Coleophora lutarea

On yesterday's Glamorgan Botany Group outing to Cwrt-yr-ala, near Michaelston-le-pit, we noted 13 Coleophora (formerly Metriotes) lutarea sitting on the flowers of Greater Stitchwort, their larval foodplant. They were scattered along 500 metres of green lane in ST1373.

This is only the second modern Glamorgan record, after Dave Slade found them at Lisvane in 2008. The flight season is short, but it is well worth looking out for them along any lane banks with good amounts of Greater Stitchwort over the next couple of weeks.

Other moths seen on the day were Incurvaria oehlmanniella (new ST17?), Micropterix calthella, Adela reaumurella, Esperia sulphurella and Silver-ground Carpet.