Zsa Zsa Gabor

 

It looks like a mothy version of bling jewellery but actually these bright dots are dew all over the wings of a Scarce Footman, on the left, and its Common Footman cousin. They were among many moths which chose to perch near the trap rather than in it on a warmish night when I plonked the lamp in our vegetable patch. 

The ability of moths - and butterflies - to shrug off water is one of the fascinations of the natural world,  a cunning combination of a waxy shield on the wings, very evident in the Footmen, tiny hairs in many species and sloping, overlapping scales like a tiled roof at an angle sufficient to lead to run-off. The only time an insect gets disabled is when its wet wings come up against a smooth surface - for example the moth trap rain shield. Then it can get thoroughly stuck. But even on the surface of a pond, a moth can be protected although it will need to find a toehold somewhere to escape as the surface tension on the water holds it tight otherwise.

Meanwhile here are some of the other visitors who preferred a night under the stars:

A Muslin Footman

Bird-cherry Ermine

September Thorn - Update: sorry, August Thorn - many thanks to Conehead in Comments

Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

Scarce Footman

And again, with a Crambid micro

And lastly a Common Footman which chose an excellent spot.