New for Carmarthenshire?

I decided today (28/4) to have a break from the never-ending list of `jobs to do` and, after an easy morning, went at midday to Pontnewydd, not far from Kidwelly in the Lower Gwendraeth Valley. It was cold, with a brisk NW wind and I was glad that I`d brought a warm scarf and hat! Needless to say, day-flying moths (and other insects) were not exactly common; indeed, even the ever-busy bumblebees were torpid and resting and the abundant marsh marigolds were completely devoid of the usually frequent Micropterix calthella.
It was an opportunity instead for `close searching` of tree trunks and foliage for resting moths or looking for leaf mines and it was with the latter in mind that I decided to go to and search a quite extensive area of reed sweet-grass Glyceria maxima about 10 minutes` walk downstream.
I quickly found pupae on the leaves of this plant and upon checking `UK Leaf Mines` when I arrived home, it was pleasing that they exactly fitted those of Elachista poae.
See: http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/E.poae5.htm
There is an old 1920s record from E Glamorgan but apparently none from our county. I suspect it also will occur at other Glyceria maxima stands such as nearby Ffrwd Fen (also in the Lower Gwendraeth, near Pembrey), at WWT Penclacwydd and, further afield, at Bishop`s Pond, Abergwili. It might also be worth looking for it in Glamorgan to update the old record.

Above and below: two different pupal cases of E. poae. The linear brown streaks are due to rust infection. The pupae are to be found a few inches from the tip of the leaf and today they were easily located. I also found some old leaf mines.