Singing the Blue

 A prolonged spell of rather ordinary, if worthy, moths came to an abrupt end this morning with the arrival of my Top Moth of All Time, the Clifden Nonpareil.  This is the first to visit me this year and by far the earliest. My previous early bird was last year when the only one to come calling was sleeping in the eggboxes on 29th August. This one is three weeks earlier, and as you can see, it is already a little battered, suggesting that it hatched a few days if not weeks ago.

Why? On account of the weather. Everything is early this year, from moths to blackberries, after the early rains followed by the delicious sunny Summer which, by and large, we have enjoyed so far. Is it climate change? The experts say Yes and I am in no position to challenge them scientifically.

You can read the story of the Clifden Nonpareil in précis here; it was never a moth I expected to see until its current remarkable surge in the UK began in the early and mid-teens of the 20th century. Every year, I hold my breath for its arrival; in 2023, it didn't appear, so to have two subsequent years rewarded makes me happy indeed.  Here are some more pics:

Here it is as I first found it in the moth trap, shy about its glorious hindwings in a manner familiar from the much commoner Red Underwing and the various Yellow Underwing types

A glimpse of its soft grey and pale blue underside, with a tiny ermine micro for scale. The Nonpareil is one of the UK's biggest moths as well as magnificent in every other way

Hello from head-on. And finally, below, disappearing into the safety of a beech hedge to avoid inquisitive birds (though you would have to be a brave bird or bat to tackle something of this size).

My other guests included the micros Agonopterix arenella and Acrobasis advenella below, known in the vernacular which is being so excellently promoted by iRecord among others, as the Brindled Flat-body and the Grey Knot-horn.

Among the macros, the Mouse Moth was a newcomer for the year and there were six marvellously-antenna-ed male Gipsy Moths, a species which is enjoying a bumper season.