Heavily armed

I seem to be going through a bit of a wing close-up phase at the moment, but that's hard to resist when you find a moth like the Grey Dagger in the trap. It's as festooned with poignards and swordblades as a mediaeval condottiere. If it wasn't too cruel, I would suggest exhibiting one in the Hall of Steel at the Royal Armouries here in Leeds where they have a similar fearsome collection of weaponry. The pattern is yet another example of moths' ingenious camouflage, helping to break up the overall greyness in the manner of dazzle-painted ships in the First World War. It is also very effective in concealing the moth on tree bark although not, clearly, against the bland backdrop of an eggbox. Unlike Peppered Moths, whose tendency to seek out the boxes' advertising text or barcode which matches their black-and-white livery, Grey Daggers seem to perch anywhere to go into their mercury vapour-induced sleep. Thanks to www.cybershooters.org/ royal_armouries.htm for the picture of the Hall of Steel. Oh, and look at the Grey Dagger's modest showing of a nicely-patterned bit of leg, like a tiny zebra crossing.