Introduction to Micro-moth Identification · Macro vs Micro . A large micro – wingspan c35mm...

Introduction

to Micro-moth

Identification David Slade

Lepidoptera County

Recorder (VC41)

What is the Difference…

Macro vs Micro

A large micro – wingspan c35mm

Mother of Pearl (D. Slade)

A small macro – wingspan c15mm

Marsh Oblique-barred (D. Slade)

Micros Macros Butterflies

Explaining the division

From December 2013

Goat Moth/ Leopards/

Burnets/Clearwings etc Swifts Pyralids

What is the Difference…

Macro vs Micro

A pseudo-taxonomic split!

Phil Stirling’s Definition:

Families that are mostly large species = Macro

Families that are mostly small species = Micro

Some Numbers

2700 Species of Lepidoptera in UK

100 Butterflies

2600 Moths

1000 ‘Macros’

1600 ‘Micros’

In Glamorgan:

1700 species

950 Micros

50 Butterflies

700 Macros

Numbers are approximate!!

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

All Lepidoptera Glamorgan

Micros

Butterflies

Macros

The Lepidoptera Families

1. Micropterigidae

2. Eriocraniidae

3. Hepialidae

4. Nepticulidae

5. Opostegidae

6. Heliozelidae

7. Adelidae

8. Incurvariidae

9. Prodoxidae

10. Tischeriidae

11. Psychidae

12. Tineidae

13. Roeslerstammiidae

14. Bucculatricidae

15. Gracillariidae

16. Yponomeutidae

17. Ypsolophidae

18. Plutellidae

19. Glyphipterigidae

20. Argyresthiidae

21. Lyonetiidae

22. Praydidae

23. Heliodinidae

24. Bedelliidae

25. Scythropiidae

26. Douglasiidae

27. Autostichidae

28. Oecophoridae

29. Chimabachidae

30. Lypusidae

31. Peleopodidae

32. Depressariidae

33. Ethmiidae

34. Cosmopterigidae

35. Gelechiidae

36. Batrachedridae

37. Coleophoridae

38. Elachistidae

39. Parametriotidae

40. Momphidae

41. Blastobasidae

42. Stathmopodidae

43. Scythrididae

44. Alucitidae

45. Pterophoridae

46. Schrekensteiniidae

47. Epermeniidae

48. Choreutidae

49. Tortricidae

50. Cossidae

51. Sesiidae

52. Limacodidae

53. Zygaenidae

54. Thyrididae

55. Papilionidae

56. Hesperiidae

57. Pieridae

58. Nymphalidae

59. Riodinidae

60. Lycaenidae

61. Pyralidae

62. Crambidae

63. Drepanidae

64. Lasiocampidae

65. Endromidae

66. Saturniidae

67. Sphingidae

68. Geometridae

69. Notodontidae

70. Erebidae

71. Noctuidae

72. Nolidae

M icropte

rigidae

Eriocranii

dae

Hepialid

ae

Nepticuli

dae

Opostegidae

Heliozelidae

Adelidae

Incurvarii

dae

Prodox id

ae

Tischeriid

ae

Psychida

e

Tineidae

Roeslerst

ammiida

e

Bucculat

ricidae

Gracillarii

dae

Yponom

eutidae

Ypsoloph

idae

Plutellida

e

Glyphipterigidae

Argyrest

hiidae

Lyonetiid

ae

Praydida

e

Heliodini

dae

Bedelliid

ae

Scythropiidae

Douglasii

dae

Autostich

idae

Oecoph

oridae

Chimab

achidae

Lypusida

e

Peleopo

didae

Depressariidae

Ethmiida

e

Cosmopt

erigidae

Gelechii

dae

Batrache

dridae

Coleoph

oridae

Elachistidae

Parametr

iotidae

M omphi

dae

Blastoba

sidae

Stathmo

podidae

Scythridi

dae

Alucitida

e

Pteropho

ridae

Schreken

steiniida

e

Epermen

iidae

Choreuti

dae

Tortricida

e

Cossidae

Sesiidae

Limacodi

dae

Zygaeni

dae

Thyridida

e

Papilioni

dae

Hesperiid

ae

Pieridae

Nymphal

idae

Riodinid

ae

Lycaenid

ae

Pyralida

e

Crambidae

Drepani

dae

Lasioca

mpidae

Endromi

dae

Saturniid

ae

Sphingid

ae

Geometr

idae

Notodontidae

Erebidae

Noctuid

ae

Nolidae

Insect Morphology

Head

Antennae

Palps

Eyes

Thorax

Wings

Legs

Abdomen

Genitalia

Great book, but not 100% coverage

Fantastic book, very nearly 100%

Essential book! Complete coverage!

Ectoedemia atricollis D. Slade

Cosmopterix pulchrimella D. Slade

How to identify a moth

Is it one you know?

Check the species

account in the books

Do you think you know the

group/family?

Look though the related species

Look through the whole

book!

Yes

Yes

No

No

Does the book confirm what you thought?

Yes

You have your ID

Did you find a species that fits?

No

No

Yes

Still can’t find a species that fits?

Maybe it’s not in the book…

No

Maybe this…

Time to work through a key!

Copyright © 2009 John R. Maxwell

Is it actually a moth?

https://bugguide.net/user/view/14045

• Are there similar species?

• Is the flight period right?

• Is the habitat right?

• Is the foodplant nearby?

• Is it found in the area?

How to identify a micro-moth

Check the books

• ‘How to use this book’

• Key split into 17 groups + extras

• At-glance guide with 104 species

• Species accounts (with similar species)

How to identify a micro-moth

The Micro Families 1. Micropterigidae 2. Eriocraniidae

4. Nepticulidae 5. Opostegidae 6. Heliozelidae 7. Adelidae 8. Incurvariidae 9. Prodoxidae 10. Tischeriidae 11. Psychidae 12. Tineidae 13. Roeslerstammiidae 14. Bucculatricidae 15. Gracillariidae 16. Yponomeutidae 17. Ypsolophidae 18. Plutellidae

19. Glyphipterigidae 20. Argyresthiidae 21. Lyonetiidae 22. Praydidae 23. Heliodinidae 24. Bedelliidae 25. Scythropiidae 26. Douglasiidae 27. Autostichidae 28. Oecophoridae 29. Chimabachidae 30. Lypusidae 31. Peleopodidae 32. Depressariidae 33. Ethmiidae 34. Cosmopterigidae 35. Gelechiidae 36. Batrachedridae

37. Coleophoridae 38. Elachistidae 39. Parametriotidae 40. Momphidae 41. Blastobasidae 42. Stathmopodidae 43. Scythrididae 44. Alucitidae 45. Pterophoridae 46. Schrekensteiniidae 47. Epermeniidae 48. Choreutidae 49. Tortricidae

62. Pyralidae 63. Crambidae

Many-plumed moth W.R. Jones

44. Alucitdae

45. Pterophoridae

Adainia microdactyla P. Parsons

Pterophora punctidactyla W.R. Jones

Oidaematophorus lithodactyla

P. Parsons

49. Tortricidae

https://britishlepidoptera.weebly.com

https://britishlepidoptera.weebly.com/096-hysterophora-maculosana.html

Tortricidae: Cochylinae

All C. Manley

Sit with tent-like. Tend to look more pointy, narrow

Tortricidae: Tortricinae

Tortrix viridana Archips podana Acleris variegana

All C. Manley

Broad winged, costa is usually rounded basally.

Sit with flattish wings across the body, but slightly rounded

Tortricidae: Olethreutinae

Lathronympha strigana C. Lewis

Generally rounded in shape, sometimes flattened on top.

Often with numerous costal strigulae

Grapholita tenebrosana G. Tordoff

62. Pyralidae

Thistle Ermine W. Jones

Large micros. Antennae swept backwards

Acrobasis marmorea C. Lewis

Bee Moth P. Parsons

Large Tabby R & L Nottage

63. Crambidae

Antennae swept back

Anania crocalis P. Parsons

Crambus perlella B. Jones

Eudonia angustea P. Parsons

https://britishlepidoptera.weebly.com/034-stigmella-tityrella.html

© Ian Kimber

© Chris Lewis

4. Nepticulidae






Pseudopostega crepusculella, Crymlyn Bog, 2015. Photo Chris Manley

5. Opostegidae

Coleophoridae

Coleophora lineola (D.Slade)

Elachistidae

E. argentella (P. Parsons)

E. canapenella (P. Parsons)

Elachista sp. (G, Watkeys)

https://britishlepidoptera.weebly.com/025-elachista-atricomella.html






35. Gelechiidae

Syncopacma

taeniolella

C. Manley

Anarsia

spartiella

C. Manley

Bryotropha

terrella

C. Manley

15. Gracillariidae

Several sub-groups

Caloptilia – all covered in SPL

Parornix – 1 out of 10

Phyllonorycter – 5 out of 100!

Aspilapterix tringipennella. Photo P. Parsons

Caloptilia elongella. Photo D. Slade

Parornix anglicella C. Manley Parornix torquillella C. Manley

Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella. Photo D. Slade

Phyllonorycter muelleriella. Photo D. Slade

http://www.glamorganmoths.org.uk/keys/phyllonorycter.html


https://britishlepidoptera.weebly.com/052-phyllonorycter-corylifoliella.html






https://britishlepidoptera.weebly.com/004-micropterix-aruncella.html

01 Micropterigidae






Eriocrania subpurpurella, Cardiff. Photo D. Slade

02 Eriocranidae

07. Adelidae 08. Incurvaridae 09. Prodoxidae

Nemophora degeerella

Nematopogon metaxella

(3x C. Manley)

Incurvaria oehlmanniella

16. Yponomeutidae Ypnomeuta evonymella (C. Manley)

Thistle Ermine – Pyralidae (W. Jones)

Ypsolopha dentella (C. Manley)

17. Ypsolophidae 18. Plutellidae

Plutella xylostella (C. Manley)

20. Argyresthiidae Argyresthia bonnetella (D. Slade)

28. Oecophoridae

29. Chimabachidae 31. Peleopodidae

Diurnea fagella (C. Manley) Carcina quercana (C. Manley)

32. Depressariidae

Agonopterix arenella (C. Manley) Depressaria badiella (C. Manley)

21. Lyonetiidae

Lyonetida clerckella (C. Manley)

22. Praydidae

Prays fraxinella (C. Manely) Prays ruficeps (C. Manely)

19. Bedelliidae

20. Scythropiidae

40. Momphidae

Mompha subbistrigella Mompha miscella

Both C. Manley

12. Tineidae

Nemapogon clematella (D. Slade) Monopis obviella (C. Manley)

Bucculatrix nigricomella Buccullatrix cidarella (C. Manley)

14. Bucculatricidae

Summary

Micros are diverse and complicated

There are plenty of ‘Just know’ species

But lots more ‘Just no idea’ species

Learn the families!

Look for larval stages

Thanks:

Anyone who’s photo I’ve used!

gmrg-vc41moths.blogspot.co.uk

www.sewbrec.org.uk

www.sewbrecord.org.uk

www.glamorganmoths.org.uk

Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella. Photo D. Slade

Phyllonorycter muelleriella. Photo D. Slade



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Introduction to Micro-moth Identification · Macro vs Micro . A large micro – wingspan c35mm...

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