Two Elachistids provided the highlights: one was a nice, obvious Biselachista albidella - characteristically pale with a black dash on the wing and associated with Eriophorum - the 4th Carms site for this uncommon bog moth.
The other also looks very distinctive, with white marks near the wing-tip associated with a darker mark and with a dark ciliary line, but the only thing it fits is Biselachista serricornis, which would be new for Carms. Continental literature suggests it feeds on Eriophorum, although MBGBI only gives Carex sylvatica. The UKmoths image is from Chartley Moss - a schwingmoor bog with similar floristics to the Carmel Bogs - and interestingly UKmoths also shows B. albidella from Chartley Moss. I'm 99% sure my ID is correct, but frustratingly I released it after photographing because I assumed such a distinctively marked Elachistid would be easy. I saw 3 of them within 10 minutes flying actively in mid morning sunshine on the easternmost (Cors Carmel) bog and a revisit soon would be worthwhile.
All interesting stuff, Sam, and well done! I`d like to say that I will try to visit similar habitat soon and look out for the species mentioned, but my moth activity has plummeted over the last week or so (poor nocturnal trapping conditions) and far too many heavy-duty and miscellaneous other jobs on during the day. Keep up the good work - it again really shows the value of daytime recording! I recommend it to other Carms Moth Group recorders.
ReplyDeleteI`ve had tortoise shieldbug on similar wet rhos-type habitat before, as well as dry coastal or brownfield habitats.