www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I was up at Gaits Barrow last Friday and took a Photo of this moth, I've looked it up and I'm a little cofused because it looks like a Mint Moth but a man who used to work for Natural England said they call it a Lime Stone Moth

I took a second picture of another Moth, is this photo the same moth with wings more open

In the first photo the moth was much smaller Goldie

I'm pretty sure its a day flying Pyralid moth Pyraustra aurata
Only know as was looking through my Collins Micro-Moth field guide at similar species to identify one recently!

Hi! Jason, thanks for your post, does it go by any other name than it's Latin name Are is just called Pyralid Goldie

I agree with Jason that it is Pyraustra aurata
More commonly known as the Mint Moth.

Regards
Kev

Thanks Kevling , that's what I'll call it Goldie

I think this may actually be Pyrausta purpuralis (Common Purple and Gold). The nice underwing shot you have, shows whitish markings. Have a look here: http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=1362

MarkIvan wrote:I think this may actually be Pyrausta purpuralis (Common Purple and Gold). The nice underwing shot you have, shows whitish markings. Have a look here: http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=1362

I think so too. Pyrausta ostrinalis would be closer than Pyrausta aurata, but I don't think it is either.

Hi Goldie/All,
I was also up around Morecambe bay last week(Tuesday), on Myers Allotment(Lancs.B.C), when I saw 3 or 4 of these tiny moths, very similar to the ones you saw.
I have never seen these moths anywhere before and they are difficult to tell apart these PYRAUSTA'S , but I think I agree with MarkIvan and JKT, that they are Pyrausta purpuralis.
Below are 2 different moths from last week, they are beautiful little creatures?

Oh boy. These too look very much like P. ostrinalis. I don't really know the official differentiating factors, but the yellow band in the forewing is more or less continuous and there is yellow band (as opposed to almost exclusively red in P. purpuralis) at the outer margin of rear wing.

Hi JKT,
I think you are right, my moths are slightly different than Goldie's , with the second yellow band/stripe on the outer edge of the wing.
I'm learning so much about a species of moth I didn't know existed a few days ago

Cheers Russ

There's a useful diagnostic guide to these pyralids at http://www.upperthames-butterflies.org. ... _moths.pdf

They are not easy to separate and I doubt whether it can be done from most of these these photographs, as the guide explains. Goldie's second photo does,however, show the inner spots on the hindwings that are characteristic of purpuralis. I have photos at the foot of my website page http://home.btconnect.com/mike.flemming/butterfl.htm together with a list of more reference books.

They are widely distributed in the South but are, perhaps, moving North in response to atmospheric warming.

Mike

was in Silverdale area myself over the long weekend - I think that the group that I was with saw ~4 species of Pyrausta. Very pretty & apparently very common in that area.