Is this moth a Small Autumnal?

[clicka15]

Hi again,

This moth was in my garden this morning and I thought it was a November Moth. On closer inspection I think it's a Small Autumnal Moth (Epirrita filligrammaria).

Would anyone care to aggree or disagree?

It looks like it's been in the wars a bit, poor thing.



Thanks,
Steven.

[John]

I have never seen a Small Autumnal Moth myself but I have the feel that this is possibly one of the November moths (poss Pale) but I could be wrong.

If it is it will have to go down as a November Moth agg as there is no way of identifying them from photos, poss only through dissection.

John

[clicka15]

Originally Posted by John

...it will have to go down as a November Moth agg as there is no way of identifying them from photos, poss only through dissection.John

Yes, so I understand.

I have to say - the illustration in Waring suggests it is a Small Autumnal, but the distribution data suggests they don't occur in the south east. That could well mean it's one of the Novembers, as you say.

Steve.

[Davidg]

I agree with John - the only way to reliably split the four Epirritas (November, Pale November, Autumnal and Small Autumnal) is by dissection.

David

[clicka15]

Originally Posted by Davidg

I agree with John - the only way to reliably split the four Epirritas (November, Pale November, Autumnal and Small Autumnal) is by dissection.

David

I have to agree. The Small Autumnal prefers upland acid soil habitats anyway and you can't get much further removed from this than the South Downs!

The only explanation for a SA Moth would be displacement at the hands of humans, which isn't impossible, but unlikely all the same.

The November Moth looks the much more likely candidate; that's probably as close as we're going to get.

Thanks for your comments, Guys.

Steve.