I photographed this at Waunwyllt Wood, Merthyr Tydfil, on the 28th February, but have only just got around to uploading it to the computer and trying to identify it. It seems to match the illustration and description of Purple Clay, in Porter, but I would welcome any other suggestions. It was quite small, as can be seen in comparison to the fencing wire, on which it was found. I've rotated the image by 180 degrees to render it the 'right way up'.
I think you're right Mark. We see a lot of these feeding on Bilberry when out on Coity Mountain looking for Silurian larvae by night. This is in April so the larvae are quite a bit bigger by then.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the photos in Porter and on UK Moths don't really do it justice, the description in Porter, though basic, is a close match for this individual.
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