For illustrated talks on natural history and history see www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk

For illustrated talks on natural history and history click here for www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk

Tuesday 9 July 2019

Small China-mark moth, Cataclysta lemmata, 6 July 2019, Cuckfield, West Sussex

This tiny moth settled on a vehicle at 18.30hr. this week in Broad Street.  My thanks to Bob Foreman at Sussex Wildlife Trust for identifying it as Small China-mark moth, Cataclysta lemmata.

It has an extraordinary life cycle.
At https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/cataclysta-lemnata  it states that "The adults are on the wing between June and August, when the females in particular come to light. It is fairly common around still or slow-moving water throughout Britain and Ireland.

The larvae are semi-aquatic, feeding on duckweed (Lemna spp.). They build floating cases made from fragments of the foodplant."

And we have it in Cuckfield.

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