Heart & Dart or Heart & Club

RobSutton · #1 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 07:40 PM

Caught this at the light trap a couple of days ago. We get a lot of Heart and Dart and I assumed it was just a slightly odd looking (the dart is outlined only rather than solid) one of these.

Then I caught this one and you can see the visible part of the antenna is feathered. According to my books this would rule out Heart and Dart and suggests Heart and Club, but I thought this was largely a lowland coastal species of sandy soils and chiefly in the south. That doesn't match where I am - in the North a long way from the sea and high (c400m) up in the Yorkshire Dales with acid bogs and limestone grassland.

The only other one I thought of was Turnip Moth - but I thought that was confined to root crops (hence the name) and we are a long way from any arable land where these might be grown.

Anyone any other ideas?

JRsbugs · #2 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 08:10 PM

Looking at other species on ukmoths, there is Archer's Dart Agrotis vestigialis said to be variable, but looking at the collar and other markings it does seem to match. Yours look a little worn.

UKMoths - Archer's Dart Agrotis vestigialis

The Heart & Dart always has a black band across the top of the thorax which I can't see in your second moth.

A suggestion only!

Janet

RobSutton · #3 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 08:19 PM

Hi Janet

Thanks for the suggestion - I've had a quick look at the distribution of this species and the books I've got suggest it is even more even more coastal than the Heart and Club. Looking at all of the members of the Genus Agrotis it does seem to match the Heart and Club more than anything else. They were both pretty worn specimens which makes things more difficult especially when it's a species you're not familiar with.

JRsbugs · #4 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 08:24 PM

Books don't always get it right, and can't be updated.

This is what ukmoths says about it:

Quote:

A variable but quite distinctive moth, this species has a mainly coastal distribution all around Britain, occasionally spreading a little inland in places.

It prefers sandhills, and in those places where it occurs inland, dry sandy heaths or breckland.

There is one generation, which flies from July to September, and the overwintering larvae feed on low plants such as bedstraw (Galium) and stitchwort (Stellarium) as well as grasses.

I have a strange one myself which I will be posting now!

Jenny W · #5 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 08:37 PM

At a glance I'd have called it a Turnip Moth - but who knows!

charlieb · #6 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobSutton

but I thought that was confined to root crops (hence the name) and we are a long way from any arable land where these might be grown.

Turnip Moths are polyphagous - they'll eat just about anything from Peanut to Sitka Spruce

pete76 · #7 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 09:19 PM

I would say they're Heart & Clubs. I've seen millions over the last month or so (maybe a slight exaggeration!) and they are very variable. They often have hollow markings.

Jenny W · #8 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 09:27 PM

Did you get any colour on the hindwing?

RobSutton · #9 (**permalink**) 06-07-2009, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenny W

At a glance I'd have called it a Turnip Moth - but who knows!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenny W

Did you get any colour on the hindwing?

Thanks Jenny, I'll have a look at that one in more detail. Unfortunately I didn't get a view of the hindwing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlieb

Turnip Moths are polyphagous - they'll eat just about anything from Peanut to Sitka Spruce

Thanks for the info Charlie - that doesn't sound like an attractive diet for a moth

Quote:

Originally Posted by pete76

I would say they're Heart & Clubs. I've seen millions over the last month or so (maybe a slight exaggeration!) and they are very variable. They often have hollow markings.

Thanks Pete - I've had a look at distribution maps on the NBN Gateway and they don't seem to be very widespread up here which is why I'm looking for a bit of help with this one - but I was veering towards that though

PMG · #10 (**permalink**) 06-07-2009, 06:50 AM

Its worn I agree - but I don't think it would wear in a way that exactly matches heart and club without it actually being one! (hollow markings!) The thing that would seal my mind is the shape of it - 'long and thin' rather than the 'more flattened out' wing shape of this individual ........ I think its H & C despite where you are Rob!

Pauline