Cocky robin

Because the moths weren't specially interesting on Wednesday night, I thought that I would start today's post with a picture of something else: one of the robins which closely monitor my check on the trap every time I carry it out, along with several equally interested blackbirds. I generally succeed in scaring them off, although they boldly come very close, but occasionally a rash moth will flutter off from the eggboxes. Then - whoosh! - one of the birds streaks in and, just as speedily, streaks off, with the foolhardy insect in its beak.

On this occasion, I am glad to say, they had no success. Apart from a few Mother of Pearls like the one pictured left, in which the birds showed no interest, the moths were all too sleepy to make a premature departure. So I was able to photograph them in peace, starting with this little series of examples shaped like the paper darts we made at school (and in my case, still make with the grandchildren).

The first, above, is the Garden Pebble micro, Evergestis forficalis, whose characteristic pose makes it instantly recognisable. Then below, we have two more micros, the European Corn-borer (sounds like a hazard of the Brexit debate), Ostrinia nubilalis, a pest on maize which gives me some concern as we are growing sweetcorn in the veg patch, and the rather sadly ordinary Helcystogramma rufescens (I think - although, Update, it may be a female Ringed China-mark, a moth which will figure in tomorrow's post). In fact, Further Update, I am sure it is. You can see the rather hazy pair of rings.

And lastly, in this mini-series, a Straw Dot, not much larger than the three above but classified as a macro moth.

Elsewhere in the trap, I found this pretty Red Twin-spot Carpet, seen below with my thumbnail for scale and alongside another attractive regular, a Lime-speck Pug.

Then we have a pairing which appealed to me, of a Common Swift with one of the Plume micro moths, and finally a couple of pictures of a moth which will be a regular in the trap for the next few weeks, the Flounced Rustic.