Tuesday 15 November 2016

Supermoon moths


The great big Supermoon was obscured by cloud last night in true British fashion, but this may have brought a small bonus in the form of these two moths. One of the theories of the attraction (or distraction) of bright light for the insects is that they are all trying to get to the moon. In its absence, a mercury vapour moth trap is the next best thing.


The gentleman with the beautiful antennae is a Feathered Thorn, one of the late-in-the-year regulars here. His companion is one of the four Autumnal or November moths whose indistinguishability without dissecting genitals - not my cup of tea - has often been lamented here. For all that, it is a moth whose modest patterning and shy colours can lead to its being unjustifiably overlooked.


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