WINE RACE 2016 .. MATTc380 .. TRENT 353 .. BEN 347 ...... Garden species:- Macros 357, Micros 365, Total 722

Monday 23 March 2015

22nd March ... Mompha subbistrigella

If you have an old garden shed/outbuilding, then now is the time to start looking for overwintering Mompha subbistrigella.
Last year I recorded around 90 from 1st April to early June on the inside of the shed windows in the late afternoons and many more went unrecorded.
This example was found yesterday afternoon ...

892 Mompha subbistrigella
Mompha epilobiella is another that is found overwintering in the shed, usually appearing a little later than subbistrigella, but in much smaller numbers.
Same size and shape but sandy in colour.
The very similar Mompha sturnipennella (Nationally scarce B) has not been seen in shed or garden.
It is like a slightly larger subbistrigella but with more white blotches/streaks around the costal areas and feeds on Rosebay.
There are not any good stands of rosebay nearby but I will continue to check the multitudes of subbistrigella from the old shed....
Pictures below from www.lepiforum.de
An excellent German site for moth ID ... highly recommended.
Mompha epilobiella
Mompha sturnipennella



2 comments:

  1. Hehe, I beat you to this species...yes they love to hibernate as I found one in our roller blind on the 4th of January this year, it was my first moth of the year! Not had sturnipennella in the garden either although i've seen it 'out and about'
    Trap on tonight hopefully but its blooming raining now!
    Cheers
    Ben

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've never seen sturnipennella but I think I could ID it ok. Still send it to Mr M tho to be sure

      Delete