Elegant arches

 

A distinguished visitor at the beginning of every September is the Feathered Gothic, which I consider to be my 'architecure moth' because of the way it almost exactly imitates the framework of a mediaeval Gothic church window.  The fact that it fills the gaps between its lines with modest shades of grey and even black only adds to its appeal as a design type. Varied or bright colouring would risk cheapening the effect.

Its caterpillars form a sort of lawnmower as grass is their foodplant and they start eating the blades and then creep down when a little older and demolish the stem. Perhaps this slender diet inspires the narrow lines of the wing design. I don't suppose that this thought could ever be proved. But equally, it probably can't be disproved either.

Another seasonal regular is the September Thorn, above, the plainest of the interesting Thorn family whose members share this crouching posture, a little butterfly-like in the holding of the wings above the body rather than flatly folded across it like most UK moths. Alongside it in the trap last night were a couple of Small Blood-veins, a third species which flies towards the end of the Summer.

The most interesting moth in this post, however, called on a neighbour rather than myself. She emailed me anxiously with the photo below, asking if the insect was in some way crippled or damaged when emerging from its chrysalis. The answer is no; it is the delightful and very distinctive Lilac Beauty which adopts this curious creased and folded-back technique on the leading edge of its forewings when at rest. The effect makes excellent camouflage as it resembles a dead leaf.

I have only ever had a Lilac Beauty here once, in July 2013, and here is its photograph below. I posted about it at the time and you can read that here, time and interest permitting.