Thursday 1 October 2009

The cappuccino moth


I consume vast quantities of McDonald's cappuccino these days (small size only) because I need the wifi as I roam around the North, and McD's is a place with guaranteed free access. Only right, therefore, that I should be visited last night by the Cappuccino moth, aka the Green Brindled Crescent, variety capucina, which isn't terribly striking but has the distinction of being found only in the UK. The standard GBC is more attractive, as it has streaks of bright, metallic green which are completely missing from this variety (see v nice pic below right, courtesy of a really good online gallery of moth pics www.mattslaymaker.co.uk). Named like the coffee after the brown-hooded Capucin monks of the Franciscan order, mine seems to be a melanistic form, judging by the fact that historical records are mostly from industrial areas. Anyway, here it is, another harbinger of Autumn, along with one of my favourite, smart Black Rustics. Tomorrow: the battle of the wasp and the spider... Can you wait?

2 comments:

Bennyboymothman said...

I'll drink to that! nice Moth and awaiting my first for the year.... don't drink too much coffee now!

MartinWainwright said...

Hi Ben! I'm about to stop for this year (trapping, not coffee drinking...), though these new arrivals tempt me to carry on. I may try a once-fortnightly or once-monthly regime. I remember years ago finding a December Moth and thinking what a nice species it was. All v best M