My Moths

We are doing a moth survey from of our garden this year for a study in the département, but while waiting for the moth traps to arrive I've been leaving an outside light on & photographing all the visitors. Since then I decided to start the "sugar trap". I cooked up a litre of cheap wine & 1 Kg of sugar & put 2 natural ropes in the mixture & left to soak for a few days.

Then last night I suspended the ropes between 2 trees in the orchard (photo taken this morning)

Then while Ron was watching the Golf on TV, I was nipping in & out to see if there were any moths having a tipple. The first time I went out there were 2 who stayed until I went to bed & were gone at 5am when I went out to see if there were any more. I was really chuffed as I didn't think I'd get much.

This is a Herald :

.

This is Angle Shades

 

You can see they are both eating, I only hope they didn't have a hangover this morning!! I've left the ropes out so maybe I'll get something else tonight.

Best wishes

Hazel in Southwest France

  • Did wonder what that CT looked like in flight & googled this page

    www.moorhen.me.uk/.../moths_02.htm

    You have to scroll down quite a way but some really good images on here!

     

     2013 photos & vids here

    eff37 on Flickr

  • There are some fab photos there Wendy, that Burnished brass is lovely! Thanks for finding it.

    My Chocolate Tip flew off while my back was turned taking other photos!!

    Best wishes

    Hazel in Southwest France

  • Another catch-up session for me Hazel after returning from a week in London when I was working too hard to even find time to read 'All Creatures'! Going back up the page thanks for enlightening me regarding mozzie's habits. I was convinced that they only bit in the evening as I've never personally been bitten in the morning - must just have been lucky!

    Back to your moths some more absolute beauties - the little one peeking over the top looks like an owl if you enlarge its face, which is a bit ironic as owls are one of their predators, my faves are the Orache and the small Emerald although the iridescence of the micro-moths is very fetching. once again thanks for a fab thread and good luck with your move and reaching your target!

  • Thanks John. Regarding mozzies, quite a few years ago I had a September job, after the B&B slowed down, in the melon fields out on the marshes. Early mornings were terrible & one day which lives forever in my memory, was wet, so we all had waterproofs on & the only bit they could get to was my face which collected over 35 bites!! YES they definately nibble in the morning!

    Best wishes

    Hazel in Southwest France

  • OUCH! I go mad with one or two bites but that must have been Hell!

    I know for a fact that they are attracted to some folks more than others because a few years ago we were staying in a hotel near the S'Albufera Wetlands in Mallorca and took an evening stroll up the coast road to a small resort that was even closer. Mozzies descended on my wife like vultures to a feast - I've got no idea why they are drawn to certain individuals. obviously it's a mark of distinction and some of us aren't special enough!

  • I tell Ron it's cos I'm young & tender & he's a tough old bird!!

    Best wishes

    Hazel in Southwest France

  • Brilliant thread Hazel

    I do keep checking and am amazed at the variety

    you get really hooked on moths once you start

    Keep em coming

     Ray

          

             a good laugh is better than a tonic

  • We've finally got to 300 species, subject to verification by the team leader, which won't be finished this side of Xmas. Poor man is so overworked, he's only just started on my moths from 1st June!!

    Some cracking moths in the last 3 traps, these are the best of the new ones from the first 2 traps, A Water Ermine to start,

    & a lovely crambidae, Palpita vitrealis,

    a Clouded Border

    2 Pine-tree Lappets

    an Oak Eggar,

    a Dumerils Rustic

    Clancy's Rustic,

    a Straw Underwing

    a Large Fruit-tree Tortix,

    & then in the latest trap we had more beauties, a pretty Crambidae Phlyctaenia coronata,

    a Treble lines but can't decide which one of 2,

    a rare type of carpet, Perizoma bifaciata,

    an Orange Swift, seen in the pine tree,

    a Yellow-tail (related to the Brown-tail we'd had previously)

    a (possible) Dicestra (Hadula) Pugnax, also quite rare,

    a Rustic which came to the wine/sugar rope,

    a Flounced Rustic

    a Square-spot Rustic,

    a Tortricidae "Clepsis rurinana"

    & an Yponomeuta padella (possible).

    Thanks for looking !

    Best wishes

    Hazel in Southwest France

  • Congratulations!!!  Some good looking ones but like the first, second & last best ... must be the brightness of the white!

    Is all so interesting HinGE & thanks for posting the rewards of your hard work for us to share!

    Wonder if you'll get any more different at the new house?

     

     2013 photos & vids here

    eff37 on Flickr

  • Well done on hitting the 300 - great achievement :) You'll be able to write and illustrate your own field guide at this rate. So many beautiful moths - and so many fabulous names!