Coleophora inulae New to Cheshire
Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 12:50 pm
Coleophora inulae - New to Cheshire:
An adult, male Coleophora inulae was taken during the BioBlitz at Norton Priory on 3rd June 2011 and has only now been determined. This is the first record for north west England. Thanks to Mike Dale and John Langmaid for their help in determining this specimen.
Coleophora inulae feeds on Ploughman’s Spikenard Inula conyza and Common Fleabane Pulicaria dysenterica, the former, on dry downland, is a very rare plant in Cheshire, the latter, and most likely source of this specimen, is locally common in ditches and marshes, although the larva of this moth may also feed on Hemp Agrimony Eupatotium cannabinum. The easiest way to find this moth is to look for the distinctive white patches on the leaves of these foodplants as the larvae feed from beneath.
This is a rare moth nationally, with most sites in southern Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, although there have been recent records from Lincolnshire and at nine sites in Yorkshire, all since 2000, so it may be on the move and well worth searching for.
Regards,
Steve
An adult, male Coleophora inulae was taken during the BioBlitz at Norton Priory on 3rd June 2011 and has only now been determined. This is the first record for north west England. Thanks to Mike Dale and John Langmaid for their help in determining this specimen.
Coleophora inulae feeds on Ploughman’s Spikenard Inula conyza and Common Fleabane Pulicaria dysenterica, the former, on dry downland, is a very rare plant in Cheshire, the latter, and most likely source of this specimen, is locally common in ditches and marshes, although the larva of this moth may also feed on Hemp Agrimony Eupatotium cannabinum. The easiest way to find this moth is to look for the distinctive white patches on the leaves of these foodplants as the larvae feed from beneath.
This is a rare moth nationally, with most sites in southern Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, although there have been recent records from Lincolnshire and at nine sites in Yorkshire, all since 2000, so it may be on the move and well worth searching for.
Regards,
Steve