48.001 [B&F: 0385] Anthophila fabriciana (Linnaeus, 1767) - Common

Common on waste ground, hedgerows and gardens throughout the British Isles. In Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight often abundant during the day, wherever stinging nettles grow. Wingspan 11-15 mm. Day-flying. The main confusion species is Apple Leaf Skeletoniser Choreutis pariana, which is without whitish markings except along costa, while the closely related Prochoreutis are marked with silvery spots (MBGBI Vol 2). Larva feeds on Stinging Nettle, Small Nettle and Pellitory-of-the-wall.

Record Details

VC10: Whitwell Road, Ventnor, one, field obs., 13 Apr; one, field obs., 14 Apr (MGT); Lower Hyde, two, field obs., 16 May; Sandown, two, field obs., 23 Apr (IOu);

VC11: Fordingbridge, present, field obs., , 29 Jul (CDen); Beaulieu, NF, present, field obs., 12 Aug (MCrei); Totton, present, field obs., 24 May (SSto); Tanners Brook, Southampton, present, field obs., 26 Jun; present, field obs., 19 Jul (PPir); present, field obs., , 01 May (JRea); Stockbridge, present, field obs., , 29 May (MFow); Langley, one, field obs., 05 Jun; Blackfied, one, to lighted window, 25 Jul (PGS); Swaythling, Southampton, one, 10 Aug (MEdg); Wildern LNR, Hedge End, one, field obs., 03 May (TCrw); West Wood, Sparsholt, one, field obs., 23 Jun (SEG); Highbridge, Eastleigh, one, field obs., 20 Jun (MSic); present, field obs., , 20 Jun (iNat); present, field obs., 14 Sep (PPir); Winchester, one, field obs., on Hemp Agrimony, 10 Aug (THW); Stoke Park, Bishopstoke, present, field obs., 26 Sep (PPir); Titchfield Haven NNR, present, field obs., , 12 Apr (BRos); Cams Bay, Fareham, present, field obs., 08 Sep (AMD); Bishop's Waltham, one, field obs., 08 May; one, field obs., 11 Oct (DTru); The Holt, Bishop's Waltham, present, field obs., 31 May (PAB); Portchester, one, 30 Jul (DH-J); Waterlooville, one, to pheromone lure, 19 Jun (DWhe); Sustainability Centre, East Meon, present, field obs., 16 Jun (PPir); Waterlooville, present, field obs., , 18 Jun (YEva); Old Winchester Hill NNR, present, field obs., 02 Jun; present, field obs., 09 Jun (PPir); Clanfield, present, field obs., several, 03 Jun; present, field obs., 03 Jun (AMD); Stroud, Petersfield, one, 17 Jun (RAll); Hengistbury Head NNR, one, 07 Aug (HengistH det. MJef); New Milton, two, field obs., 29 Jul (RPH); Hordle, one, field obs., 02 May; one, field obs., 23 May; Sway, two, field obs., 01 May; one, field obs., 06 May; Upper Pennington, one, field obs., 20 May (SKee); Lepe CP, present, field obs., 17 Apr (RAC); one, field obs., 17 May (PGS); Gosport, present, field obs., , 03 Aug; present, field obs., , 03 Aug (iNat);

VC12: Cholderton Park, present, field obs., 10 Aug (iNat); Winnall Moors HIWWT NR, two, field obs., 26 May (GSD); Magdalen Hill Down NR, one, field obs., 17 Jun (AMD); Magdalen Hill Down NNR, one, field obs., in flight and resting on foliage in weak sunshine along the access track to Chalk Triangle., 09 Sep (RJD); Magdalen Hill Down NR, one, field obs., 24 May (AJon); Magdalen Hill Down NNR, two, field obs., 02 Jun (DAS); North Waltham, two, field obs., 03 Jun; one, 17 Sep (AJon); Tidley Hill, Dummer Grange, Dummer, one, field obs., 27 May (ACB); Kempshott, Basingstoke, present, field obs., , 07 Jul (BRos); Ecchinswell, one, field obs., 24 May (MJN); Medstead, one, field obs., 06 Jun (CoKni); Cliddesden, Basingstoke, one, field obs., 08 Jun (AMos); Worting, Basingstoke, one, field obs., 25 May (ACB); Black Dam, Basingstoke, present, field obs., , 12 Jun (BMil); Tadley, present, field obs., , 28 May (iNat); East Worldham, one, field obs., 22 Jun (RAng); Greywell Moors HIWWT NR, one, field obs., 28 Apr (MJW); Rye Common, one, field obs., 24 May (AMD); Hammer Vale, Woolmer, one, field obs., 18 Oct (ASwa); Farnham, present, field obs., , 31 May (iNat); Basingstoke Canal, one, field obs., 29 Aug; North Camp, Farnborough, one, field obs., 15 Aug; Blackwater, present, field obs., 19 Sep (JKni)

48.005 [B&F: 0386] Tebenna micalis (Mann, 1857) - Migrant

Rare immigrant from southern Europe to the south coast of England, in some years appearing in sufficient numbers to breed but apparently not able to establish itself in Britain. In Hampshire first recorded in 2002 at West Park (VC8), but not again until 2014 when a significant influx brought 8 records to both counties, since when there have been further reports and it looks likely to be expected to become an increasingly frequent visitor to our shores. Wingspan 11-14 mm. Distinctively marked, claims from Hampshire and Isle of Wight should be accompanied by photographic or other evidence. Larva mines leaves of Common Fleabane.

Record Details

VC10: Ventnor Botanic Garden, one, field obs., nectaring on Helichrysum flowers. See article in The Entomologists Record and Journal of Variation - Nov / Dec 2024., 24 Jun; larva, present, field obs., webbing with two cocoons (and also two larvae found some days later) on leaves of Helichrysum. Adults reared emerging on 28th June, 2nd August and 4th August. See article in The Entomologists Record and Journal of Variation - Vol 136 Part 6 Nov / Dec 2024. Photo 48.005-10-24Jun24-1 (Plant, Cocoons, Larval damage and adult reared)., 24 Jun (PBard)

48.007 [B&F: 0389] Apple Leaf Skeletonizer Choreutis pariana (Clerck, 1759) - Local

Local in orchards, gardens and hedgerows throughout Britain. Most records in Hampshire are from the extreme south-east corner of the county, with very few records from north Hampshire or the Isle of Wight, and the species is possibly overlooked in these vice-counties. Wingspan 11-15 mm. Very variable but easily recognised by its brown colouring, usually with bright red-brown cilia, and absence of silvery markings (MBGBI Vol 2). Day-flying. Larva feeds on the foliage of Apple, Crab Apple and various fruit trees, causing sufficient damage to be a serious pest in some areas.

Record Details

VC11: Stour Valley NR, larva, one, field obs., 24 Aug (AMD)

48.0071 [B&F: 0389a] Choreutis nemorana (Hübner, 1799) - Adventive

Reported as new for Britain when it was reared from a fig tree Ficus carica in Hyde Park, London, July 2014 (de Prins, Ent Rec J Var 126:157). Now expanding in range across the south of England.

In our area, found for the first time on 5th November 2021, when Iain Outlaw found the pupae of this species on Fig (Ficus carica) in the front garden of a now abandoned hotel in Shanklin, in leaves with feeding signs and folded edges. Inside the folds there were tough silk cocoons with an outer layer binding to the leaf and an inner layer containing a pupa. At the end of the inner layer was the final larval skin. One folded leaf showed an exuxium, presumably left when the adult emerged. That cocoon was examined and found to be vacated. Found to be relatively common around the coast of the island in 2022, and further expansion saw the first record for Hampshire in 2023, near Lymington, and a number more in 2024 along the south coast.

Record Details

VC10: West Shanklin, pupa, present, field obs., first time I've seen leaf damage and pupae on the fig at the coner of Furze Hill Road and Victoria Avenune (SZ 57875 81233), 29 Sep (IOu); #REF!Bembridge, larval feeding signs, present, field obs., on Ficus carica. Webbing and feeding signs., 30 Jun (PBard);

VC11: #REF!larva, one, field obs., fig tree eaten in multiple places so likely multiple moths. , 03 Oct (MSic); Bevois Valley, Southampton, one, 29 Jul (MCrei); Titchfield Haven NNR, larval feeding signs, present, field obs., silk spinnings and frass on more than one leaf, high up. Comm. by email 22.ix.2024. , 22 Sep; larval web, three, field obs., feeding signs, silk and frass on Fig leaves. , 22 Sep (DPH); Bishop's Waltham, larva, present, field obs., larvae and larval webs on Fig leaves (Focus Carica). The fig tree is hanging over a South-facing wall beside main road. , 26 Jun; one, field obs., emerged from pupa on 10, 10 Jul; one, bred, emerged from pupa on 10/07/2024. I collected caterpillars on fig leaf on 26/06/2014. ( See iRecord record 36660123) . Larvae taken on fig leaves which then folded leaves and made cocoon. , 10 Jul (DTru); Milton Common, larval feeding signs, 50, field obs., 50+ spinnings, at least half with well-grown larvae on fig, all on one side of the large bush, and nearly all below 2 m., 10 Sep; larval spinning, present, field obs., several spinnings and folds, some occuied, on Ficus, 29 Aug; larval spinning, present, field obs., several spinnings and folds, some ccupied, on Ficus, 03 Sep (IRT); larval spinning, present, field obs., several occupied folds and spinnings on Ficus., 10 Sep (RJD, IRT); pupa, one, field obs., plus a number of other larval feeding signs, 03 Oct; Hayling, larva, eight, field obs., 2 adults bred, 19 Aug (AMD)

Bishop's Waltham
26/06/2024
field observation - larva on fig
Dennis Trunecka
Photo © Dennis Trunecka