Friday 11 October 2013

Chepstow 7th October
News update- rarity turns up
A small micro with a big meaning!

The unknown micro that turned up in the trap on the of the 7th October at Chepstow was not found in any moth books covering the UK.
The reason Sam Bosanquet Micro Moth officer for Gwent informs me is it's because it's a migrant- and a very rare one at that.
It turns out to be Etiella zinckenella.
Etiella zinckenella has only been recorded in the British Isles 12 times since the 1990's so for this one to turn up in the trap was lucky 13 for me. Another specimen apparently was caught at Portland the same night on the south coast.
 
Etiella zinckenella (Lima-bean Pod borer)
 
A first for Wales
Sam also informs me that it almost certainly a first recording of this micro moth in Wales.
The nearby county of Glamorgan certainly has no records of it.

It's distribution in Europe is mainly in the southern and eastern countries of the Continent, but on rare occasions when the wind and weather condition are right the moth turns up here in the UK.
It also resides in the USA where it is considered a bit of pest in Southern California where the larva bore their way into Soy beans and Peas. 



3 comments:

  1. Well done Nick - SE Monmouthshire is certainly delivering the goods of late.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Richard for your kind comments.
      I'm having a thoroughly good year on the whole for moths and butterflies. It puts the awful year of 2012 to shame.

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