Thursday, 13 March 2014

What's that cat?

The recent weather also means that the frequency of early stage finds is increasing, with plenty of larvae to be found, their location betrayed by the distorting effects of their spinnings in many cases.

I have tentative IDs for these, any suggestions welcome though, and hopefully will be able to rear them through to adulthood.

Anthophila fabriciana? On Stinging Nettle Unidentified larva on Stinging Nettle - Anthophila fabriciana?

Pandemis corylana? On Bramble Unidentified larva on Bramble - Pandemis corylana?

Tuesday, 4 March 2014

Early stages: Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)

The Rosemary bushes in my garden are covered in dozens of easy to spot larval spinnings of Epiphyas postvittana: if this is anything to go by, it looks like this moth will be extremely abundant this year.
Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) larval spinning


Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) larval feeding signs

Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) larva


Sunday, 2 March 2014

The Ox-eyes have it

Lots of very active larvae of Bucculatrix nigricomella on the Oxeye Daisy plants in the garden this week: both of young, mining larvae and later free-living stages. This species took my 2014 total to over 50, achieved by the last day of February. Bucculatrix nigricomella Bucculatrix nigricomella Bucculatrix nigricomella