Downton abbey?

Two nights of trapping running - a miracle in current weather conditions - and the lamp had the air of a TV costume drama this morning. Here on the rain shield, above, is an apparently dead drunk Common Footman, while below is a Gothic, a lovely moth whose patterns resemble the tracery of a window in a stately National Trust pile. I've added a second footman on the right, because he or she looks rather readier for carrying out domestic duties.

Meanwhile, I can't resist a couple more glories from our week near Albi: both of Europe's major swallowtails turned up, the Scarce and the straightforward version. Each was a bit battered-about with the Scarce missing its tails and the 'ordinary' Swallowtail flying tattered bits of forewing like a battleflag. Their grand, powerful and swooping flight was still a delight to behold.