Munching Micropterix

The Micropterigidae are unique in the world of Lepidoptera in that they have functional jaws! Most other moths can only consume liquids (using their proboscis) but these little guys like to munch pollen - in particular the most common species, Micropterix calthella, dozens of which can be found in early summer occupying buttercup flowers.

Last year about this time I recorded 45 of these little beauties at Glencairn Park. In similar conditions on Friday, I found just three.

Another highlight was this Heliozela (of the three Heliozela species probably hammoniella, based on the fact that its foodplant (birch) was closest, although sericiella (oak) can't be ruled out).

[EDIT 9 Jun: Actually, I wasn't really paying attention to the vegetation at the time. Only after returning to the spot for a third time did I notice the thick canopy of alder leaves above where I saw the moth - over which towers a humungous oak tree. H. hammoniella would be the least likely - it was probably resplendella!]

I found more suspected November/Winter Moth caterpillars, two again on beech (U#269/270) bringing the total to 8, but also a very similar one on hawthorn (U#275) along with a tortrix larva (U#276) on an adjacent leaf. I might go and retrieve the tortrix to rear.

[EDIT 9 Jun: I'm fairly sure they're Winter Moth! The hawthorn tortrix has now pupated.]

[EDIT 29 Jun: The hawthorn tortrix emerged, revealing itself to be a Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis cerasana)!]

U#275 - Geometrid larva on hawthorn

U#276 - Tortrix larva on hawthorn

Daytime Report 24 May 2013

Flying / on vegetation | @ Glencairn Park J3075, HVC39
Updated 9 Jun

  Green-veined White: 6

  Orange-tip: 6 (male)

  Heliozela resplendella: 1 probable [N] [Y] 

  Winter Moth: +3L (U#269/275)

  Pandemis cerasana: 1L [eY] (U#276)

  Micropterix calthella: 3 [Y]

  Grapholita jungiella: 2

Hashtagged caterpillars galore

Out running to get my fitness up last week, I chanced upon quite a few caterpillars, which I have been revisiting on subsequent days.

Daytime Report 16 May 2013 (early morning)

On vegetation / Flying | @ Glencairn Road J3075 / Glencairn Road J2976, HVC39

• Six small green Geometrid larvae, possibly of two different species (U#269: 5L; U#270: 1L - could be November Moth, Winter Moth or something similar) were munching away in spun Beech leaves, as were two micro-moth larvae (U#271: 1L; U#273: 1L). On blackthorn was another micro (U#272: 1L), and up in the countryside was...

 Green-veined White:1 [Y]

U#269 larvae in spinning on beech

U#270 larva on beech

One of the five U#269 larvae found on beech, smaller than the single U#270 larva above but with similar markings, so possibly the previous instar rather than a different species. 

Green-veined White

U#272 larva on blackthorn

Daytime Report 22 May 2013 (early morning)

On vegetation | @ Glencairn Park J3075, HVC39

• I refound two of the green Geometrid larvae, which blurred the lines between what I had thought might be two separate species (U#269/270). A new find was a tiny brown Geometrid larva (U#274: 1L) on the same beech, which could possibly be Mottled Umber.

My use of hashtags to catalogue unidentified records is somewhat different from how Twitter uses them (#myrecordsmyrules) but I know some people may find them just as annoying, so apologies.

Another update on these caterpillars (and other very cool stuff) to come this weekend (hopefully), then I'm holing up for some intense revision next week...