The sorting-out marathon continues here as P and I prospect our way through stores imported from Leeds, somewhat on the lines of the passenger in The Hunting of the Snark who
"..had forty two boxes all carefully packed
With his name printed clearly on each
But since he omitted to mention the fact
They were all left behind on the beach."
Ours have not been left behind; that is the trouble. We are slowly going through them in honour of my promise, in the face of P's repeated suggestion 'Can't we get rid of that?', that it would be better to decide after the move.
Anyway... Yesterday's discovery on an old chair cushion was this little tribe of butterflies, five Peacocks altogether and two Small Tortoiseshells, which appeared to have gone into hibernation very early. Finding them over the winter is commonplace (and responsible for theatrical superstition about the significance in omen terms of a butterfly appearing when the big curtains are drawn aside for the first time at rehearsal). But in August? It's just slacking.
I shook out the cushion and all seven took to their wings and flew off into the bright sunlight, behaving however reluctantly as butterflies in August should. Today the sun has been replaced by heavy rain, so at last I hope to carry out the chore of posting pictures and IDs - some definite, some tentative (marked with a '?') and others missing altogether and hoping for the kindness of better-informed readers. Update: and many thanks to Richard in Comments for his speedy help - see amended captions below.
I should post a 'Possibly Boring' alert as this is essentially train-spotting time; but the variety of colours and shapes may not be wholly uninteresting.
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| Pebble Hook-tip |
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| Common Plume (Emmelina monodactyla) |
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| Shaded Broad-bar |
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| Another Flounced Rustic in different colourway? |
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| Garden Dart? |
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| Could this be an Antler moth minus usual white streak? Update: No, I agree with Richard that it is a Twin-spotted Wainscot |
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| And another Flounced Rustic? |
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| Ingrailed Clay? Update: Nope, Richard reckons Small Square-spot and I agree |
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| Yet another Flounced Rustic with a wainscot |
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| Mmmm...old and battered something. Update: again I agree with Richard's ID of Small Square-spot Further Update: sorry, I can't count. The SS-s is two above. |
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| I'm working on this micro - should probably have photo-ed from the side |
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| Chestnut I think but v early if so - what a lovely colour. Update: thanks to Richard again. This is a Least Yellow Underwing, a species which shares the Chestnut's rich tones |
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| Rivulet - lovely name. Update: Yes but Richard suggests Small Rivulet and I think that he is right again. Very many thanks for all the help. |
4 comments:
Hi Martin,
I think a few of your ID's aren't quite right, I would say photo 7 is a Twin-spotted Wainscot, 9 Small Square-spot, 13 Least Yellow Underwing and 14 is Small Rivulet. Hopefully someone else will confirm these.
Best wishes,
Richard
Hi Richard - very many thanks I'm much obliged. I wish I could improve my faltering ID skills. I'll see if I can get confirmation but I'm sure you are right
all warm wishes
Martin
Hi Martin,
The moth that I thought was a Small Square-spot is the one you have labelled as Ingrailed Clay.
I think the very worn moth is an Uncertain/Rustic but too worn to be sure.
Best wishes,
Richard
Many thanks again Richard - now I can't count either...
I've put that right
Much obliged for the help. I've still got a bit of catching up to do but it was quiet last night after the winds, so should be on top of things soon
all warm wishes
M
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