www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi all,
Photographed this one of two Longhorns in the Eildon Hills near Melrose Scottish Borders today....not one that I know. Just cannot pin it down...any ideas?
The other a large pillar...certainly a moth...I have seen this before...but I cant think where. Any help with these appreciated greatly.

Iain.

Your caterpillar is the Red Sword-grass Xylena vetusta. Not sure if the moth is identifiable from the photo.

M.

Hi Mikhail,
Well done and thankyou very much....bang on, I would never have got it. Red Swordgrass...thats a first for me. Yes the micro longhorn is difficult. I have done a bit of research and the best I can come up with is Nemophora Minimella. All the habits, flight times match up quite well. Unconvinced with its appearance though...and that could be as you say Mikhail, the photo itself....I will post a larger version...just in case it can be identified a little easier from that. This micro was tussling in long grasses with another in mid flight fencing match....looked very like a couple of very small flies.

Thanks again Mikhail.


Iain.

I took the liberty of doing a little work on your photo with Photoshop, as shown below:
Your suggestion of Nemophora Minimella looks quite plausible, if you compare with the photo on UKMoths at http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=145 , though I'm no expert on micro moths.

Mike