Just looked at a couple of last nights moths that I wasn't sure about at the time. The moth below seems a dead ringer for a Deep-brown Dart, but if so would be only the third modern record for VC41. Two arrived in the trap, one with smooth antennae so presumably female (in the pic below), and the second smaller with feathered antenna so probably male. I'll get a better pic up tomorrow, time permitting, but any thoughts?
Here's a new pic of the male this time in drab daylight!
The daylight one looks more like Black Rustic
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it's not a Black Rustic Dave. The two photo's show the huge difference that lighting makes as both are in fact the same colour. According to W&T BR's don't have feathered antennae as well as no white outer edge on the kidney mark. This doesn't come through in the photos but neither have the glossy sheen either.
ReplyDeleteJust checking W&T again, DBR's have 'slightly feathered' antennae in the males only. I'm not sure what slightly feathered means in practice, but I have certainly seen moths with more impressive feathering...?
ReplyDeleteIf you look at Plate 32 in Skinner, the feathered antennae of DBD are pretty obvious, just like yours. Also, as you say, your specimens don't have the white outlined kidney mark or the black glossy sheen of Black Rustic, so I think you're right with DBD - hope Dave changes his mind!
ReplyDeleteGeorge
I've still got them in the fridge if you want to take a closer look Dave.
ReplyDeleteI think I inadvertently miss-led people - I've been having intermittent network issues today so couldn't follow up my post until now. I didn't mean it to sound like I thought it was a Black Rustic, only that the 'daylight' image looked more like one that than the indoor image and that the difference in lighting caused them to look like two completely different moths. Had I read the post properly I'd have seen that they are two different moths!
ReplyDeleteI actually think they are indeed both DBD.
Thanks Dave - I was a bit surprised you mentioned Black Rustic, but that explains it! If the weather calms a bit and I can get the trap out it will be interesting to see if any more turn up.
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