There has been considerable interest recently in using insect pheromones to attract certain moths and the results of some of these have been commented on in previous MotW – for example the Emperor Moth and the Lunar Hornet Moth. However, recently the idea of using something similar for micro-moths has been developed following on from synthetic pheromones produced commercially to attract a few moth pests. These chemicals mimic the scents given off by female moths to attract males and are found in most species. The surprising thing was that these scented lures were not specific but also attracted other species of moths – sometimes ones which were not closely related.
Keen moth recorders who wanted to try the full range of pheromone lures available started early in the year and one of the obvious species coming to the traps was Pammene giganteana. This moth lays its eggs on young oak-apple galls (and a few other similarly ‘spongy’ galls) and the caterpillar feeds within the gall. The adult moths emerge in early spring (March to early May) and are rarely seen although they do fly during the afternoon and occasionally come to light.
Although widely recorded throughout England and Wales this species was sufficiently rare to be classified as ‘Nationally Scarce’. There are records from only four Vice-counties in Scotland and none for D&G.
Iain Leach had already successfully experimented with pheromone lures for the Lunar Hornet Moth and wanted to try these other types. In his back garden as soon as he exposed the lure for the closely related pest species the Plum Fruit Moth (Grapholita funebrana) six Pammene giganteana moths appeared! Iain does live next to an extensive oakwood but when he tried the trap again in the Wood of Cree oakwood he found thirty-two moths coming to traps using three different pheromone lures! This shows not only that this moth is found in D&G but may well be common in all oakwoods. There will be more news from Iain in due course no doubt!
If you are interested in using pheromones they are available to buy from Anglian Lepidopterists Supplies:
https://www.angleps.com/pheromones.php
Moth Pheromone Trap Records Facebook Group at:
Do let me know how you get on with any of these pheromones.
