Need Help Identifying Moths?
» County Experts - Berks, Bucks & Oxon
Most people start by learning how to identify the macro moths as they are generally much easier to identify than micros. If you refer to the Moth Sightings page of the UTB website you will be able to find out which moths are being reported at the time and this could also narrow down the moth(s) you are trying to identify.
County Experts -
Berks, Bucks & Oxon
· Our UTB County Moth Recorders (CMRs) are always
willing to help with moth identification -
click here for contact
details.
Please ensure you submit all your moth records to the appropriate CMR
for entry into the UTB moth database.
If you need help identifying a moth, here are some reference books to get you started:
·
Moths of the British Isles by
Bernard Skinner (Book of macro moths. The colour plates show specimens
set with forewings and hindwings visible.)
·
Field Guide to the Moths of
Great Britain and Ireland by Paul Waring, Martin Townsend & Richard Lewington.
(Book of macro moths. Illustrations show moths in their natural resting
positions.)
· British Pyralids by B Goater - Harley Books
· UK Moths - http://ukmoths.org.uk/
· UK Moths ‘Yahoo’ Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ukmoths/ (this website specialises in posting moths for ID and for general chat about moths.)
· UK Leps - http://www.ukleps.co.uk/
· Berkshire Moth Group - http://www.berkshiremothgroup.co.uk/
· Berkshire Moth Group ‘Yahoo’ Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/berkshiremothgroup/
· Hants Moths - http://www.hantsmoths.org.uk/
· Herts Moth Group - http://www.hnhs.org/mothgroup/
· The Upper Thames Branch of Butterfly Conservation runs moth trap events led by an expert where you can meet people and learn about the moths being caught. Please see the UTB Spring/Summer Events Programme.
The
macro moths listed below cannot reliably be identified in the field. These are
the species that require close examination or dissection for certain
identification. However, you may prefer not to keep a specimen at all, in which
case the moth can still be recorded as an ‘aggregate’ species. An example of an
aggregate record is: “Dark/Grey Dagger agg.”
For more information and advice on identifying and recording these (and other) difficult species, please visit the UTB Website Homepage and look under the “UTB Moths” dropdown menu for the topic “Difficult Species in VC22”.
·
Common
Rustic/Lesser Common Rustic/Remm's Rustic should be recorded as an aggregate unless dissected.
· Dark Dagger/Grey Dagger should be recorded as an aggregate unless dissected.
· Marbled Minor/Tawny Marbled Minor/Rufous Minor should be recorded as an aggregate unless dissected.
· November Moth/Pale November Moth/Autumnal Moth should be recorded as an aggregate unless dissected.
·
Red
Twin-spot Carpet/Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet should be recorded as an aggregate unless dissected (this is a fairly
recent idea, most books give distinguishing wing markings but these have been
shown to be unreliable).
·
Copper
Underwing/Svensson's Copper Underwing should be recorded as 'Amphipyra pyramidea agg. (Copper Underwings)' unless the exact species has been
identified using the techniques detailed in the “Difficult Species in VC22” table mentioned above.
· Large Ear/Saltern Ear/Crinan Ear/Ear Moth should be recorded as an aggregate unless dissected.
In addition to the
above:
· Engrailed/Small Engrailed - there appears to be no known way of telling these two apart and some think they are really just a single species. It may be best to record as an aggregate, but please consult one of our experts.
· Orange Underwing/Light Orange Underwing - The Light Orange Underwing spends most of its time in the top of Aspen trees. To differentiate the Light Orange Underwing from the more common Orange Underwing you need to examine the outer band on the underside of the hindwings, so it may be necessary to record as an aggregate.
· Tissue/Scarce Tissue – examination of the underside of the wings is required to differentiate these two species.