Dazzling

Some friends came round to see the contents of the moth trap the other morning and we had a convivial time discussing the various arrivals, their habits and peculiarities. Most of the time, I spend my time with the moths on my own, which I enjoy, but it was good to hear other people's spontaneous reactions, the sort of questions they asked and the helpful observations they made.

It reminded me of my working days when I was on a job with a photographer and he or she would point out something which I had missed. But back with the moths, although we had a large and interesting catch, the usual thing happened of the most striking recent moth arriving a day later.

It was the Black Arches above, a consummate exercise in dazzle camouflage or 1960s op-art design which has the added attraction of a salmon pinkish body with black spots. This is almost always modestly covered but I enticed this one to spread its wings - not for long enough, sadly, for me to take a photo; and then it was up, off and away. 

I was luckier in August 2015 when I had a much more co-operative visitor and took the second lot of pictures which give a thorough, closer look.

By contrast with the Black Arches, the poor old Mouse Moth, above, drew the decorative short straw. Its coat is so funeral that you can hardly see the black buttons.  With it in the trap were the three Carpet moths, two Pugs and a pretty little Wave, below, which I will ID shortly (though even I know that the second pug is a Lime-speck).