Friday 19 July 2013

Can These Be Counted?

I have a list of 9 moths from  the Sea Mist trap for which species cannot be determined without dissection:

Coleophora lineolea type but with ringed antennae.
Coleophora albicosta or discordella type
Coleophora anatipennella (Pistol case-bearer) white with scattered grey scales type
Phycitodes maritima or saxicola
Grey Tortrix
Bucculatrix  aggregate
Bryotropha terella type
Ermine species not Bird-cherry
Ephista species

I would welcome any comments as to whether these can be counted in the GMC

2 comments:

  1. Anything that cannot be identified without gen dat can be recorded as an aggregate :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. These Coleophora's would need gen det, and same for Cnephasia torts and probably P. maritima/saxicola. I've not bothered with aggregates where there are too many possibilities: Coleophora sp. or Cnephasia sp. is far less relevant than say Acleris laterana/comariana where it is one or other of a pair.
    Some of the Ermines are ridiculous as not even reliably separable on gen det either. Usually Spindle Ermine Y. cagnagella is fairly distinct (all white including cilia), but Orchard and Apple Ermines (Y. padella/malinellus) are not reliably separable. Willow Ermine Y. rorrella and the other ermines are identifiable though.
    Some Bryotropha's should be identifiable, and same for Bucculatrix and Ephestia - have you managed to get any photos for a look?

    ReplyDelete