Mostly Moths

lovely update Hazel, thanks  :)

This update is for those of you, like me, who thought that moths weren't around in the winter!!

I had a number of these moths "Conistra species" in December, they seem to be hard to tell apart but I hope I've got these 2 right

a Chestnut

& a Dark Chestnut

then on Christmas day, arriving home at 1am, I went & checked my rope (as one does) & found another new one, a Conistra rubiginosa, no English name but I called it Big nose!!

Afterwards I've seen quite a few of those, a little micro-moth tuned up in the house in mid-December, a Mompha subbistrigella (I think)

& an Agonopterix yeatiana came to look in the window one night,

This Beautiful Plume was attracted to the UV light,

& finally a couple of nights ago this lovely moth, Satellite, came to the rope for a drink.

That's all for now, it's been lovely to keep myself supplied with moths in the winter, most unexpected. Thanks for looking.

It's surprising what's about even in the depths of winter. Interesting that quite a few of them are a similar chestnut brown. Is that significant do you think. The Plume moth is very pretty.

I've seen butterflies, moths and insects very late into the season and at beginning of December;  its nice to know so many of these creatures are doing well and hopefully the previous mild weather helped too.    The photos are lovely Hazel, always interesting to see the close up detail of these lovely moths.    

Unknown said:

Interesting that quite a few of them are a similar chestnut brown. Is that significant do you think.

A lot of the one's around are certainly in the big brown jobs category, so maybe it's because it's winter & they've only got wet wood to sit on? I find them all quite confusing, some have distinctive markings but others are very similar.

Hazy : I think you're right that the warm weather has helped a lot. We often get a very cold February so perhaps they'll all go into hiding then. They don't seem to be around once the daytime maximum temperature drops below 8/9°C.

Great update Hazel and always fascinating to read your reports and see your photos-thanks for sharing

Jayne

Just when you'd thought that I must have seen them all by now.............another bunch of moths. They've been coming thick & fast since the start of March but I'll start with a few of February's moths,

An Early Grey (aptly named)

a Hebrew Character, the first of numerous Orthosia type moths,

& on the 28 th February a March moth,

& a Spring Usher (yes Spring is definately coming)

a big wow moth for me, a Dotted Chestnut, at the start of March,

another Orthosia, a Common Quaker,

an Oak Beauty (well named)

No English name for this Larerannis marginaria

another Orthosia, a Clouded Drab,

a Pale Brindled Beauty,

a Red Chestnut,

yet another Orthosia, a Twin-spotted Quaker,

a very striking Shoulder Stripe,

& finally this morning another big wow, a first for our département, a Lead-coloured Drab (confirmed on a French forum)

It has been an amazing start to the year & I'm really enthusiastic about the future moth traps here, it seems to be a cracking spot for them. So I'll keep boring you with new ones for a while to come I hope. For those who keep a tally, I'm up to ~386 species so far since I started this last Spring, not bad for a beginner!

Thanks for looking & your encouragement.

Evening Hazel;  What striking looking moths and congratulations on the new ones to add to your list.   Wonderful close up photos, really shows how beautiful they are with the different markings and colours.  

Am quite happy to be 'bored' (not at all BTW), really enjoy seeing all your different species, especially the pretty ones, & be educated into the bargain!!

Thanks Hazy & Wendy, as you've probably gathered I'm well & truly hooked on moths & get so excited when there are new ones or pretty ones (even at 6h30 in the morning)!