Lindow Common

[stevehind]

Lindow Common:

Now is a good time to start looking for Eriocrania larval mines. I found tenanted mines of both E.unimaculella and E.sangii on the Birch yesterday but none of the other Birch feeders in this family, so I reckon they have probably not started mining yet. Birch feeding Eriocrania adults are difficult to identify and there are large gaps in the county distribution maps, so searching for the larval mines is a good way of mapping the species distributions. Lindow Common is in SJ88, the 10km square with the highest species list of moths in Cheshire, yet both these were new to the hectad. Eriocrania subpurpurella was also just starting to mine the Oak leaves.

Also on Birch were the larval cases of Coleophora serratella, which were abundant, as well as larvae of Scarce Umber, Mottled Umber, Winter Moth, Northern Winter Moth and Pale Brindled Beauty.

Adults of Adela reaumurella were common and I also found Cydia ulicetana, Elachista rufocinerea, Phyllonorycter quercifoliella and Neofaculta ericetella.

Regards,
Steve

[SteveH]

Hi Steve,

In my local area (47G, H, L & M), Adela reaumurella is on the wing in numbers at the moment and I have also had a single Small Yellow Underwing (Panemeria tenebrata) that I'm sure is new for the tetrad 47L also. This evening (Thursday 17th) at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB reserve there was Bryotropha domestica and what looked to me to be a single specimen of Mompha langiella..though it seems to me to be out of place hereabouts. Have there been any records of the species this year?

Cheers,
Steve

[stevehind]

Hi Steve,

Mompha langiella is a species we know little about as our only county records are of one found at Petty Pool in 2007 and vacated larval mines in Enchanter's Nightshade last year at Rudheath Woods. One Mompha to look out for is M.bradleyi, which was added to the county list last year when one was found at Alsager and possibly another at Shavington. The latest Lancs Report also mentions a number of records from Warrington and Flixton last year.

Regards,
Steve

[SteveH]

Thanks Steve,

I've had more of a chance now to look at some photos of Mompha langiella and I'm certain that is what we were seeing at the Burton Mere.

Think I'll be visiting Birch trees this weekend!

Cheers,
Steve