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
Hi Gus, I've got a couple of good books & I'm learning fast, but you probably need someone that's been doing it for more years than me on this one. It looks like it may be a Noctuidae, but it's wings haven't formed properly (poor thing) or perhaps you saw it before it had finished changing from a caterpillar. Did you try it on "Identify this" thread?
Hi Paul, I'd have thought up where you are, it gets dark late & so you have to stay up late to take the photos. I can start around 9h30 & go through to 11h30 ish. It's really good fun though & it's amazing what you see in the garden at that time of night!!
Just caught up with your thread HinGE & have to say how wonderful it is to see these unusual (to us) moths, lovely pics!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
I just worked out your HinGE, very funny! LOL. Luckily I'm not actually in the Gironde or I'd be going Glug Glug by now!
Did think of referring to your OH as 'bracket' but didn't want to upset him!
PS: thought you were already going glug on the wine! rofl
A few more moths going glug on the wine (& sugar), this one is called Peach blossom,
& came back to visit a few nights later for another better photo
This one called a Sword-grass!! EDI T : I now think it's called The Flame (have to see what the boss say's)
& it also came back but this time to the outside light,
a Rusty-dot pearl,
& finally a Hornet stopped by for a sip
However this is only half of the story because because I've been leaving an outside light on & photographing the visitors, so more photos to follow.
Great new set Hazel. Your list of different Moth types is growing by the day. The Peach Blossom is a cracker.
Paul
My bird photos HERE
These are some of the visitors to the outside light, an Orange Footman,
A Lime-speck pug
a Garden carpet
a Green Carpet
a Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet,
a Green Silver lines
a type of Chinese character,
Scorched Carpet
Galium carpet
& finally the beautiul Swallow Prominent,
I've become almost obsessed with moths since I started this, they are so lovely.
This must be one of the most rewarding individual projects that I've ever seen posted - well done Hazel and thanks for the updates - fascinating!
I might have to do this myself!! The names of all the moths are as fascinating as the moths themselves. Great pics, must be some pretty good wine!
Gus
Blog Flickr and I have a youtube channel but not updated much.