May 26th 2020

One of the group of micro moths that made me realise that I should have been paying attention earlier were two Ethmia species I trapped at my old garden in 2013/2014. I've had neither since so I was very pleased to finally get a stunning E. quadrillella here. 

There was another new micro, this time totally new for me, a Phyllonorycter species. I've not positively identified any of this group before in Cottenham, which even though a fair bunch are only separated by dissection, it is something of a surprise considering the number of species out there. This individual is one of the less well marked species in the group and I quickly got it down to two species - viminiella and corylifoliella. The dark suffusion at the end of the forewing among other features fits P. viminiella - a willow mining species that is considered to be widespread and common - its just an irregular visitor to light traps.

[570] Phyllonorycter viminiella

[571] Ethmia quadrillella

Ethmia quadrillella

Phyllonorycter viminiella

A tiny micro that I have always failed to get a decent photograph of is Apple Leaf Miner. This one isn't great but its still better than I have taken previously:

Apple Leaf Miner Lyonetia clerkella