1965a Pseudocoremia suavis (1st specimen discovered) Male

Geometridae, Ennominae Wingspan: 32-34mm.

In Cornwall, because of the high incidences of migrants, we tend to expect unusual species appearing occasionally, but this individual (the first) which came to my garden light trap in April 2007 created quite a problem. No-one knew what it was, even experts in Europe, so a lengthy investigation started. Three months later, in July, another strange quite different individual came in increasing the confusion. This continued through the year with widely separated specimens into October, until I had 5 altogether, with three different forms, but at least some were similar. It wasn't until 2008, that the Natural History Museum in London finally identified that they were all a species which was known in New Zealand, and explained the confusion with my specimens, as this species is extremely variable. Over the years, I have continued to get occasional specimens coming to the trap, which suggested a now resident population somewhere nearby, but not likely very close. My feeling is that this species has been imported somewhere on plants from New Zealand by a large Plant Importer, and since then some of its stock has now been distributed for gardens, inadvertently passing the larvae around the UK on some of them. Our area is quite remote, and there are no Importers anywhere in the Cornwall area, so we have no idea how it has come into the country. Possibly there are other populations elsewhere which have not yet been recognised as the variants of this species are often similar to other resident species, so could be overlooked. Since the first specimen a few other recorders have also seen them in the area as well, one of which was around 3 Km from here, so they may be spreading as well. I have included a number of different forms in the other pictures in this album to show the variety, and then, after getting eggs successfully from one of the females, I managed to rear these through their stages. Pictures are shown in the "Rearing Cornwall Moths" album.