Early stages: Argyresthia brockeella

This moth is one of the many whose larvae feed on the catkins of Birch, so has to be reared through for confirmation of ID.  But that said, it is definitely worth keeping a few pots of catkins to see what   emerges.

Whilst there may not be many visible external signs early on, if you keep these in pots you will soon see frass begin to accumulate as it is expelled from the catkin through a small hole.





This moth emerged a few days ago from catkins collected in early January at Fowlmead Country Park near Deal.

 

Early stages: Elachista apicipunctella

Well I didn't have long to wait to confirm the ID of the Elachista sp. larvae found mining Dactylis on the 2nd March.


Mine on Dactylis - housed two larvae


One of the larvae, pre-pupation

The larvae duly pupated a couple of days later and today, 21st March, the adults emerged...confirming the ID as E. apicupunctella.



Dave

A Beautiful Plume indeed

This one was new for the year to the garden MV trap last night, Amblyptilia acanthadactyla,
otherwise known as the Beautiful Plume, which in this case is certainly apt.



Other micros from last couple of nights nothing to write home about: several Epiphyas postvittana, good numbers of Agonopterix heracliana and Emmelina monodactyla.

Dave

Early stages: Nemapogon clematella

It is also worth having a close look at any Hazel branches that have the small black fruiting bodies of the fungus Diatrype disciformis on them, as the larvae of Nemapogon clematella feed within, given away by the tell-tale frass. The last image is of a pupa and cocoon found directly under these fruiting bodies that could be N. clematella, time will tell.

Early stages: Metzneria lappella

Another relatively widespread moth with a commonly occurring food plant whose larvae are easy to find at this time of year - Metzneria lappella.

The often abundant larvae can be found in their winter hibernacula within the seed heads of Greater Burdock.  This hard hibernacula can be felt once the seed head is opened and teasing this apart further will reveal the rather dumpy looking larva.

They are also easy to rear through, just pop a few seed heads in a container and wait...simple.

Burdock seed head, note lack of external signs of 'occupation' Larval hibernaculum made from several seeds Larva within opened hibernaculum Larva extracted from hibernaculum

Early stages: Carcina quercana

Here is a fairly widespread moth, Carcina quercana, with an almost ubiquitous foodplant, bramble.

These are relatively easy to spot right now; the patches of 'windowing' caused by the larvae feeding beneath the leaf can be quite obvious.  On turning the leaves over, the larval spinnings will betray the hiding place of the green larvae.






Definitely one worth keeping an eye out for during the lean times.

Although I'd say this generally about early stage searches and my year list clearly illustrates this as it now stands at 34 species but adult moths total just five species.

Some other micro finds to date this year include:

Metzneria aestivella - larvae in Carline Thistle seed heads
M. lappella - larva in Burdock seed heads
Epinotia immundana - larvae on birch catkins
Ectoedemia heringella mines
Cedestis subfasciella mines
Cochylis roseana - larvae in teasel heads
Endothenia marginana - as above
E. gentianaeana - as above
Limnaecia phragmitella - numerous larvae in Typha seed heads
and cases of Coleophora gryphipennella, C. glaucicolella, C. argentula and C. solitariella.

Micro highlights of 2012

Whilst 2012 didn't set the world on fire with regards to mothing, I still had plenty of highlights, some of which are illustrated in the collage below:



All the above from Kent, except the P. oleae, however I did find mines of this species at a garden centre in Canterbury this year, so technically...

Large images, clockwise from top left:
Prays oleae - reared from larvae mining leaves of olive at Wentworth Garden centre, Sth. Yorks,
Ethmia terminella - back garden, East Kent,
Sciota adelphella - back garden, East Kent,
Esperia oliviella - Covert Wood, Kent

Medium images, top: Nemapogon ruricolella - ancient hedgerow, East Kent;
bottom: Elachista subocellea - old orchard windbreak, East Kent

Small images, clockwise from top left: Micropterix tunbergella, Grapholita internana - back garden, East Kent
Metzneria aestivella - reared from larvae, Fowlmead CP, Deal, Kent,
Eucosma aspidiscana - daytime observation, Denge Woods, East Kent

Dave