2017 January 6

   In the January 1 posting I wondered about the difference between the Common Firebrat Thermobia domestica and the Grey Firebrat (also called Grey Silverfish, though it’s not a true silverfish) Ctenolepisma longicaudata.  The former is well-marked and mottled, whereas the latter is uniformly grey.  The difficulty with the January 1 animal is that, although it appeared uniformly grey to the unaided eye, in the photograph there is obviously some mottling, so we need some structural feature to be sure.

  Today I took a photograph of what I believe to be Thermobia domestica.  It is certainly well marked and mottled.  I think the structural difference is that the abdomen of C. longicaudata is longer than the head-plus-thorax, whereas the abdomen of T. domestica is shorter.  What do you think?  Can you see any other differences that might be useful?

Common Firebrat Thermobia domestica (Thy.: Lepismatidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   The Large Yellow Underwing caterpillar shown on December 20 pupated last night, and just to keep this site going in the bleak midwinter, here is a photo of its pupa.

Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba (Lep.:  Noctuidae)   Jeremy Tatum