Ask an Expert

Have you seen a moth you want identified. You can now use this form to forward photos to us and we will try to name it for you. There is a link to the form in the right sidebar. We will continue to try naming the moths on Facebook, but we are aware that many of you don’t use Facebook. We won’t promise to identify everything, but we’ll do our best. Once you know what the moth(s) is/are then the record(s) can be submitted to the national database via our online form here

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Species Guides – Spring

No point in reinventing the wheel. Here are  links to some guides in sorting out some species that we often encounter during Spring, March, April and on into May. It’s not a comprehensive list. Feel free to add further resources in comments and I may add it to article. All thumbnails link to the species album in the image archive.

Orthosia species (Quakers etc)

Moths of the season Spring Quakers and Drabs, Part I on Birdguides

This guide features  Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi, Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta, Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica, Twin-spotted Quaker Orthosia munda and Small Quaker Orthosia cruda, all widespread in Ireland.
Lead-coloured Drab Orthosia populeti is also mentioned, but it is rarely recorded in Ireland, but useful to know what features to look out for.
Common Quaker Orthosia cerasiClouded Drab Orthosia incertaHebrew Character Orthosia gothicaTwin-spotted Quaker Orthosia mundaSmall Quaker Orthosia cruda

Further into April other species appear and Birdguides have

Moths of the season Spring Quakers and Drabs, Part II

This includes Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis and Red Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa Other species mentioned are Northern Drab Orthosia opima which is rare in Ireland and Blossom Underwing Orthosia miniosa which is presumed extinct.
Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilisRed Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa

Early Tooth-striped/Mottled Grey

Separating Early Tooth-striped Trichopteryx carpinata and Mottled Grey Colostygia multistrigaria can be problematic, but help is at hand.

Lancashire Moths have a guide on separating these 2.

Early Tooth-striped Trichopteryx carpinataMottled Grey Colostygia multistrigaria

Pugs

We all need help with Pugs! and Lancashire Moths have come up trumps again!

Pugs of Lancashire and Cumbria

This guide covers our species quite comprehensibly. In early Spring, the 2 most likely species are Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata and Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata but as we head through April may others species turn up.

Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviataDouble-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata

Micro-moth families

Not specifically Spring, but worthy of inclusion, particularly if you starting to look into the world of micro-moths.

Identification of micro-moth families GMS moth tips 3

 

Species Guides – Spring Read More »

Welcome to the new look

It may be a new look, but the atlases remain. 🙂

The new look will include a blog hopefully involving a number of authors. This will showcase the Moths of Ireland and also give a better insight into the activities of moth recording.

Also you’ll see a link above for the image archive. A very exciting venture for us as well.

So as is said watch this space!

Welcome to the new look Read More »

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