Garden Leaf-mining Results for 24-09

325 Phyllonorycter mespilella

 A new species for VC30, right under my nose. Confirmed a few days later (D.V. Manning) by means of a vacated pupal case on the underside of the leaf. The food plant pictured is Conference Pear (Pyrus communis). In the wild it feeds on Service Tree (Sorbus torminalis) and Wild Pear (Pyrus pyraster). But is an extremely scarce species with relatively few records.

List of Leaf Mines for Upper Caldecote Garden- TL166457 20 species-

Eriocrania sp.  1- vacated mine in Birch- NFY
0050  Stigmella aurella  5- Mines on Raspberry variety- NFY
0075  Stigmella floslactella  3- Mines on Hornbeam- NFY
0099  Stigmella hybnerella  20- Mines on Hawthorn- NFY
0111  Stigmella microtheriella  4- Mines on Hazel- NFY
0254  Laburnum Leaf Miner (Leucoptera laburnella)  100's on a small Laburnum shrub- NFG
0263  Apple Leaf Miner (Lyonetia clerkella)  100's on various shrubs/trees
0265  Bucculatrix cristatella  1- Mine in Yarrow
0275  Bucculatrix bechsteinella  2- Mines in Hawthorn- NFY
0293  Caloptilia syringella  3- Mines in Lilac- NFG
0304  Parornix devoniella  2- Mines in Hazel- NFY
0310  Callisto denticulella  3- Mines in Apple- NFY
0318  Phyllonorycter tenerella  3- Mines in Hornbeam- NFY
0323  Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae  15- Mines on Hawthorn- NFY
0325  Phyllonorycter mespilella  2- Mines on Pear- NFG and for VC30!-
0332  Phyllonorycter corylifoliella  20- Mines on Hawthorn/Apple/Pear
0332a  Firethorn Leaf Miner (Phyllonorycter leucographella)  2- Mines on Hawthorn- NFY
0343  Phyllonorycter esperella  6- Mines on Hornbeam- NFY
0345  Phyllonorycter rajella  20- Mines on Alder- NFY
0353  Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella  1- Mine on Birch- NFY

Pupae- image of cremaster (tail end) 

"The hooks at the tail end of the pupa (cremaster) are somewhat similar
in many species of Phyllonorycter sp. Fortunately they differ noticeably between mespilella and blancardella.
I am certain that you had mespilella, and John Langmaid (the national expert) has now agreed."

D.V. Manning

      Plate 43 P. mespilella                                                 Plate 44 P. blancardella

New Micro for VC30!...........19/07

7 more to the good with a fantastic humid night. Temperatures didn't drop any lower than 17°C so it was always going to be good. I only did a partial count as there was so many! I've posted some highlights and all of the newbies, including a new addition to the VC30 micro moth list.......

Lesser-spotted Pinion

The 1st time I've ever seen this one. I had White-spotted last year.......

Dingy Footman

After checking through loads of Commons and Scarce. I've finally got something different at last!

Lesser Yellow Underwing

A 1st of the year.

Mere Wainscot

This time it was 2 of the paler form, my 4th and 5th of the year.

Vapourer

2nd for the year.

Oak Hook-tip

Another 1st for the garden.

Duponchelia fovealis (1403a)

According to the literature, this moth was found in Britain for the 1st time in 1996 as a suspected stowaway.

It has now been confirmed as the 1st Ever for VC30(Bedfordshire) by David Manning. It is an immigrant species originating from Southern Europe and feeds on a variety of cultivated vegetables. These include Beets and Spinach, so would be right at home.....well, here!

Carcina quercana (658)

2nd record for this pretty micro.

Large Tabby (1421)

1st for the garden.

Some of the others caught were-

• Smoky Wainscot- 4- My highest count
• V-Pug- 3- My highest count
• Iron Prominent
• Chinese Character
• Peppered Moth