Christmas Bells

Christmas Bells
Christmas Bells - Blandfordia nobilis

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

More little Moths

Although last night was not warm, there were still lots of small moths around.

The largest (but still a relatively small moth) somehow managed to fly inside the house, and landed in my corridor. I find this to be a very attractive moth, with silvery-green markings on its wings. DJW EDIT: Thanks to Duncan for the photo of Cosmodes elegans re-published on Mosura's site. Nice co-operative effort.
Here you can see it sitting on the palm of my hand.In terms of "design" I find these tiny moths, known as "plume moths" to be the most extreme. Their thin wings are held very high, and when at rest, the wings are held out at right angles to the body. The legs have distinct spurs on them. They have an appearance which makes them appear to some people to be Mosquitoes, but they are very definitely moths. If you click to enlarge the image, you can quite clearly see the "plumes" on the wings visible underneath the wings. This one might be: Platyptilia emissalis
DJW NOTE: Donald has now advised that the ID suggested by Duncan was correct, but that the species name has now been "revised" to Sinpunctiptilia emissalis.
This next little creamy moth might be in the OECOPHORIDAE - possibly Heteroteucha parvulaRight beside the creamy moth was this fairly drab little moth. The closest I can come for an ID for this one is OECOPHORIDAE family, possibly a Barea species.

DJW EDIT: Mosura has suggested Hofmannophila pseudospretella. An introduced "house moth" which likes dust, and the larvae require humidity. God, no wonder I have got it here!
This last little moth is quite attractive in a subtle way. I cannot get closer than guessing that this is a member of the OECOPHORIDAE family, possibly a member of the Eochrois genus.Any advice or corrections to these tentative moth identifications would be appreciated.

3 comments:

Duncan said...

Hi Denis, the first attractive moth is Cosmodes elegans. They are a fairly frequent visitor to my light.

Mosura said...

Cosmodes elegans I aways wanted to see that one but still have not found it here.


Possibly Hofmannophila pseudospretella.

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Mosura and Duncan.
Thanks guys.
Actually I had worked out the Cosmodes elegans, but I overlooked naming it!!! Anyway I shall name it and link it retrospectively. I see Mosura is using Duncan's photo as reference. Nice.
Thanks for the tip on the little dark moth, Mosura. Without microscopes all those little dark moths look the same to me.
Your description says the larvae need humidity. No wonder Robertson is such a good spot for them. Day 3 of mist and fog, here, at present.
Denis