Indeed, although even here the assumption seems to be that it escaped rather than that it was deliberately released.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an adustella like it: if I caught it here (esp. in late autumn) I’d retain it to dissect, optimistic that it might prove to be Norfolk’s first vittata. I imagine that as vittata becomes commoner the requirement to gen det would begin to soften for distinctive examples.

Fab, thank you!

Thank you!

Very nice - I’d have been happy with either of those!

That’s more like it - it was worth persevering! Great image.

Oops!

Very strange… these feeds do seem to have a mind of their own sometimes!

Interesting. Maybe I should be dissecting the females then. Fortunately the vast majority (>90%) that I catch are males.

FWIW in males November Moths peak earlier than Pale November Moths. Round here are least Pale November Moths are outnumbering November by now. Females peaks could be later I suppose but suspect most of them will be Pale by now too. Autumnal too scarce here to compare seasonality.

I’ve always assumed that these cannot be identified by genitalia (see for example butterfly-conservation.org/sites/defaul...), only by the males’ 8th sternite. I’ve therefore always aggregated females and not dissected them but interested to hear of possible differences in female genitalia.

Populus tremula I believe, but it seems that’s known simply as Aspen by most UK authorities (UKSI and BSBI at least).