New species of moth discovered in England

New moth discovered in England, has been named Ectoedemia heckfordi after its discoverer. It is not known to live outside of the UK.

April 2010. The 3mm-long micro moth, which lives in Hembury Woods in Devon, was recognised as a new species this year. The biologist who discovered it presented the Natural History Museum of London with one of the first known specimens.

The receipt of this "type" specimen will mark the official acceptance of the moth's existence in the country. The tiny micro moth, which has a wingspan of just 6mm, was first spotted in 2004. At that time, amateur naturalist Bob Heckford sighted the unusual bright green caterpillars of this tiny leaf-mining moth on oak saplings within Hembury Woods, a site managed by the National Trust. In January this year, the moth was officially recognised in the journal Zookeys as a new species, named Ectoedemia heckfordi after its discoverer. It is not known to live outside of the UK

"We hear so much about the losses to the natural world, and less about the gains; which makes this find, however small, so important," says Matthew Oates, an adviser on nature conservation at the National Trust.

"Amateur naturalists have a wonderful window on the wildlife world and nature continues to amaze us and throw up surprises even in the UK."