Re: Macro-moth Dictionary query - White Spot - 2 species, same vernacular
Hi Charles,
Unfortunately, there are 2 separate species of moth recorded in the UK with the same vernacular, namely the White Spot - Hadena albimacula (Borkhausen, 1792) and Hypagyrtis unipunctata (Haworth, 1809); the latter is doubtfully British.
One of my colleagues had a problem with the Recorder 6 Report Wizard, wishing to run a report for White Spot H. albimacula. Unless H. albimacula was explicitly selected as the taxa of interest by typing thus and not typing and selecting "White Spot", no records were returned. Typing "hadena albimacula" selected the desired records. Maybe worth trying this to see where I'm coming from.
The former H. albimacula is listed in the NHM dictionary as having no correctly-formed vernacular but the latter does. Is this possibly the reason for the problem and confusion with these 2 species noted above?
I'd be interested in your thoughts and comments here.
Best wishes,
Senior Data Officer
Butterfly Conservation, Butterflies for the New Millennium and National Moth Recording Scheme