While at Pembrey Forest yesterday I took a brief break from butterflies and got down on hands and knees to look for bryophytes in a small dune slack. There was a tiny nepticulid moth crawling among the creeping willow, and luckily I managed to pot it. I couldn't work out what it was from my books, but a query posted on the 'UK Micro Moth Identification' Facebook group has come up with
Trifurcula headleyella.
This is a Red Data Book species which mines the leaves of Self Heal. It has never been recorded in Wales; the most westerly English records are from Dorset (see map here). Now I have my fingers crossed in the hope that John Langmaid can confirm the identification from my photo!
Well done, what a super find! Does it get returned to where you found it, or did you photograph it at the site? Good luck with id news, very exciting, it'll be a great record. I'll be checking my garden self-heal from now on!
ReplyDeleteA really important record George - well done. Glad that, this time, you could n`t resist the bryophytes!
ReplyDeleteWhat a turn-up for the (red data) book! A stunning little moth too, a good likeness to the image on the UKMoths website, so hopefully the identification will be confirmed. Perhaps you will keep us posted, George.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments. Jacqueline - I took the specimen home as I had no chance of identifying it in the field. John Langmaid has recommended dissecting it to be sure of the ID, so I'm afraid it won't be released. Taking occasional specimens for confirmation has no impact on moth populations, though I do try to take as few as possible.
ReplyDeleteVery well done George. It just shows what surprises there still are among our micros.
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