Autumn orange

It's easy to think, at this time of the year, that all the glories of the UK's moth realm are past and that little apart from a gradual wind-down remains before the effective end of the season in November. At least I find it so. Luckily, I took a post-holiday peek yesterday at the excellent Upper Thames Moths blog and was reminded how much beauty - and surprise - can come the moth-trappers' way in early to mid-Autumn.

Galvanised by this into lighting the trap last night, I was rewarded this morning by three lovely members of the 'oranges and lemons' Sallow family: the Barred Sallow at the top of this post, the Pink-barred Sallow in my second picture and the simple Sallow itself, below.

The Lunar Underwing is around in great numbers and all three of its colourways; here are a a grey one and a beige one below. Just the tawny one missing.

Then I think we have a trio of Beaded Chestnuts, although I get a bit unreliable with this sort of moth:

And finally, by far the most common moth in the trap at the moment is the stylish Black Rustic. A Darth Vader among moths, the species also has the habit of settling down on walls or foliage up to ten yards away from the trap. here are two which have found little niches in one of our house's rather primitive-looking walls.