2017 December 15

   Jochen Moehr writes from Metchosin:

   After a few nights of nothing but one or two Winter Moths (probably O. brumata), I finally had visits from two other moths, one outside my window (of which I did not get pictures) and one inside, of which I include several pictures.  

   I looked through my collection of pictures and wonder whether it might be 

Triphosa haesitata American Tissue Moth (Lep.: Geometridae)

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Ah!   This perpetual problem – is it Triphosa haesitata, or is it Coryphista meadii?

   In meadii, the fourth tooth on the outer margin of the hindwing is shorter than its neighbours.  Also, meadii has a dark discal spot;  haesitata doesn’t.  You can see that Jochen’s moth has a small fourth tooth, and it has a discal spot, both pointing to meadii. However, the fourth tooth is only very slightly smaller than its neighbours, and the discal spot is very tiny.  Are they enough to clinch it as meadii?  Maybe not.  At this time of year, I think haesitata is much more likely.  What other differences might there be?  The wingtip of meadii is sometimes slightly pointy, even slightly falcate, whereas haesitata has a blunter wingtip.  Unfortunately the right wingtip of this moth is missing – though the left wingtip looks rather blunt to me.  In spite of the difficulties, I’m pretty sure (close to 100 percent certainty) that Jochen is correct, and it is Triphosa haesitata.

   Some viewers may wonder:  If these moths are so difficult to distinguish one from the other, are they really different species?  I often wonder about this myself about pairs of very similar moths.  However, in the case of these two species, the caterpillars are entirely different and there is no doubt at all that they are genuinely different species.  The caterpillars are specialist feeders – haesitata feeds on Frangula, and meadii on Mahonia and the related Berberis.

   I hope viewers will continue to send in photographs of both of these species.  After a time we’ll all get so used to them that we’ll all be able to them apart at a glance!  I’m not there yet!

American Tissue Moth Triphosa haesitata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

   Jochen also sends a photograph of a winter moth – another difficult problem.  Is it the European Operophtera brumata or the native O. bruceata?  I am leaning towards bruceata.  Not 100 percent sure, but maybe 80 percent?

Operophtera (probably bruceata) (Lep,: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

2017 December 8

  Thomas Barbin writes:   Here are a few photos of some springtails that I found in my backyard in the Highlands on December 5. All of them were identified by Frans Janssens on bugguide.net.

   Included are one photo of Pogonognathellus bidentatus, three photos of Morulodes serratus (one to show how small it is – they are tiny!) and two photos of Vesicephalus occidentalis. Frans says that this last species is quite uncommon. It is also interesting because it has interocular vesicles (the white lumps between its ‘eyes’) which are a kind of photoreceptor unique to the genus.

   Jeremy Tatum writes:   These are remarkable photographs of tiny animals.  They present me, however, with a puzzle as how to label them in the captions and in the Index, where I aim for consistency and I label them by Order and Family.  In simpler times, springtails belonged to the Order Collembola of the Class Insecta.  Now, however, they are no longer regarded as insects (and with good reason), but they belong to the Class Entognatha.  The name Collembola still exists, but it is promoted to Subclass, which includes three Orders.  I believe Thomas has managed to photograph one representative of each Order!  I hope I have the Orders and Families right in the labels below.  I suspect that the taxonomy of the springtails is still under discussion by those who specialize in them.

Pogonognathellus bidentatus  (Entomobryomorpha:  Tomoceridae)  Thomas Barbin

Morulodes serratus (Poduromorpha:  Neanuridae)  Thomas Barbin

Morulodes serratus (Poduromorpha:  Neanuridae)  Thomas Barbin

Morulodes serratus (Poduromorpha:  Neanuridae)  Thomas Barbin

Vesicephalus occidentalis  (Symphypleona:  Katiannidae)  Thomas Barbin

Vesicephalus occidentalis  (Symphypleona:  Katiannidae)  Thomas Barbin

2017 December 7

   Annie Pang sends a picture of a nematoceran fly on her wall.  Jeremy Tatum writes:

It is almost certainly a winter gnat of the family Trichoceridae, although there are some small species of crane fly (Tipulidae – Limoniinae) that look quite similar and which fold their wings gnat-fashion rather than in more typical Tipulinae.  Beyond family level I dare not go.  Limoniines often bob up and down while at rest.  Readers who see a suspected limoniine or trichocerid should keep a look-out for this limoniine habit.

Probable Winter Gnat (Dip.:  Trichoceridae)   Annie Pang

2017 December 1

   Jochen Moehr writes from Metchosin:  Tonight we have another congregation of six winter moths here.  I am amazed by their variability.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  Yes, this is another challenging case where the variation within a species seems to be at least as great as the variation between species.  The first of Jochen’s photographs below is surely Operophtera brumata.  I don’t think bruceata is ever quite as plain as this.

European Winter Moth Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae)

Jochen Moehr

  The next one is more strongly patterned, so one must consider that it might be bruceata, but I don’t think it is.  I think it is probably  O. brumata.

Probably European Winter Moth Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae)

 Jochen Moehr

   I believe the one below is a genuine native O. bruceata.  I hope I’m right, but I’m going to stick my neck out and omit the word “probably” in the label!

Bruce’s Winter Moth Operophtera bruceata (Lep.: Geometridae)

Jochen Moehr

2017 November 26

   Jochen Moehr sends a photograph of a EuropeanWinter Moth from Metchosin.  Right now is the time for someone to go out to the Nature House at Goldstream Park with a camera, and photograph a winter moth there – it will probably be the native Bruce’s Winter Moth.  There may even be some other species there.

European Winter Moth Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr