Ear we go

Multiple arrivals of the same type of moth are very common at the moment, notably the over-sized micro Mother of Pearl which regularly numbers over 30 in the trap. These are notably jittery moths, given to resting on the inside of the transparent cowl and fluttering wildly when I trundle up and move it to the table to take out the eggboxes and photograph interesting inmates. This morning, there was a different and much more sleepy example: a score of Flame Shoulder moths, russety insects with tightly furled wings and a stripe and badge like insignia on a military uniform.

This is one of the relatively few moths which prompts a quip from the authors of the Moth Bible (not humourless types but doubtless under the publishers' cosh when it came to space for words). Their original comment 'Comes to light where it flies wildly and has an unfortunate habit of occasionally entering the ear of a moth recorder' has been supplemented in the Third Edition by 'On more than one occasion, this has necessitated a trip to hospital to remove the moth.' Goodness! I am glad to say that all the Flame Shoulders which I have encountered have been asleep, and I have left them that way.

 Other visitors included the Red Twin-spot Carpet above, the battered Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing below with an Iron Prominent,  Marbled Minor and Straw Underwing following that.

Finally, I have included as many of my fingers in the final picture as there are Flame Shoulders in the top one, along with a micro which I think is Cochylis dubitana but in the mini-world I am often wrong.