I failed to find it in Porter, so suspecting it to be a Prominent, I searched on UK Moths and identified it as Pebble Prominent: if anyone knows better, I'm sure you'll let me know :¬)
Sorry about the quality of the photos: it was in an awkward position (I was standing in a stream and up to my waist in brambles) and it was in a difficult pose... excuses!
Interesting larva Mark.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of species are still in the larval stage when they would normally have pupated by now - we had a late spring and things have never really caught up.
In October I saw the following larvae around Cardiff:
16th Oct - Grey Dagger
17th - Poplar Hawk
19th - Pale Tussock
21st - Knot Grass (x5, not full grown)
23rd - Buff Ermine
28th - Knot Grass
Double brooded species in particular might sturggle to complete their second brood, now it's turned cold and the leaves are coming off the trees. It'll be interesting to see how these species fare next year.
Leaf miners also seem to be late, and few in number.
George
Interesting. I photographed the larva of a Scalloped Hazel on an Ivy leaf, while checking Ivy blossom on 19th October. Not outrageously late, if the books are to be believed, but still on the tardy side.
ReplyDeleteAs for the lack of miners, I can't say I've noticed, but if the macros have been affected so badly by this year's weather, it must have been ten times worse (not a scientifically accurate figure ;¬D)for the poor micros.
I've been puzzling over some early instar Ladybird larvae, I found on Sallows, yesterday. At first I thought they might be Harlequin, but they seemed a bit small and had no orange on them. I didn't think Ladybird larvae would still be about now.
Great pictures! I'd be happy enough with those even without being in a stream in brambles.
ReplyDelete