There's a Tiger in my garden, though I hardly ever seen him. He moves silently by night, feeding amongst the flowers. He doesn't have any stripes, just blotchy spots of black and blue to break up his outline. Sometimes when I leave the window open and the light on in my kitchen he comes inside, drawn by the light. He moves wildly round the room catching the light before retreating to a corner. But I'm not afraid, in fact I move closer to get a better look at his hairy bright orange back and vibrant patterning. This Tiger has wings!
The Garden Tiger moth (Arctia caja) is a common summer visitor to many gardens across the U.K. though the moth is rarely seen due to its nocturnal nature.
Garden Tiger Adult
The larval caterpillar stage is more commonly seen feeding during the day between June and August. It's large size and conspicuous hairy orange and black body has given it the nickname of the 'wooly bear' caterpillar and makes it easy to spot in the grass.
'wooly bear' caterpillar
This species prefers wet habitats such as parks and gardens (even your own!) including here at Saltholme reserve. We've been busy recording moth species at the reserve since April and have seen some fantastically colourful species which we can't wait to share with you over the coming weeks, starting with the beautiful Garden Tiger.
If you'd like to see moths up close yourself, then it couldn't be simpler. Readymade moth traps can be bought online or you could even have a go at making your own. All you need is a waterproof light source a large waterproof box and some egg boxes placed inside. Leave the light on overnight in a sheltered area on warm dry nights in the summer and you'll be amazed at what you'll find inside in the morning. But be sure to check the trap early in the morning as the sunshine will warm the box and the moths inside, which will cause them to wake up and look for somewhere cooler to wait until night time.
Moth trapping can be great fun just to see what you find, or if you really get into it, you can start identifying species using the photographic guide books. If you do, don't lock your records away, share them! The information you gather can be very useful for scientists and moth enthusiasts studying national moth populations.
-John