Comma butterfly Polygonia c-album

The best larvae I found last night was in the local park a Comma butterfly on Elm. I first noticed the  larval workings and then inspected the underside of the leaves and there it was. Comma butterfly foodplants also include Nettle, Willows (Salix) and Hop.

Comma Polygonia c-album caterpillar Final Instar

Comma Polygonia c-album

Jersey Tiger

Jersey Tiger is a moth expanding it's range northwards in southern England. This year it has been having a good year with the poor weather seemingly having no negative effect. I caught this moth on 11th August and is my first ever capture. The larvae feed on a variety of shrubs including Nettle, Dandelion, Ground Ivy, Hemp Agrimony, Groundel, Plantain, Lettuce and White Dead-nettle from September to May.

Jersey Tiger Euplagia quadripunctaria

Acrocercops brongniardella

Whilst looking for larvae I disturbed Acrocercops brongniardella in the woods. A fairly common moth in southern England creating a blister on the leaves of Oak species in June and then emerging from July.

Acrocercops brongniardella blister mine on Quercus

Coleophora asteris

Coleophora asteris is an uncommon moth in the UK being found usually within a few miles of its food plant Aster tripolium. Around the area where I live Aster tripolium is a fairly common plant around the coastal bays and estuaries. This moth was trapped a mile inland to a 40W actinic on 20th  August.

Coleophora asteris

Coleophora asteris female genitalia plate.

Carpatolechia fugitivella

Trapped around the same time as the E.falciformis I potted this Carpatolechia fugitivella another new addition to the garden list. This species is mainly recorded through central England and feeding on Elm (Ulmus).

Carpatolechia fugitivella

Epermenia falciformis

During the period of warm settled weather I was fortunate enough to trap a few scarce micro wanderers. Epermenia falciformis is a scarce moth in my area but classed as a fairly common moth in southern England whose host plant is wild angelica (Angelica sylvestris) or ground-elder (Aegopodium podagraria).

Epermenia falciformis

Bucculatrix maritima

If you have Aster tripolium growing nearby chances are that you have Bucculatrix maritima too. This moth is so small that it is easily overlooked in the trap. The best way to find it is by checking the leaves of Aster tripolium for mines. Fortunately I found the one below in the skylight window of the roof of my house before setting the trap for the next night.

Bucculatrix maritima

Svensson's Copper Underwing identification

It's the time of year when lots of Copper Underwings are turning up in the moth trap but just how many are the Svensson's Copper Underwing. I started looking at the labial palps of many looking for the one's that were dark with pale tips. The one below was the first I found and dissection confirms it as Svensson's Copper Underwing.

Svensson's Copper Underwing upper side

Svensson's Copper Underwing under side

Svensson's Copper Underwing upper hind wing

Svensson's Copper Underwing under hind wing

Svensson's Copper Underwing labial palp

Svensson's Copper Underwing aedeagus spines

Choreutis pariana

On 11th August I found several larval webs on Hawthorn. After some digging around I eventually found out that they were the larvae of Choreutis pariana. A lovely little moth which I found farther up the road on Apple last year.

Choreutis pariana larval web and larva

Caloptilia elongella

I found this leaf cone on Alder on 19th August which I believe is Caloptilia elongella. This is a moth I have never found before as an adult or immature so I hope my ID is correct.

Caloptilia elongella leaf cone

Caloptilia elongella larva

Anthophila fabriciana

A mid August walk produced different stages of Athophila fabriciana. on 18th August I found an adult and plenty of larvae.

Anthophila fabriciana adult

Anthophila fabriciana larval web

Anthophila fabriciana larva

Acrolepia autumnitella

Whilst out walking on the weekend I noticed a fair amount of Bittersweet Solanum dulcamara along the roadside. Much of the plant had blister mines from the micro Acrolepia autumnitella.

Acrolepia autumnitella blister mine

Cydia Amplana

A fitting start to the blog with a short note on Cydia amplana. This is a rare migrant tortrix that has been turning up along the south coast from Kent to Cornwall  in the last few weeks. The best count I have heard of so far is 79 + 13 at Portland and many other places have trapped double figure numbers. I've still yet to trap one in my garden so here is a specimen from a neighbouring moth trappers trap.

Cydia amplana