AuthorEmmet, A.M., Langmaid, J. & Heath J.
Year1983
TitleMicropterigidae to Heliozelidae (vol 1)
ISBN0 946589 15 1
SeriesThe Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland
TypeBook/Report
How CompleteAll the British species known at the time
SourceThe Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol 1, 343pp, Harley Books
IllustrationsLine drawings (mainly of genitalia) in the text, half tone (leaf mines and cases) and colour (imagines) plates at the back
Review (by Malcolm Storey)

This volume covers the familes Micropterigidae to Heliozelidae, including the large genus Nepticula.

The taxonomic section begins with the Key to suborders

Each family includes a checklist, keys to imagines and detailed species accounts. These include descriptions of the life stages with host plant(s) or pabula, comments on similar species and a vice-county distribution map.

For Nepticulidae, keys are given to leaf-mines by food plant.

Introductory chapters cover: Morphology (J. Heath), Parasites (M.R. Shaw & R.R. Askew), Diseases (C.F. Rivers), Pest Species (C.R. Baker), Habitats (J. Heath), Conservation and the Collector (M.G. Morris) and Techniques (J. Reid).

Descriptions of lab techniques (killing, pinning, setting, curating, genitalia preps etc) are given (Pp 123-132) but these are now rather dated (eg Carbon Tetrachloride is no longer used as a killing agent as it is far too dangerous; the use of naphthalene to discourage pests is also no longer recommended as it too is toxic; and genitalia preps are nowadays often made of the full abdomen rather than merely the terminalia)

Originally published by Blackwell Scientific Publications and Curwen Press (1976)

Examine with x8 or x10 hand lens ( Stereo Microscope is also useful)
Specimen PreparationPinned and set specimens often needed for close examination and hindwing characters. Genitalia preps required in some groups.

Notes & PurposeStatusTaxonEnglishClassification
For identification, contains ChecklistCurrentLEPIDOPTERAbutterflies and mothsAnimalia
For identification, contains ChecklistCurrentHELIOZELIDAElift micro-mothsAnimalia: Lepidoptera
For identification, contains ChecklistCurrentINCURVARIIDAElonghorn mothsAnimalia: Lepidoptera
For identification, contains ChecklistCurrentERIOCRANIIDAEa family of micro-mothsAnimalia: Lepidoptera
For identification, contains ChecklistCurrentHEPIALOIDEAswift mothsAnimalia: Lepidoptera
For identification, contains ChecklistCurrentNEPTICULIDAEpygmy moths, minute eye-cap mothsAnimalia: Lepidoptera
For identification, contains ChecklistCurrentOPOSTEGIDAEbent-wing micro-moths, white eye-cap mothsAnimalia: Lepidoptera
For identification, contains ChecklistCurrentTISCHERIIDAEcarl micro-moths, trumpet leafminersAnimalia: Lepidoptera
For identification, contains ChecklistCurrentMICROPTERIGOIDEAjawed micro-mothsAnimalia: Lepidoptera
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