First of all, thanks to all the texts/tweets/phonecalls/emails about yesterday's TV first. If you missed it I will put up a link to the BBC iplayer page, it is worth watching for the stunning Hoopoe footage.
Now if you are a tweeter, you would have seen most of these photos already, so I apologies. And if you really don't like moths, this post won't interest you (but please give it a look!). Also if you are a moth expert there's nothing that's going to set the world alight coming up, but I just get SO MUCH excitement from these critters - I have to share it! Each moth is stunning in its own right (well most of them anyway!) so please just scroll through and enjoy the variety.
I trapped at Mum and Dads on Tuesday and Wednesday night this week. With the muggy and still conditions there's no way I couldn't - perfect moth weather. The numbers were lower than I expected, but overall I still managed 150 moths of 42 species.
And here's some of the best. Starting with the big guns...
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| Elephant Hawkmoth |
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| Eyed Hawkmoth |
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| Only the garden's second ever Lime Hawkmoth |
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| The Lime Hawk with a Poplar Hawkmoth (Pop's are HUGE!) |
Here's some of my other favourite macro moths that I caught...
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| Starting with the smallest, this isn't a bird dropping it's a Chinese Character! |
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| Another white one, a Clouded Silver |
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| Cream-spot Tiger, a relation to the Jersey Tiger that is a moth that can often be seen by day around here |
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| Another view of the Cream-spot Tiger - it's a very colourful beast! |
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| There are few distinctive Pugs, but this Foxglove Pug is one of them! |
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| A not very Green, Green Carpet |
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| Pale Tussock |
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| Peppered Moth - black and white always does it for me! |
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| Love the name of this one, Scorched Wing |
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| White Ermine - Buff Ermine are far more regular for me but I've not had one yet this year |
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| Alder Moth |
I was pleased to get an immigrant species too. No surprise that it was one of these though...
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| A Silver Y ready to fly! |
And although (as yet) I don't really 'do' micro moths, I did notice this - another immigrant species...
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| Rush Veener |
Ok moth-haters/moth-pro's, you can look again now! Post done.
Moths are beautiful! I've had some cream spot tigers in my area too! Saw the one show too, good job :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lou, thanks for the comment and the praise :-)
ReplyDeleteMoths are so beautiful, they are so under appreciated. Mind you that is primarily their fault as most of them insist to come out only at night!!
Steve