This wonderful Summer has settled down into an agreeable mixture of torpor, with aged gents like me happily flattened by the heat, and frenzy, as the usual round of picnics, weekend visitors, general social mayhem, reaches new heights. At least the country seems to have shaken off that panicky feeling in a normal English summer - that if you don't make the most of a sunny day, you'll miss summer altogether. We now expect tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow to be blissfully warm.
long may it continue! In between times, I have been operating the moth trap but have only now dragged myself to the computer to show you some of the results. The moth in the top two pictures accounts for my title. It's the Oak Hook-tip, an attractive and relatively infrequent visitor. With it in the second picture is that very big micro-moth the Mother of Pearl. There are dozens of those in the trap every morning but each is beautiful with its opalescent sheen, like the lining of a mussel shell.
Some other visitors, clockwise from top left in the composite pic above: Light Emerald, Ruby Tiger, Frosted Orange, Marbled Coronet. And in the same order below: two July Highflyers with their different patterns, and a Silver Y from above and aside. I have a great expert on the Silver Y and whether or not it is an immigrant species, David Duthie, coming to inspect the catch this Friday, so I hope to have some expert information for you shortly thereafter.
Next, we have a Bordered Beauty, a truly lovely moth though most of them have a darker, purplish tone at the lower edge of the wings. And below it, left a Small Fan-footed Wave (I think) and (I also think, a Dun-bar, though I have awful difficulty in sporting out this type of moth).
More soon on the progress of my granddaughter's White Ermin caterpillars.
2 comments:
Thank you so much for your blog, which once again has helped this Peak District moth novice not to give up in frustration (thanks to you I now know that the moth that had almost defeated me was a Mother of Pearl: no wonder I couldn't find it as I've yet to invest in the micromoths identification guide). Yours is a heartening blog amid so much gloom: thanks again.
Hi there and thanks so much for your kind comments. I am extremely chuffed to have helped someone else with an ID, seeing that I need so much help myself (even after doing this for many years). So a big thank you.
Regarding the gloom, I always try to encourage people - without sounding too much like a primary school teacher or curate - to take an interest in the marvels of the world on their doorstep. I was encouraged in this way as a child and the result has been a lifetime of wonder and pleasure. All warm wishes - just writing the words the 'Peak District' makes me feel good. M
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