Thursday 12 June 2014

Computer moth



This is the time of year when moths in the UK are most visible to the world at large. Porch lights or even the softer glow from the hatch of a friend's narrowboat down the road bring them fluttering. Plenty of people have reported to me seeing the bright red flicker of a Cinnabar flying by day.


I had my own experience last night when, catching up on yesterday's moth-stacked post, I noted a small blemish on the screen. Blemish? It was actually a lovely little Twenty-plume micro whose skeletal appearance was clearly shown by the bright light behind.


Here it is again closer, creeping over the picture of the Green Silver Lines from yesterday's post. Meanwhile, the trap was much quieter last night, probably because I put it in a shady nook, but it did yield my first intact Light Emerald. You may recall that I found a bird-murdered one earlier in the week.


Amazing how much is written on eggboxes these days!  Be that as it may, this Willow Beauty preferred to rest away from all the text inside a cone. Update: Apologies, it's a Mottled Beauty. Many thanks to Paul in Comments, and Ray. And the Straw Dot below spurned the trap altogether and perched on a bramble leaf.



PS: Although I am cross with robins at the moment because of their vigilance around the trap - and the shed, where I found one yesterday, looking in vain for moths - I like birds. And we have a lot of them. Here's one of the m,any, almost tame mallards snoozing with her brood on the canal towpath, undisturbed even by my wobbly bicycle's bell.





5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Much the same selection here last night, but I did find an Eyed Hawk at long last in the box this morning (as well as a Blackbird sitting on the box!).

Martin Wainwright said...

Hi there!

It's ace at the moment, isn't it? Long may it last. I liked your little Blue Tit - much harder to photograph birds than moths and you post some lovely pics of them

all warm wishes

M

Paul Hopkins said...

Martin, are you sure no. 3 isn't a Mottled Beauty? These are about the commonest species in my trap at the moment (I live in the Wirral) - I think the big wave in the outer bit of the cross line is quite distinctive. I might well be wrong though, still finding my feet!

Ray Walton said...

I think I would also favour Paul's suggestion of a Mottled Beauty over the Willow Beauty on this post!
Mouth watering posts of late Martin
Regards
Ray

MartinWainwright said...

Hi both and MANY apologies for the delay, bad even by my dismal standards. Retirement seems busier than expected, partl admittedly because I kep taking up new interests. Knitting is the latest.

Anyway, very many thanks Paul and I'm sure you are right. All good luck with your trapping and sorry I'm not a more reliable guide. The Wirral - lovely! Those sand stretches and little islands are fantastic.

Thanks as ever Ray

all warm wishes

M