11 August 2017

10 August 2017 – Ring a Ring a Rustic

Common Rustic (Mesapamea agg)  in variety

The trap was set on Wednesday night with high expectations (no rain!), but there was a definite chill in the air. This is supposed to be the height of Summer so surely there would be a wide variety of species despite the drop in temperature.  Sadly it was not to be.  A Common Wainscot, Lesser Broad-bordered Underwing, Large Yellow Underwing and three Common Rustic moths was the sum total of the catch.

The Common Rustics displayed their varieties and the three were remarkably similar to the ones drawn and painted above (British Moths and their Transformations, Humphreys and Westwood. 1843).   

The description that accompanies this illustration is a veritable flourish of scientific description : In some specimens (Fig. 8) they are nearly of a uniform mouse-brown colour, with the slightest indication of the strigae.  In others (Fig. 9) they are of a rich dark chocolate brown, and shining, with still less distinct traces of the strigae, except the wings be held in a certain position, when they may be perceived of a duller hue than the rest of the wings; whilst some (Fig. 7) have the fore wings much varied along the inner margin, and beyond the posterior stigma with a pale luteous buff.  In almost all these varieties the posterior stigma is more or less distinct and accompanied by a white dot and the undulating subapical striga is succeeded by a darker tinge, forming an irregular margin along the apex of the wing.[The striga referred to seems to mean the presence of a ‘furrow’.  I can’t find a more appropriate definition.]

Common Rustic (Mesapamea agg)

It is now firmly established in the world of moths that there are three varieties of Common Rustics and, as they cannot be reliably identified, they have to be recorded as Mesapamea agg.  One food plant of this busy little moth is the buddleia (see above) which is still in full flower in the garden.