A case of the Yp's: Part II

In a follow on from the previous post,   http://kentmicromoths.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/a-case-of-yps-part-i.html  here are the other two Yponomeuta species that I have found in the larval stage already this year: two of the Spindle feeders - Y. cagnagella and Y. plumbella. These both seem quite numerous this year.

Y. plumbella - larval feeding signs: wilted shoots



Y. cagnagella - larval web

A case of the Yp's - Part I

Already this year I have been lucky enough to find the early stages of four members of the Yponomeutid family, the first two of which are included here: Yponomeuta rorrella and Y. padella

Very pleased in particular with rorrella as this is the first time I've found this in the larval stage. This web was on Salix at Fowlmead CP near Deal, East Kent.

Y. rorrella larval web and larvae


Also Y. padella - found several webs on Hawthorn and Blackthorn
Two of the Spindle feeders to follow...

Evening sweep

A very productive early evening walk with the net yesterday, the highlights were...
Micropterix tunbergella


Gracillaria syringella

Incurvaria masculella Also lots of larval webs of Yponomeuta cagnagella and feeding signs of Y. plumbella and various larval spinnings on a range of plants.

Miner miscella-ny

Whilst this was one miner I had been searching chalk downland for for a while, it ended up being a totally accidental discovery...Mompha miscella on Common Rock-Rose (Helianthemum nummularium)



I had noticed various larval spinnings on Rock Rose and had potted some up, I decided to add a few extra leaves as food supply and lo and behold one of these was tenanted by the larva of Mompha miscella.  This appears to be pretty scarce in Kent (or perhaps more accurately, scarcely recorded or looked for).

There are also plenty of Eriocrania mines on Birch now including:

The longest wait...

Having collected mines of various Ericorania species last May and boxing them up more in hope than expectation, the first two E. chrysolepidella emerged yesterday after a wait of over 10 months, longer than the human gestation period.




 This was one of the mines:

Mint provides new currency for the garden

Potted up this Acleris literana flitting about the trap a couple of nights ago, a new one for the garden.




I love the colour; there aren't too many mint green moths.