Ethmia pyrausta
Ethmia pyrausta is a moth of the family Depressariidae. It is found in northern Scandinavia and adjacent Russia, as well as in China and Mongolia.[1] The species is sometimes referred to as being "mythical", because it is so rarely encountered outside its remote native range. It is a rare migrant to the UK[2] and also found occasionally in other areas in Northern Europe.[1]
| Ethmia pyrausta | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Depressariidae |
| Genus: | Ethmia |
| Species: | E. pyrausta |
| Binomial name | |
| Ethmia pyrausta (Pallas, 1771) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Crambus niger (lapsus) | |
Description and ecology
It has black wings and a "hairy" orange body with a wingspan of 17–23 mm (0.67–0.91 in).
Larva live in a thin silky spin between the leaves and flowers of Thalictrum aquilegiifolium, Thalictrum simplex and Thalictrum flavum. There is evidence of breeding in the UK, with larvae found in Easter Ross in 2014.[3]
Sightings in the UK
They were first recorded in the Shin Valley in 1853. Two were found in 1996 on the top of Glas Maol in the Grampians with a further two found nearby.
In June 2008 an adult Ethmia pyrausta moth was discovered in Easter Ross, by Andy Scott and Margaret Currie after finding it trapped in a spider web.[4]
Gallery
Mounted Adults
Larva
References
- Nupponen, K. (March 2015). "Interesting records of Ethmiinae from the former USSR, with description of Ethmia ustyurtensis Nupponen, sp. n. from Kazakhstan (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea, Elachistidae)". SHILAP Revta lepid. 43 (169): 128. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- "Hants Moths – 0722 Ethmia pyrausta". Archived from the original on 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
- Ethmia pyrausta (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Ethmiidae)
- BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Highlands and Islands | 'Mythical' moth rescued from web