Regards
Steve

[JulianB]

Mmmmm - I could certainly buy that. The overall jizz fits. Sterling states that "smaller, darker and almost unmarked forms occur". But I could never have made the connection - thanks!

Julian

[stevehind]

Hi Julian

I reckon I've resolved one of your queries. Netted a few Capua vulgana amongst the bilberry yesterday evening at Werneth Low and one was fairly plain and reminded me of your tortix.

Regards
Steve

[JulianB]

Brilliant suggestion Steve. I could see this was a Tortrix, but couldn't get any further. It's the pattern down the leading edge that you see initially, but that's a good match. It seems to be fairly variable in terms of colour too - the books illustrate it more as grey than brown. But I defo like that as an answer, and the habitat fits.

Cheers, Julian