Sorry for the vulgar headline, but it encapsulates a nice coincidence in the trap last night. In spite of rain later on, a warm evening brought a rich variety of moths including this interesting pair of pairs. They're a bit like the odd socks which I sometimes wear absent-mindedly. You might not even think that the two Scalloped Hazels at the bottom are the same species, but they are. The one on the left is the 'standard' version; the one on the right the darker, melanistic type, although unlike the Peppered moth which I featured the other day, this is not classified as a separate form or variety.
As for the Elephant Hawks at the top, isn't the difference interesting? The one on the left must have hatched more recently, unless it has led a very privileged and quiet life. Moths get a tremendous battering from wind, weather and would-be predators during the couple of months which on average constitute their adult lives.
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