Head-on view

It was a bit of an exciting day yesterday, what with the News of the World imploding. I was down in London at the Guardian's head office when the news broke and it was one of those moments which won't fade quickly from my memory. Actually my own role in events was characteristic; I had was just sitting back contentedly after finishing a story about...moths. It's linked here, and you may be interested in joining the great Horse Chestnut - Save Our Conkers survey.

Meanwhile the lights have come on again all over the world, as Vera Lynn sang; at least they have in my garden. Above is a quizzy creature for you. Recognise it? It's actually a common but very beautiful visitor as shown - don't look now - at the bottom of this post. Moths' faces are extraordinary, but this is what a flower would see, if it had eyes.

Meanwhile here is a tiny visitor which makes big headlines. The pip-sized Spindle Ermine is the moth which can weave those dramatic but harmless canopies of silk which occasionally take over whole lines of trees, parked cars etc and prompt Doomsday articles in, well, papers such as the News of the World. Talking of Doomsday, I came home late last night to find that there had been a major fall of hail. In July! But it's actually keeping very warm.

Oh and here's the quiz answer. The good old Burnished Brass: