3 July 2012
3 July 2012 – Discovering the “Hidden”
Cryptoblabes bistriga |
We await confirmation on a few species, but we do have one new moth today! It was a cloudy, but still warm welcome for species number 195. The Cryptoblabes bistriga, our latest micromoth, stayed around just long enough for me to photograph him. Its name, crypto (hidden) blabe (damage), refers to the larvae that feed on the insides of folded oak and alder leaves, leaving the damage unnoticed from the outside. This is a very uncommon species, and had I known that this morning I would have kept a specimen for Dr. Chesmore to have a look at. I guess this is just a challenge for me to catch another Cryptoblabes bistriga before heading home.
*Editor’s Note: Since publishing, the following moths have been identified. These results give us an additional 3 new species (Common Wave, Aethes cnicana, and Eucosma cana). Refer to the captions of their photographs for their respective names.
This next species, I’m not sure about. I think it could be the Aethes cnicana but let me know if you think otherwise. Aethes means unusual or strange and referred to a number of moths that were found to be yellowish in color. Cnicana, for Cnicus, is a synonym of Cirsium, the genus of its larvae’s foodplant. This makes me a bit more affirmative in my guess, because our gardens have plenty of thistles, a variety of Cirsium.
Confirmed: Aethes cnicana |
The last moth I will try to identify is the Riband Wave (Idaea aversata). Idea for Mt. Ida is the grandstand where the gods and goddesses congregated to watch the Trojan War. Aversatais for aversus (belonging to the hinder or under part), because its markings are more visible from the underside than from above.
Confirmed: Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) |
I’ve included photographs below of some moths that I can not identify. I hope to have the answers tomorrow. In the meantime, do you have ideas?
Confirmed: Common Wave |
Confirmed: Eucosma cana
-Post by Helen Levins |
Confirmed: also Eucosma Cana |
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