20 June 2015

20 June 2015 – Kudos to the Moth

Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella)

Last night’s moth evening turned out better than expected.  Only two species were visible in the trap but beneath the egg-boxes there were more and particularly bright examples.  The Garden Carpet and Green Carpet looked as fresh and bright as they could be.  But nothing new for the list.  This morning I was watching a spotted flycatcher investigate a gap above the old dairy building when I brought my focus back into the kitchen to see a moth I hadn’t seen before.  It was resting on one of the panes and I couldn’t recall seeing a moth with broken orange markings on its wings. I  consulted the Field Guide to the Micro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland and couldn’t spot it.  It was definitely a member of the Tortricidiae and I went backwards and forwards eliminating them one by one.  I can see it now, now that I know what it is, but I hadn’t interpreted the (excellent) illustration.  The coppery, golden-orange coloured section at the base of the wing when at rest is the diagnostic mark.  I understand this section of a micro-moth’s wing is called the ocellus – ‘an oval, metallic, shining mark.’ 

The scientific name poses more questions.  Cydia is taken from ‘kudos’ – a tribute to the beauty of the moth; pomonella refers to Pomona, the goddess of fruit-trees, and in this instance the pear.  The larva lives in the fruit of pears.  We have apple trees at Shandy Hall but no pear.  We have pears in the fruit bowl in the kitchen which were being munched yesterday when friends called for lunch.  Is the moth from the garden (via the window) or from the market (via the fruit)?

It’s species number 363 so it’s all fine by me.

Mottled Pug (Eupethicea exiguata)

This was the only moth that remained unidentified last night.  The Shoulder-striped Wainscot was remembered after a little while but pugs are pugs…  However, the markings were clearer than usual on this one and the Mottled Pug was confirmed by Dave Chesmore this afternoon.

Our next moth evening is on Friday 3 July – for the National Gardens Scheme.