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Post by nomad on Feb 1, 2014 0:13:04 GMT -8
Here are some of my favourite insects, the brightly coloured moths of the Zygaenidae family. I have had a long association with some of the day flying Burnet moths. The colony of Zygaena lonicerae that I found many years ago in the water meadows near my home were probably the first moths that I took any notice of. Please feel free to add your favourite specimens from this interesting family. Zygaena exulans subspecies subochracea. White 1872. This subspecies is endemic to Scotland where it occurs on three mountain tops. Subspecies Z. exulans subochracea was discovered by a well known Scottish entomologist and botanist, Dr Buchanan White at Braemar in Aberdeenshire in 1871. Dr Buchanan White, wrote " Zygaena exulans a species hitherto unrecorded as British, was found at 2400-2600 feet on a hill at Braemar; it is extremely local in its habits. Not a single specimen was found except in one grassy and marshy place about two hundred yards long and fifty yards wide. The moths were not uncommon flying in the sunshine or sitting on flowers of Gnaphalium dioica". Braemar remained the only known locality for subspecies subochracea for over a hundred years and nearly all of the specimens in British collections originate from that locality. Although I have been to Braemar a number of times, I have yet to see Z. exulans subochracea, but perhaps will visit Scotland to look for this species in July.   Z. exulans subochracea |
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Post by vgashtarov on Feb 1, 2014 0:41:55 GMT -8
This is one of my favorite species of all Zygaena with it's furry abdomen. Hope one day we will find it also in Bulgaria.
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Post by nomad on Feb 1, 2014 1:42:54 GMT -8
I hope you do Victor. I have seen Z. exulans in the Swiss Alps, but hope to visit Braemar this year to see the Scottish subspecies.  |
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Post by nomad on Feb 1, 2014 2:08:27 GMT -8
. I have found my picture of Z. exulans that I took quite a long time ago, high in those very beautiful Swiss Alps. The population which is found there is much more darker and brightly marked than the Scottish subspecies subochracea. 
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Post by vgashtarov on Feb 1, 2014 2:19:16 GMT -8
What elevation is Swiss and what in Scotland, can you tell me please ?
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Post by nomad on Feb 1, 2014 2:56:22 GMT -8
I believe the image I took of Z. exulans in Swizerland was taken at around 2170 meters above Grindelwald. In Scotland because the race there is found at a much more northern latitude, Z. exulans occurs at only 700-850 meters, but it is very local species and found only in a small area of the Cairngorms. Peter.
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Post by manticora on Feb 1, 2014 5:45:52 GMT -8
Zygaena is also one of my favorite genus of Burnet Moths.
Are the Zygaena from the Britisch isles protected ?
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Post by nomad on Feb 1, 2014 6:13:22 GMT -8
I agree they are very beautiful moths. Yes, a number of the rare subspecies and species are now protected by law in the U.K. Nearly all of our Burnet moths are endemic to these islands. Two of our subspecies have become extinct. I will be showing a nice series of specimens of all these British endemics. These specimens come mainly from a old private collection, but a few are from a museum's collection. Also I will show some very rare aberrations. Peter. |
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Post by nomad on Feb 1, 2014 6:36:20 GMT -8
The first Burnet moth that I ever found, Zygaena lonicerae subspecies latomarginata [Tutt]. A fairly frequent moth. Bottom middle, a aberration.  |
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Post by nomad on Feb 1, 2014 6:41:36 GMT -8
Jordanita globulariae. [Sub-family Procridinae] A very local species in England.  |
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Post by manticora on Feb 1, 2014 9:49:53 GMT -8
Thanks Peter for showing this Burnet moths.
I start collecting them about 2 years ago.
The most species i bought are from Morocco.
When i see your Burnets I think i continue collecting and start with Europe. Harry
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Post by nomad on Feb 2, 2014 3:48:19 GMT -8
The Five- spot moth , Zygaena trifolii has two subspecies in Britain : palustrella [ Verity] flying in May-June on the chalk downs and subspecies decreta [Verity] that flies later in July and August in Marshes. It is said that subspecies palustrella is smaller and usually has a thinner scaling. Z. trifolii is a local species, but can be common in some of its localities. Z. trifolii decreta is almost impossible to tell apart from Z. lonicerae latomarginta that shares the same habitat and the most reliable way is by breeding and noting the differences in the larvae.  z. trifolii subspecies decreta.  Z. trifolii subspecies palustrella   My images of Z. trifolii subspecies palustrella. Salisbury Plain June 2013. Feeding at Viper's Bugloss [ Echium vulgare] and a mating pair. |
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Post by nomad on Feb 2, 2014 4:04:35 GMT -8
Aberrations of Zygaena trifolii .The rare yellow form flava and two remarkable melanic specimens. Both melanic specimens were wild caught, the top one was captured by a Dr Hodgson on the Sussex Downs.  |
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Post by o0osteve on Feb 2, 2014 11:23:15 GMT -8
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Post by nomad on Feb 3, 2014 10:23:14 GMT -8
I showed your picture to a Spanish collector. It is either Zygaena osterodensis or Z. romero, but he mentions it is probably the latter. I guess you were in Northern Spain. Peter. |
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