Five moths IDs for confirmation, please

Pete Collins · #1 (**permalink**) 21-05-2011, 07:28 PM

These were all in my moth trap last night. They are all new to me, so I may well have got the ID's wrong.

1

Rustic Shoulder-knot (I had loads of these last night, whatever they are!)

2

Shoulder-striped Wainscot

3

Light Brocade

4

Small Square-spot

5

Scalloped Hazel

ornithom · #2 (**permalink**) 21-05-2011, 08:19 PM

Hi Pete,

I'd agree with all your id's! Some nice moffs there.

Regards

Steve T

roundwood123 · #3 (**permalink**) 21-05-2011, 08:51 PM

4 is Ingrailed Clay.
Steve.
Edit.. 1 looks like a Large Nutmeg.

GuyF · #4 (**permalink**) 21-05-2011, 09:00 PM

And I think that 1 may be a Large Nutmeg. The Light Brocade is a beauty!
Guy

Pete Collins · #5 (**permalink**) 22-05-2011, 08:24 AM

Thanks for all your comments!

Having looked at my other photos, I think 1 (and all the other similar moths I saw) were Large Nutmegs, on the grounds that the outer cross-line seems to be scalloped (as it says in Townsend and Waring).

Still not sure about 4 - I'm not 100% happy with either Small Square-spot or Ingrailed Clay, having looked at various photos on this and other web sites. Does this photo help, perhaps? It was taken when the moth landed on my wrist!

GuyF · #6 (**permalink**) 22-05-2011, 09:29 AM

I'd go for Ingrailed Clay too, it's a very variable species!
Guy

ornithom · #7 (**permalink**) 22-05-2011, 08:56 PM

Geez!

I thought I'd got IC/SSS all sorted out, but clearly I need to go stare at some more pictures of both!

Steve T

Pete Collins · #8 (**permalink**) 23-05-2011, 07:13 AM

This was the first I'd seen of either species, and I have to say I'm very confused by them. This particular one doesn't really match any of the drawings in my moth book, nor any photos I've seen, but I think I'll go with the majority view of Ingrailed Clay.

It's quite colourful, whatever it is!

GuyF · #9 (**permalink**) 23-05-2011, 09:39 AM

I'm not sure whether this will help or not, but I've found Small Square-spot to be very consistent in appearance. Here's a photo of a typical individual:

They are usually a fairly dark, reddish brown in colour with noticeable cream coloured kidney and oval marks and a bold black spot in the centre of the forewing.
As mentioned above, Ingrailed Clay is extremely variable, but the above combination is fairly unique to Small Square-spot, and quite distinctive once you've seen a few of each!
Guy