www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi all,
I have scoured every moth site looking to identify these micros...nothing...I am pretty sure that they must all be new to science.....anyway....any help here would prove to be worthy of legendary status. All were photographed in late June July in South East Scotland with Birch, Heather,poor fen- grassland type habitat...lowland.

With thanks Iain.

Well I'm very rusty on moths, but the top one certainly looks like Nematopogon pilella. I'll pass on the others, but I'd concentrate on the Tortricidae if I were you!

Cheers,

Gibster,

If you want to lash out on a book Chris Manley's British Moths and Butterflies: a photographic guide, is in print and currently (2011) has the best photos of a number of micro moths.

Anyone willing to invest time and energy into micro-moths has my unwavering respect.

These creatures are hard work.

Have you been through the tortrices on http://ukmoths.org.uk/ ??

Hi all,
Yes....it is not so easy. I have managed to identify quite a few from this year, however, you always end up with a few strays that are never resolved. I do not go out of my way to photograph these micros...Usually, as I am sure happens to everyone on this forum, they just turn up in front of you while you are waiting for a butterfly to turn up. The bonus with the micros is that you quite often find that they are new to your VC, or at least not been recorded for a few decades...which is always nice.

Gibster..pilella looks good for the first one....as ever....so does swammerdamella and metaxella...GRRRRRRR!! UK MOTHS does not feature a photo of pilella and it is unlikely to have been recorded in my VC...SO I will look into this further....thanks so much for the help.

I have studied the tortricidae until my eyes....they bleed!!! I have though a few possibilities for the 4th photo....then again...who knows...I will have to contact the specialists here me thinks.

I can see how some people enjoy seeking out the micros...there are some fantastic little gems in among them...

Anyway...if I find out what they are through other avenues...I will post the reveals here....

Thanks for your help chaps.

Iain.

Hi again Iain,

regards the top moth - yup, it could very well be one of the other Nematopogons (I didn't even realise metaxella occurred in Scotland!) I found this link http://www.eastscotland-butterflies.org ... iidae.html which you may not have seen (but probably have.) I just thought that with 2011 having many species flying earlier in their flight season than is normal, N.pilosella may have been a fair suggestion as opposed to swammerdamella. Obviously metaxella throws a spanner in the works!

I hate to be contentious, but nets DO have their uses!

Cheers mate. Sod the xmas, have a Great Hogmanay!!!

Gibster.

Just in case you have any close-up head shots of the top moth - this is from Moths & Butterflies of GB and Ireland Vol 1:

N. swammerdamella - Head ochreous yellow, antennae white, spotted with ochreous brown below, scape ochreous above, frons yellow, palpi white.
N. panzerella (= schwarziellus) - Head ochreous yellow, antennae white, ringed ochreous below, scape ochreous yellow above, frons pale ochreous yellow, palpi white.
N. pilella - Head pale ochreous or ochreous yellow, sometimes shading to brownish ochreous at occiput, antennae white, ringed ochreous grey below, scape ochreous above, frons white or pale ochreous yellow, palpi whitish.
N. metaxella - Head ochreous yellow, white at vertex, antennae white, scape ochreous yellow above, frons white, palpi whitish.

Quite how one person perceives the hue "ochreous" is somewhat subjective...so as I said, Good Luck!!

Gibster.

Your second moth could be a heavily bashed Eulia ministrana. Maybe...

Hi Gibster,
A wealth of info there..thanks very much!! I had not seen the East Scotland micro link before...so that was an education in itself. I am often urged to take a greater interest in the moths....but ...I spend so much time on butterflies.

I can tell you that the Eulia Ministrana is spot on. I have had that one confirmed...and I hope to get the rest confirmed soon. I still cannot believe I did not see that one earlier...as soon as I saw the photo on UK MOTHS....unbelievable!!

Thanks again Gibster...very much appreciated.

Iain.

I'll be up your neck of the woods sometime in July. You can buy me a beer!!!!

Hi all,
All confirmed by the experts now, after much deliberation, thanking, Mark Young, John Langmaid, Barry Prater, Tom Tams.

1. Nematopogon schwarziellus.
2. Eulia ministrana.
3. Olethreutes palustrana. new for Berwickshire vc81.
4. Bactra lancealana. Very unusual pinkish form.

Thanks again everyone for pointers and help.

Gibster if you are up in the Berwickshire region in July get in touch....I dont know about the best watering holes...but I do know the best butterfly spots if thats any goood.

Cheers,

Iain.