19 GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE

19.002 Speckled Fanner (Glyphipterix thrasonella) to MV light at Hollin Hall, Hardcastle Crags on May 25th 2023.

19.003 Plain Fanner (Glyphipterix fuscoviridella), a field observation at Lady Royd picnic site, Hardcastle Crags on May 27th 2023. They were quite numerous in the midday sunshine as they flitted around the Bluebells.

19.005 Cotton-grass Fanner (Glyphipterix haworthana), feeding signs on Common Cotton-grass at Erringden moor above Mytholmroyd, Dec. 2nd 2013. As the grass seedheads would have naturally dispersed by now it seems likely that these seed heads have been spun together by Haworthana larvae. I shall tie them up in some old nylons and leave them outdoors over winter much as I would treat the Phyllonorycters. Hopefully next April I shall see some adults for the first time.

19.005 Cotton-grass Fanner (Glyphipterix haworthana), pupa, Apr. 13th 2014. Of the eight seedheads collected and teased apart I found that four contained larval tubes, two of which were tenanted with larvae. One however was parasitised and the wasp pupa was soon "discarded". The other went on to produce this pupa with it's characteristic thorny, stunted rear end.

19.005 Cotton-grass Fanner (Glyphipterix haworthana), Apr. 17th 2014. In the last three days the pupa coloured up very swiftly and produced this lovely adult. It was EXTREMEY frustrating to photograph as it was either very flighty or when stationary it would pump it's wings up and down as members of this family do when agitated.

19.005 Cotton-grass Fanner (Glyphipterix haworthana), larval workings on a spun seed head of Common Cotton-grass, Norland moor, Feb. 10th 2011. 

19.007 Cocksfoot Moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella) North Dean meadow, May 26th 05. The buttercup is about an inch across giving a good idea of the size of these moths. They can sometimes be seen  in double digits nectaring on a single flower.

19.007 Cocksfoot Moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella), All Saints' graveyard, Skircoat Green, May 26th 2014. A field observation on a buttercup, this one's demonstrating how useful moths are as pollinators.

19.007 Cocksfoot Moths (Glyphipterix simpliciella), Copley meadow, May 29th 2019. Strange how a good proportion lack the white, dorsal horseshoe. It can't be down to wear and tear as it's either there or not.

19.014 Bittersweet Fanner (Acrolepia autumnitella) mine and larva in Bittersweet at the cycle-way path at Luddenden Foot on Aug. 29th 2022.

19.014 Bittersweet Fanner (Acrolepia autumnitella) mine and feeding larva in Bittersweet at the cycle-way at Luddenden Foot on Aug. 26th 2022. This species was not even on my radar to find and I only collected it on the off chance it might be something interesting because it was a slow day!

19.014 Bittersweet Fanner (Acrolepia autumnitella) pre-pupal larva and cocoon on Aug. 30th 2022. Just 24 hours after collecting one of the mines the larva has vacated it and spun this intricate, latticework cocoon.

19.014 Bittersweet Fanner (Acrolepia autumnitella) cocoon and pupa on Sept. 1st 2022. 

Two days on and the larva has pupated. Hopefully the adult will emerge at the end of the month.

19.014 Bittersweet Fanner (Acrolepia autumnitella) cocoon and pupa on Sept. 3rd 2022. A second larva has now pupated which looks quite different from the first with much more contrasting markings. I can't even think of any micro moth larvae which exhibit different colour forms let alone pupae. 

19.014 Bittersweet Fanner (Acrolepia autumnitella) on Sept. 15th 2022. It was reared from one of the above pupae and it emerged surprisingly quickly, just two weeks after pupation.