After yesterday's Big Boy, the Poplar Hawk moth, I thought I'd give some space to the littlies at the other end of the scale. The one above is our representative of the Pug family; I think a Common Pug but beautiful and complex-patterned for all that. I await confirmation from the experts on the Upper .Thames Moths blog. Update: it is.
Below are three different photographs of Tinea trinotella, a relative of the two devastating clothes moths which confines its destructive work to birds' nests of wool left out in the open air.
And last of all, am I right in thinking that the little chap below is some sort of weevil? And another update: Trent kindly suggests that, yes, it's probably a Vine Weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus. He confirms that the Cnephasia would indeed require dissected to bring it to species level, adding that if the wing length was over 10mm it would be Cnephasia stephensiana. I don't think mine was that big.
4 comments:
Hi Martin
I personally think you have them all right, except I believe your Rush Veneer is actually a Cnephasia sp. (I would plump for incertana - Light Grey Tortrix but I think you're supposed to dissect them) on pg 238 of the Field Guide to Micromoths.
Also, I would never have realised the moth with the wings up is Green Carpet, but I assume you also saw it wings down.
I also think the bug is one of the Weevil types.
Many thanks indeed, as ever. I'll add another update
All warmest
M
Your bug looks like a Vine Weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus. The Cnephasia would indeed require dissected to bring it to species level, but if you trap one with a wing length that exceeds 10mm it is Cnephasia stephensiana. Cheers
Hi Trent and many thanks for that. I'm very grateful for the weevil suggestion which I'll add in yet another update. I much enjoy doing that. Alas the Cnephasia has long flitted but I will try to remember to measure next time. If and when. All warmest and thanks again M
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