26 July 2018 - A Misfit Moth

Antler (Cerapteryx graminis) 

First, I must apologize for the lack of activity on the blog: due to some unfortunate and unforeseeable computer problems, I am left forlorn and laptopless as my time at Shandy Hall begins to end. Secondly, I must apologize on behalf of all humanity, for the lack of moths in the gardens: climate change and rising temperatures have caused many caterpillars’ foodplants to dry up, in addition to the continual loss of natural habitats. So I’ll present you today with a collection of a few particular moths from the traps we’ve been setting this past week. 

We’ve been getting quite a few Antler Moths (Cerapteryx graminis) recently, a favourite of mine because of its good-looking, woodsy charm. Its markings are distinctive and beautiful, and look almost exactly like the skeletal horns for which it’s named. The Antler Moth resides in grasslands, mainly open country and pastures, and feeds on hard-bladed grasses, including Sheep’s-fescue, Mat-grass and purple Moor-grass. Both its vernacular and scientific names are extremely literal: Cerapteryx comes from keras meaning ‘horn’ and graminis means simply ‘grass.’

Agapeta zoegana

A moth that I almost missed because of its similarity to Agapeta hamana is the Agapeta zoegana, a vibrant yellow creature with poignant golden brown marks. Agapeta means beloved/ desirable from its beautiful appearance and zoegana is the name of the Swiss entomologist who discovered it, who happened to be a pupil of Linnaeus. So, this moth is a member of an esteemed legacy of entomologists. Lucky little moth!

Acleris forsskaleana

Another common but attractive moth is the Acleris forsskaleana. This moth has yellow forewings and has funky reddish-brown, net-like patterns. Its habitat is extremely wide-spread and can be found in woodland, scrub, hedgerows, parks, orchards, and gardens –really anywhere as long as it can get its fix of Field Maple and Sycamore. Acleris means ‘unallotted’ and is a genus set up to accommodate species who don’t fit in anywhere else; a genus of misfits.

So that’s it for this week’s lepidopterist roundup! A bit of a hodgepodge, but these moths all deserve some time in the spotlight. Cheers!

Post by: Gabriella Morace [UPenn student]

4/5 August 2012 - Abracadabra

Catoptria falsella

Agriphila selasella

Catoptria falsella  has been spotted once before when Dave Chesmore was identifying moths at Shandy Hall, but this is the first photograph to appear on the blog. However, Agriphila selasella is a new record – if it is correct.  The longitudinal stripe on the forewing has a hint of banana colouring which distinguishes it from Agriphila tristella, a moth already recorded.  The agriphila part of its identity is easy to interpret (lover of fields) and selasella is from the Greek selas meaning ‘brightness’.  Tristella is the opposite 'sadness – from the heavy shading the moth sometimes has on the forewing.

Yponomeuta padella

Yponomeuta padella seems the most likely identity of the next moth.  Each Yponomeuta description, photograph and drawing (there are eight possibilities) has been carefully compared with the living specimen and the grayish form of padella seems to be this moth's most likely identity.  ‘Y. malinellus cannot be separated from Y. padella except by rearing from larvae’, I am reliably informed.  First catch your larvae…  Either way this moth is a new species but represents a number of possibilities.  It is definitely not a Bird Cherry-Ermine - the only similar species already recorded.

The Honeysuckle Moth is new : Ypsolopha dentella – 'high-crested and wing-toothed'.  A rather sharply defined insect is the Honeysuckle and its distinctive shape should make identification straightforward.

Honeysuckle Moth (Ypsolopha dentella)

Two macro moths have been recorded this weekend: The Magpie (Abraxas grossulariata) is the first. Abraxas is a Coptic word said to have been coined by Basilides, an Egyptian Gnostic, to express 365 – the number of days in the year.  Abracadabra comes from the same source. Grossulariata refers to the gooseberry which is the food source.  There is something startling about The Magpie – the combination of colours gives it a dramatic and almost talismanic appearance.  

Antler Moth (Cerapteryx graminis)

The Antler Moth (Cerapteryx graminis) was quite easy to identify with the ‘keras’ (horn) marked on the ‘pterux’ (wing).  The Antler Moth feeds on grass (graminis) and this moth remained motionless all day until its evening release.  With  the Yponomeuta – whichever one it is – counting as one species, then the total number now stands at 233.


 

The Magpie (Abraxas grossulariata)