Calamotropha paludella in prime habitat

 Look back at August 2020

18th August

Wilcrick Moor, Llandevenny

I'm often looking about here at Wilcrick for moths. Many over the years I see on a regular basis but every now and again something turns up here across the Marshes area that leaps out as an uncommonly seen moth or in this case a brand new one that needs serious investigating and photographing. This pale looking moth immediately looked like something to do with the marshland here. I wondered if it may be a 'wainscot' like Silky Wainscot but ruled this out. It sort of looked familiar and something I may have seen years ago but could not really put a finger on it. Eventually after checking photographs and sites on-line I have come up with Calamotropha paludella (Bulrush Veneer) pictured below. 

When filling away I found out that I had seen it before at my home site in Chepstow but way back in 2015.The larvae use Reedmace and Bulrush for it's foodplant of which plenty is in the area feeding within dead stems of bulrush.