Monday 28 January 2019

16th January

Llandevenny

New site for the scarce Acleris umbrana

An unexpected micro moth caught my eye at Llandevenny today under spotlights.
It's easy to forget that a few limited moths do hibernate through the winter moths as adults so this was a nice surprise for a winters day.
I initially thought it might be Acleris hastiana as I had found it here not too long ago but the markings reminded me of something else I had found over the last year or so.
So I took it back and photographed in daylight and it then struck me that it was a well marked Dark-streaked Button, Acleris umbrana.


Sam Bosanquet quickly confirmed the 'Scarce A' status micro moth.
I had found two about a year ago in Chepstow during the winter months of December 2017 and January 2018 so proving it is active at this time when conditions are right.
It now joins up dots on the Vice County 35 map where shaded tetrad squares at Newport and Chepstow are now bisected at Llandevenny in between forming a interesting coastal link to the south and south-east of the county.

 Note the characteristic 'tufted scales' at one third