4 September 2012

3 September 2012 – How now Brown House Moth

Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)

Ottmar Hofmann was a German entomologist – his collection is in the Natural History Museum in London.  He must have had an interesting sense of humour as he claims to ‘love’ (philos) the Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) although it resembles a despised (spretus) but similar clothes moth.  This moth is around all year and the larva will eat virtually anything.  Cotton, wool, seeds, dried skins, books and even slug bait.  It is one of a very few that give moths a bad name.  This one was inspecting the lithographs in the gallery and no doubt thinking they would make an interesting variety of food for its young.  It is recorded as 237 on the list of species and was liberated – no doubt reducing Eva Wiseman to apoplexy (see post 2 July).

Otherwise the trap was full of midges, one or two carpet moths, a couple of water boatmen and various underwings.  The night’s are not warm again – I do hope something of Summer still remains.