Eudonia lacustrata, is it a bit late?

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melbellingham
Posts: 834
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 7:00 pm
Location: Great Sutton, Cheshire. Mapmate.

Eudonia lacustrata, is it a bit late?

Post by melbellingham »

It was very windy last night, but the temperature was suitable so I put my trap out as normal. I checked the trap several times but found nothing until 11pm, when I found 1 Merveille du Jour (which I retained to photograph) and 1 Red-green Carpet, both on the wall adjacent to my trap.

The wind had not reduced but the temperature was 11.7 deg. C., so rather than put the trap away, I changed the 125W MV lamp to a 20W actinic lamp, something I do quite often on the long winter nights.

I was pleasantly surprised this morning with a very reasonable catch. The minimum temperature had been 11 deg. C, and the wind had at some time subsided.

Checking around the trap before it was light, I found another Merveille du Jour. Later when I checked my trap I had 2 Yellow-line Quaker NFY, 1 Figure of Eight, 1 Red-line Quaker, 1 Tachystola acroxantha and 1 Phyllonorycter messaniella.

Later when checking the wall again in better light I found another micro. I have recently caught a few Eudonia angustea and assumed it was another, but it appeared too broad, so I photographed it in situ, and now think it is Eudonia lacustrata (correction if I am wrong appreciated). I did record a late specimen on 12/10/2017.

In Micro Moths of GB and I by Sterling, Parsons and Lewington it states the species can be found into October, but I always assumed that it would be in the south.
Eudonia lacustrata - 19/10/2020
Eudonia lacustrata - 19/10/2020
Mel.
johnK
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 11:23 pm

Re: Eudonia lacustrata, is it a bit late?

Post by johnK »

Hi Mel,

This is E. mercurella and seems quite late though still in reasonable condition, especially the fringe. It has lost a bunch of scales from the tornus.
The extensive black area on mercurella distad of the ante-median line tends to partially obscure the detail of any dark claviform or orbicular markings within that area.
On lacustrata the whole area between the ante-median and post median lines is more evenly paler and the detail of the claviform and orbicular stigmas more apparent.

mercurella usually holds its wings very slightly closer together than lacustrata and consequently appears slightly slimmer. A glance at Manley is informative.

John
melbellingham
Posts: 834
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 7:00 pm
Location: Great Sutton, Cheshire. Mapmate.

Re: Eudonia lacustrata, is it a bit late?

Post by melbellingham »

Hi John,

Thanks for your comments and help.

Mel.
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