Tiger Moth - Steve Hacket

ex-Genesis and from the album 'Spectral Mornings'!
We have to hark back to yesterday evening when embarking

on what has now become a 'nightly wander', from dusk onward readily finding

Woodcock, Nightjar and a distantly singing Tawny Owl or two

before Joy of Joy's the

 Prodigal Partridge

was relocated after a full 2 weeks absence!

RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE

that is.

Oh that they come around at all is a boon with Thursday night proving to be one of those 

‘Magic Moments in Mothville’! 

As ever, weather dependant, a gentle breeze, some cloud cover and the daytime temperature reaching +25°C and then holding on in the high teens overnight produced a bonanza. So much so that the full moth rounds commenced at 06:30 and by the time all identification and logs were completed it was 16:30 - we’ll have some of that!  

However, all of that turns this post into no more than a

Moth Fest

16 species in all added to the Year List and just check out the colours and divercity!

BUFF ARCHES

 CYPRESS CARPET

 SCARLET TIGER-MOTH

another corker!

SMALL EMERALD

 opposing views of

 POPLAR KITTEN

 RIVULET

 SCARCE FOOTMAN
is not too far away in appearance from 'close cousin' the

 COMMON FOOTMAN
(lower)
but note the more 'tube-like' poise of the Scarce by comparison with the 
Common's more flat stance.

 A little belter is the
SMALL PURPLE BARRED
but outshone by the magic that is

 GOLD SPOT

 we could do with a few more of this particular family group.

 GOAT MOTH

 is something of a 'bruiser' by comparison with the 2 species above
and the very variable

 JULY HIGHFLIER
with this Insect particularly eye-catching in beautiful 'green' hue.

 Best seen 'in the flesh' the almost prehistoric

 LEOPARD MOTH
is a little sluggish but a joy to behold.

 DUN-BAR
a little on the early side as has been so much this year

DINGY SHELL

 SEPTEMBER THORN

 throws us all as emerging in June.
However, if being 'thrown' were the order of the day (night) look no further than our final Moth.

The diminutive and beautifully marked

RED-TIPPED CLEARWING

is but 10mm in length and a 'daytime flyer'.

Not new to our Recording Area as a couple of years ago Dave Foot brought along a

pheromone which attractd quite a number. The conundrum came when finding this among

the detritus in the bottom of the final trap of the morning which has astonished like-minded

people amazed that it would seem to have been attracted by the light of the trap.

It could of course just as easily have been misadventure but whatever what a

Beauty to Behold!