Welcome to the recording blog for the Carmarthenshire Moth and Butterfly Group. Could members please add any moth or butterfly records or any general items of interest by making a new post. Although everyone can comment on a post you will have to be a member to add a new post.
Friday 6 January 2017
Where to look for Luffia
Ian's blog mentioned references to Luffia occurring on trees in shady woodland. I have once seen their cases in this habitat, but in Cardiff at least they are much more common on street trees (often on sunny trunks). The street limes near my house (photo below) have large numbers of cases on their trunks, though numbers vary a lot from tree to tree. They have their own specific parasitoid wasps, which delay their growth. Usually the Luffia larvae are fully fed in late spring, so if you find large, active cases in mid to late summer these will almost certainly contain larvae that have been parasitised by an ichneumon wasp (there are two or three species of these).
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REALLY useful George - thanks! I`ve noticed `licheny` trees in urban Llanelli recently (whilst driving) and wondered if it might be worth checking them for Luffia, especially as Barry`s garden - where he`d also recorded the species - is quite urban. The tip about sunny trunks is also useful.
ReplyDeleteThey're still really small at this time of year though, take a hand lens! Easiest to spot them in April-May.
ReplyDeleteI have seen Narycia cases on street trees in Cardiff, but only in the city centre.