Looks like a Pug of some species Eupithecia sp.. There's a lot of species and they are often quite variable within the species as well. Hope that helps point you in the right direction
Hi ,cfb,
I'm not sure but I think your moth could be a Small Dusty wave (Idaea seriata),which I've trapped here in Kent from time to time, Regards Allan .W.
Thanks for suggesting Small Dusty wave. I consulted Google and found that this is a very variable moth . But some of the photos I saw were very similar to mine .
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Cheers,
Colin
Hello again Colin
You may find the website UK MOTHS . your guide to the moths of Great Britain and Ireland. Worth a look ,I know you're in France but I'm sure there must be something similar available for European moths , anyway I find this one very useful for my neck of the woods ! Regards Allan.W.
It looks a bit as though it's shrugging its shoulders and the abdomen is too long; the wings are also 'wave' shape.
When you get on to the 'pugs' with any seriousness, you will find them VERY difficult unless you rear them through - and even then some of the larvae are tricky. I heard of one real moth expert, who dissected every slightly dubious pug during one season of trapping. His pre-dissection IDs were 70% wrong!! What hope is there for mere mortals? .
Tony Moore wrote:It looks a bit as though it's shrugging its shoulders and the abdomen is too long; the wings are also 'wave' shape.
When you get on to the 'pugs' with any seriousness, you will find them VERY difficult unless you rear them through - and even then some of the larvae are tricky. I heard of one real moth expert, who dissected every slightly dubious pug during one season of trapping. His pre-dissection IDs were 70% wrong!! What hope is there for mere mortals? .
Any time through to December. Warm, still nights with no moon are best, especially after rain, but you can catch stuff in howling gales and tipping rain if you're up for it .
Egg boxes for the trap, pots to put your catch into for identification and photogarphy. Clear medical urine sample pots are good and cheap. Do buy them new though .
I have been recording moths in woodland over the last 6-9 months; there are many more species to be found there, particularly in late autumn and early spring. Only in late December, January and early February are there very few moths to be found in the woods. Here are some from last night: