Friday 18 October 2013

Exapate congelatella - new for VC41

I received an email today from Sarah of the Ceredigion Moth Group, who caught this specimen of Exapate congelatella in Radyr, Cardiff last night, while trapping there on a family visit.

Sarah's photo of Exapate congelatella
This appears to be not only new for VC41, but perhaps the whole stretch of South Wales from Pembs to Gwent (if the map in Stirling and Parsons is correct). It's mostly a northern species in the UK - I wonder if this one could have been a wanderer?

3 comments:

  1. With strong southerly winds last night, a northern wanderer is unlikely. There is a dot for south Somerset/north Dorset area on the map or more likely, we have a small colony in Glamorgan that Sarah has found. Well done.

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  2. I'd opt for a wanderer or accidental import until such times as another is caught. Given all the trapping that's been done in the Cardiff area, it seems unlikely that an established population would have gone undetected. A really great record all the same and agreed very well done.

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  3. The Ray Society tortricid book (vol 1) states it is found locally in southern England along hedges and woodland edges, and more commonly in the north on moorland. There's a gap in the distribution between these two areas which until now included South Wales.

    So it could have been a wanderer from SW England, but as Radyr hasn't received much trapping attention there could equally be a very local resident population. Apparently the adults can be disturbed from bushes by day so perhaps I should have a look for them.

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