Persistence rewarded

Well after hours and hours of searching for this case-bearer over several years in the end it was the most casual of glances this morning that finally yielded a new one for me in the shape of Coleophora artemisicolella. Well chuffed to say the least... Dave

Leaf miner glut continues

Another day with fantastic returns from a miner foray: over 45 species this time and many different ones to the 40 plus day earlier in the week due to different habitat.

 Highlights include:

 Phyllocnistis xenia on Populus

Phyllocnistis saligna on Salix
Stigmella viscerella on Elm

If you go down to the woods today...

A short trip to the woods today yielded over 40 species of leaf miner, with many families represented.

There were thousands and thousands of Phyllonorycter coryli on Hazel, with P. esperella on Hornbeam not too far behind.

Many other species were well into the high hundreds: Caloptilia syringella, Stigmella tityrella, S. hemargyrella, Phyllonorycter messaniella and P. maestingella included.

Some of the highlights included:

Elachista gangabella


Stigmella splendidissimella

Stigmella aceris
Euspilapteryx (Eucalybites) auroguttella
Stigmella samiatella
Phyllonorycter platanoidella
Parornix fagivora
Phyllonorycter mespilella

Lucky sweep

Had this little beauty when sweeping Field Maple close to home. Even more pleased that it sat still for its photo shoot, as I have always had major trouble with this family in the past...

 

The dirty and the beautiful

Two recent highlights that could hardly be more contrasting, firstly the beauty that is Chrysoesthia drurella. I have found many mines of this species but this was my first adult in the UK.

And secondly the somewhat drab Pediasia contaminella, in fact named for its rather dull or dirty
appearance.

 

A mind blowing quartet

Still having to pinch myself that this set of moths were all nestled in my humble back garden moth trap...halcyon days indeed.
Loxostege sticticalis


Pempelia obductella


Sciota adelphella


Oncocera semirubella

Going dotty

Been seeing all sorts of spots before my eyes of late both attracted to the garden trap and with rearing success: here are a few of the recent monochrome marvels...

Ethmia dodecea

Yponomeuta cagnagella bred ex larva on Spindle

Yponomeuta evonymella

Yponomeuta plumbella bred ex larva on Spindle