If you feel like a challenge over the coming year, why not try and track down some of these infrequently recorded moth species.
Orange and Light Orange Underwings – sunny days in March and April at birch and aspen woodland respectively, latter species recorded at Walton Moor in 1950s as well as Orange Underwing.
Ruddy Highflyer at Kenn Moor in May and June, disturbed from broad-leaved willows in the day and particularly at dusk. 19th C record from this site.
Drab Looper at Kings Wood and other woodlands with good stands of wood spurge. Males fly by day in May and June near the foodplant.
Larvae of Small Ranunculus on Prickly and Great Lettuce, easily found on the foodplants in July and August, likely to be along the coast as recently established on the Welsh coast-line of the Severn Estuary.
Striped Lychnis larvae (similar to the Mullein) on Dark Mullein mid-July to early Sept on flowerheads, along the coast.
Ectoedemia louisella, described as new to science by Sircom from a specimen taken at Portishead 28th July 1849. Found across southern England, imago in two or three generations April to May, July and then September, larval mine on the wing of the seed of field maple, leading into the seed itself. No records since the original 19th C record in B&DMG database.
Phyllonorycter muelleriella, taken as new to Britain by Sircom at Brislington in 1848. Found in ancient oak woodland from Somerset, through Welsh Borders to Cheshire & northern England, imago in May and again in August, larval mine on oak. Recorded post-1980.
Phyllonorycter salictella ssp. viminiella, described new to science by Sircom from a specimen taken in Brislington in 1848. Locally common in England in wet-areas where smooth-leaved Salix grow, imago in May and June and again in August, larval mine in Salix viminalis and S. fragilis. No 20th or 21st C records in B&DMG database.
Phyllonorycter salicolella, described new to science by Sircom from a specimen taken at Brislington in 1848. Widespread and common in Brit. Isles, imago in May and again in late July and August, larval mine in sallow. Recorded by Emmet in Leigh Woods in the 1960s but no other recent records in B&DMG database.
Phyllonorycter ulicolella, described as new to science by Stainton from a specimen taken on Durdham Down in 1850 by Mr Vaughan. Very local, mainly in coastal southern counties of England, imago in June and again in early July by beating gorse, larval mine in gorse. Apart from Turner’s comment (1955) – scarce and local in the northern part of Somerset, no other 20th or 21st C records in B&DMG database.
Elachista regificella, described new to science by Sircom from a specimen taken at Brislington in 1849. Widespread in southern England, imago in July, larval blotch mine in great wood-rush or hairy wood-rush. Apart from Turner’s comment (1955) that very rare at the present time, no known 20th or 21st C records in the B&DMG database.
Elachista triseriatella, described new to science by Stainton from a specimen from St Vincent’s Rocks, Durdham Down in 1854. Known from south western England and Wales, imago June-July, larva thought to feed in leaves of Sheep’s Fescue but confusion with E. dispunctella. No records in the B&DMG database since the original 19th C record.
E. bedellella, described new to science by Sircom in 1848 from a specimen taken on Durdham Down. Widespread in southern England, imago from mid-May to late June and again mid-July to mid-August, larval blotch mine in meadow oat-grass. Apart from Turner’s comment (1955) – fairly common on hills where meadow oat grass occurs, there are no other 20th or 21st C records in the B&DMG database.
Scrobipalpa acuminatella, described as new to science by Sircom in 1850 from a specimen taken at Brislington. Widely distributed across Britain, imago late April to June and again late July to early September, larval blotch mine on lower leaves of thistles. Apart from Turner’s list (1955) for Somerset, describing it as locally common, there are no 20th or 21st century records in the B&DMG database.