Monday 1 June 2020

Moth into Flame - Metallica

Yet another amazing weekend 'in the field' with our friend Dave Foot which was more or less exclusively geared towards
MOTHS
and while we do not wish to overburden the readership you will all surely
be amazed by the diversity of these mainly
Denizens of the Night!
Additionally, even though the Summer is only a few hours old already we have noticed a
Drop Off
of our avian friends as predicted in a previous post - but we ain't giving up!
However, Dave's first find among the Honesuckle at the gate to the Heath
were the tell-tale signs of
 Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth larvea (caterpillars) feeding.
Passing this spot twice every day of my life surely you didn't expect me to find them.
Although 'on the wing' at the moment the next generation will also look like this!
BROAD-BORDERED BEE HAWK-MOTH
From the Moth Trap close to home we had already found
 SMALL ELEPHANT HAWK-MOTH
 GRASS WAVE
 and considered delightful
 PUSS MOTH
 while clinging to the homestead door this delightful
WASP BEETLE
kindly identified by one of our Weymouth correspondants and
along with the first
 BUTTERCUPS
APPLES
in a wild setting and
DOG ROSES
Meanwhile the
 NHS AIRBUS'
continue plying too and fro this one arriving from
Nanking, China
More colour exuded from the traps along with others not quite so flamboyant
as the 2 Unmarried Mothers settled down
for the duration and
hopefully excitement.
 LIME HAWK-MOTH
 SCALLOPED HOOK-TIP
 BLOTCHED EMERALD
 the rather large
PALE OAK BEAUTY
 along with the diminutive
 CREAM-BORDERED GREEN PEA
about the size of the vegitable it suggests
 a firm favourite
 CLOUDED BUFF
 CREAM-SPOT TIGER
and another extremely tiny
ROSY MARBLED
However the Piece de la Resistance came close to the end of a 
Fantastic Session
with a scarce and 'first ever for myself' the none too eyecatch but
seriously exciting
DWARF PUG
added to my personnal
World List
with all of the others added to the 
Year List
Likely an escapee from a garden
LARGE YELLOW LOOSESTRIFE
was found growing seemingly wild on the way back
while from another Weymouth correspodant a 'snap' highlighting some of the various
Vessel Sizes in the Bay there.