What`s a trip to the shed got to do with mothing? Actually nothing, but on the way back to the kitchen door I flushed a micro which then flitted around in a slightly whirling flight. I thought that I might as well see whether it could be caught if it settled. It did n`t settle but I went into the kitchen to get a tube kept `ready for action`, grabbing one with a diameter of less than an inch. The moth had gone, so I looked around the corner of the house and, luckily, I could see it still in flight. Trying to catch it, in flight, with a tube of limited diameter, was difficult but, after one catch after when it immediately escaped, I caught it on the second attempt.
I glanced at it, put it into the fridge and had my breakfast.
I believe that it is Bankesia conspurcatella. The species is described as flying in the early morning sunshine (mine was caught at 8.15 am) and the season is right. I`m not sure whether I`m more pleased that (a) I unexpectedly chanced upon it (b) I managed to catch it -in flight -with a specimen tube or (c) that it`s a rarity!
PS - I have added another photo, the 2nd one above,
Above was confirmed by Sam Bosanquet and George Tordoff, with the latter making the following comment on Butterfly Conservation (Wales) social media:
ReplyDelete"A nice find by Ian Morgan in Llanelli - the bagworm moth Bankesia conspurcatella flying around in his garden early this morning. Elsewhere in Wales this Red Data Book species is only known from Glamorgan, where it occurs at a few sites in Bridgend and Cardiff".
Well done Ian, that's a fantastic find. I've found in the past that trips to and from the shed can often be rewarding!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Ian. Well spotted, well caught and well photographed! A great find.
ReplyDelete