Birch Sober

Rare - records restricted to Shapwick, the Gordano valley and Asham Wood.&nbsp; Although its foodplant, birch, is plentiful further west in the county, the Shapwick records represent the furthest west it has been found in this country.&nbsp; Perhaps it finds the uplands of western Somerset unsuitable.

The adults require dissection to separate it from A. populella, unless reared from the larva.&nbsp; Both species are variable in appearance.

Vetch Sober

Appears to be a fairly scarce species, scattered across the county but perhaps commonest on the Mendips.&nbsp; Most records are of adults to light.

Poplar Sober

Scattered across the county, but possibly under-recorded.&nbsp; It is more common in the east of the county than the west, with very few records for VC5, the most recent in 1997.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Adults of this species, which are quite variable in appearance, require dissection for confirmation of ID, unless reared from a larva.&nbsp; The larval hostplants are Populus and Salix, and the spinnings are easy to find in spring.

Anacampsis populella

Poplar Sober