A Rocha Portugal Observatory Report 2009-2010

A Rocha Portugal Observatory Report 2009-2010 69
Figure 1 Ethmia bipunctella – a very common micro moth species recorded at Cruzinha, with its most
important host plant – Echium vulgare (Viper’s bugloss). (Photo E. Pawley)
.
Figure 2 Palpita vitrealis (Jasmine moth) – One of
the species most commonly identified each year at
Cruzinha.
Figure 3 Pseudozarba bipartita. (Photo A. Cisek)
The 5 most common species identified in 2009 were: Eilema caniola, Ethmia bipunctella (Figure 1),
Palpita unionalis (Figure 2), Spodoptera exigua, Hoplodrina ambigua and Rhodometra sacraria; and
in 2010: Ethmia bipunctella, Palpita unionalis, Eilema caniola, Lamoria anella, Rhodometra sacraria,
and Thaumetopoea pityocampa.
In 2009 we had our first record of Nola subchlamydula at Cruzinha (28 May 2009) and our second
record of Aglaope infausta, the very descriptively named Almond-tree Leaf Skeletonizer Moth.
During the European Moth Nights trapping programme in 2010 the first record at Cruzinha of
Pseudozarba bipartita was made (see figure 3). Also during 2010 (12 August 2010), we made our
second record of Hypomecis punctinalis (Pale Oak Beauty).
One or two of the micro-moth species records were awaiting verification by the time this report was
complied. Any corrections will be noted in future Observatory Reports.