Beetles, tiny caddis and a fly from moth trap for ID

[nutmeg]

Klaas, I couldn't find Melanopus castanipes on NBN Gateway, so possibly not a British species,

It's dirty because it was grubbing around in the bottom of my moth trap and so picked up lots of moth wing scales.

[Fauna]

Originally Posted by nutmeg

Klaas, I couldn't find Melanopus castanipes on NBN Gateway, so possibly not a British species,

It's dirty because it was grubbing around in the bottom of my moth trap and so picked up lots of moth wing scales.

It does exsist in the UK but seperating them seem to be a little confusing...i've no idea how to seperate them myself.

Joy was aware of the possibility that two species occurred in Britain but lumped them
with the following comment: “castanipes Pk. is regarded as synonymous with this on the
Continent (see Fowler, vol. vi., p. 142). ... A careful study of habitat and dissection of
genital organs, and other points, are wanted.” Mendel (2004) put the case for treating
castanipes and villosus as distinct species and described how to identify them.

Regards Chris...

[Klaas Reißmann]

So there is no way: Melanotus rufipes/castanipes. It is unbelievable how difficult it is to separate those two species. Even those I do have in my collection make me asking myself every day if the ID is right. I should be talking to someone who is able to differenciate those two species.

Regards
Klaas