35.060 BF730  -  Gelechiidae -  Gelechiinae - Apodia martinii - Dark Seedhead Moth - (Duponchel, [1843]) Adult Micro:  CAT 2 - Confusion Species -       PDF Icon - click for Verification Guidelines
Brown -  Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant         day-flying - Day-flying
Taxonomy:   Micro  >>  Gelechiidae Other Name/s: Dark Fleabane Neb, Apodia bifractella ID Difficulty:  amber  - care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely - quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  Metzneria aprilella and Ptocheuusa paupella
ID pointers: A blackish-brown forewing, speckled lightly with grey – orangey zig-zag crosslines, Orange-yellow head
Distribution:  (First record: 01/08/2011 at Marehay, Ripley )  -  (Last record: 29/08/2016 at Wingerworth )  -  Derbyshire status unknown due to insuffcient data. First record for VC57 was 1/8/2011 from Ripley, then 2 records from Pleasley 19/7/2012 & 24/8/2016, Marehay 21/8/2016 and a final record from Wingerworth 29/8/2016 – no further records – It is suspected that it may be common wherever the food plants occur, but the adult moths are very secrative in their behaviour and rarely come to light. Sometimes found in late afternoon on flowers of the food-plant.
Flight Period: July /  August /  Moth Activity: Cathemeral   - sometimes seen during the day Photographed: Yes -  Photographed By: Steve Thorpe  © All Rights Reserved
Wingspan: 9-12mm
Food Plant: The easiest way to find Apodia martinii (bifractella) is to note locations in summer where the foodplants grow,(common fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica), ploughman’s spikenard (Inula conyzae), or sea aster (Aster tripolium), and to return in December to April to collect a carrier bag of the dead plant remains. Keep outdoors until March/April, and then bring inside, remove seedheads and place them in a large sweet jar, or similar, with the lid on. Imagines may emerge in July-August, but need careful looking for, as they sit very still and match the seedheads. If you think you have failed, check the debris at the bottom of the jar before discarding it. Collecting seedheads at random may seem unreliable, but the first records for Cheshire and Derbyshire were made by collecting common fleabane at four widely separated localities, all of which produced A.martinii, in one case, over 70 specimens. It is suspected that it may be common wherever the foodplants occur.
Last Recorded Date: 29/08/2016
Last Recorded By: Not Recorded
Last Recorded General Area: Wingerworth
First Recorded Date: 01/08/2011

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