Hatches and matches

No, nothing personal, but one of the leaf mines that I collected in early December from a Hawthorn bush has actually hatched out.  It is not usual for this moth to be around at this time of the year, but this one was in a pot on my desk, in the comparative warmth.

It is a Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae, one of the pretty micro-moths of about 4mm in length.
You can not determine this moth from 2 similar species from the wing pattern, but you can if you actually reared it from its leaf mine.


Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae

And now for matches - which I have failed to do so far. The story so far is that I noticed some "larval spinnings" on the Gorse bushes in Carding Mill valley. I took some home to identify, but so far have been unable to match my photos to the moth in question. More work needed, plus an improvement in the weather to go and look for more.

Unknown larva on Gorse