It's a Brimstone moth, a welcome blaze of colour amid the sobre ranks of Common Quakers and Clouded Drabs. It's also nicely synchronised with the Brimstone butterflies which are abundant now on the blackthorn and hawthorn of our local hedges.
Here's the moth in its entirety. Blackthorn and hawthorn are part of its diet too. Hawthorn was briefly part of my own when my Mum encouraged the four of us on walks by saying that we could eat the fresh green shoots which country folk nick-named 'bread and cheese'. They don't taste remotely like either.
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| Dull but different - note the variation in markings on these Hebrew Characters, a worthy moth but one whose choice of colouring has much in common with the Common Quakers and Clouded Drabs |
4 comments:
Lovely colours! - brimstones caterpillars also have great 'stick' camouflage - they were one of the most common moths around my area as a kid
They're great aren't they. It was so nice to have something colourful after a dull spell and I remember the catties from childhood too, though haven't seen any here yet. Eyesight not so keen maybe...
all warmest
M
You are making me feel better for my lack of moth'ing this week if all that had been turning up was yet more quakers. If the brimmies are turning up then I'll get the trap out again! ps- saw a hummingbird hawkmoth yesterday :-)
Hi CT! That's a great moth to see - and actually bigger than some of the smallest Central/South American hummingbirds. My son and daughter-in-law lived in Mexico City for three years and watching blue-green hummingbirds feeding on their balcony is one of my great memories. Good luck with the trapping amidst all your studies and family life. All v best as ever M
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