Friday 6 September 2013

Carpet beating



I've just been Hoovering ahead of visitors so it's appropriate to feature this moth from a trapful which was busy but hard to handle this morning, with drizzle and poor light for photographs. It's a striking member of the Carpet family, bigger and more boldly-patterned than most of its relatives. You can perhaps see the reason for the generic name - the rich colours and composition reminded 18th century entomologists of newly-fashionable Oriental carpets. This one is the Dark Marbled Carpet.

Same moth - different background

It makes an early autumn trio with yesterday's Common Marbled whose picture I repeat below, and the mystery relative shown two days ago, which I'll chance my arm and identify as a Spruce Carpet  - bottom picture.  Update: Well, brave try, but as the sagacious Ben points out in Comments, it is what he calls 'the confusing sort of Common Marbled Carpet - for you anyway'. Indeed.


I hope I've got the first and last right (the russet-blotched version of the Common Marbled being a no-brainer. Regular readers will know that the chances of this are about even. Update: as above...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love your carpet moths. As you know I am equally capable of being wrong with these ID's, but I did just wonder whether your Spruce might be a dark version of the Grey Pine? I could be entirely wrong, so please feel free to treat the suggestion with disdain if so! Hope all's well. CT :-)

Bennyboymothman said...

Bottom one, the confusion form of Common Marbled Carpet, well for you anyway! We don't get many Dark Marbled Carpet here boohoo.
Take care

MartinWainwright said...

Thanks ever so, both (and more work to be done today - Saturday - I fear...

I think Ben's right, CT, but I certainly don't treat your suggestions with disdain. I'm very grateful for them. I must pop over and see what you are up to

warm wishes and thanks again

M