Tuesday 9 May 2017

Georgia moths

I have photos of over 30 species of moths to ID, so I'll do them a few at a time. I had the checklist of Georgian moths before I went but I seem to have lost the link and can't re-find it as yet. So I'll have to do it the hard way. Here's some I prepared earlier [Sid - corrections welcome].

 Adela croesella - been through the entire world Adela family [40+], this is the only match
 Elachista adscitella [ID'd by Sid] - this isn't on the Georgian List either
 Essex Emerald type - but this is a coastal species and we are a 500 miles inland, will look into this further even though its a good match.

Update - well this is an interesting bit of research - This is indeed an Essex Emerald. There are four subspecies in the species. The British one, now thought to be extinct does indeed feed on Sea Wormwood and was only found on coastal saltmarshes. But the other 3 subspecies feed on Yarrow and have been recorded well inland. In fact the photograph on "The Lepidoptera Barcode for Life" site was tagged only 26 miles from where I saw it in Dalis Mta. - Success !!!

There are 19 species of "Emerald" moths on the Georgia List. Of which I have a photo of another different one.

 Geometrician - unmistakeable
Ground Lackey - ditto

2 comments:

Paul Parsons said...

Female A. croesella is correct. The Elachista looks more like E. adscitella as it is brown rather than blackish and has a pale head.

Martyn Hnatiuk said...

yes your right it is Elachista adscitella - not on the Georgian list, or the initial species in-fact, I've found the list for the cacusus, there are only 20 Elachisitidae and none of them look anything like it, My next task is a plume. I'll change the post - cheers