In July 2018 I trapped and photographed the micromoth below.
This morning I found a virtually identical micro and having checked my picture files realised I had seen it before. The lucky creature was then released into a pot of lavender. Only then did I discover that the likely id for this moth, Bactra lacteana, is not even on the Carms list. I'm still cursing.Moving past this piece of carelessness, there were some FFYs in a trap otherwise dominated by 70 Large Yellow Underwing.
Not rare but Ruby Tiger is always welcome.Sallow Kitten is an exquisite little moth, very furry.And a life, not rare but...
It took a while to decde that this was Antler Moth. It seems paler than a lot of illustrations without a clear oval and kidney. Quite a distinctive creature.
Lastly, where there are moths you find things that prey on them.
There have been a few of these ichneumons in the trap lately, I don't know the exact species.
I should spare your curses, Adam. Sam advised me a few years back regarding Bactra species that any grey/brown tortrid with a 'tick' mark on its wing was going to be B. lancealana, the alternatives were most unlikely to be found locally. Since then I have always recorded the species in my notebook as 'tick moth' - it's very common here. I suspect that the reason for the absence of lacteana in the record list is that, in 2016, this species had never been identified in Southern parts of Wales. Your moth would certainly have needed gen det to confirm what you thought was the likely id.
ReplyDeleteThat's some comfort. It's only a tiny brown job...
ReplyDeleteI find that it's the tiny brown jobs that produce the most problems.
DeleteAbsolutely
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