25 July 2014 - Knot-horn and Groundling

Phycita roborella

This week we set traps in York on two consecutive days, hoping to take advantage of the warm July evenings. The results recorded no less than ten new species for the York Museum Gardens. Of these new findings, two haven't been recorded at Shandy Hall so they haven't yet appeared on this blog. I will take this opportunity to introduce them here.

The first is the Dotted Oak Knot-horn (Phycita roborella). It is a micro-moth that belongs to the Pyralidae family. Phycita is a type of seaweed once used to prepare red dye. The moth is appropriately tinted red on its wings. The red patches mingle with brown and grey bands to cover the length of the moth's wings, creating a rather busy picture. Roborella, on the other hand, means oak, indicating the moth's food plant.

Bryotropha affinis

The second species new to this blog is the Dark Groundling (Bryotropha affinis). It is also a micro-moth and a member of the Gelechiidae family. Bryotropha means moss, indicating the moth's food plant. Affinis is the Latin word for 'akin' or 'similar'. In the picture, the black wings of the Dark Groundling are sprinkled with white speckles. A more prominent white stripe cutting across the wing completes the pattern.

Post by Bowen Chang