Happy New Year all!
Same thread as before but a whole year of moth hunting ahead of us. You don't need lots of expensive equipement to set up light traps, a budget of around £20 should be enough, have a look on the old thread HERE or ask again, there is always (almost) someone who knows. Wendy is our surrogate mum & has a house & shed full of caterpillars & pupas & breeding adults!
The moths are still coming to feed on the rope in the garden. All you need is to dissolve 0,5Kg of sugar in 0,5 litres of wine, by gently heating up & stirring. Then pour the mixture into an old pan & put in a natural fibre rope or cord. (Don't put the ends in as it gets messy). Leave to soak a day & hang in the garden from a tree or bush or between posts. Then go back just after dark & see who's feeding. I tend to pop out about every half hour until bedtime. Then the fun starts as you try to get the camera settings right for the photos. The rope tends to work for about 3 days & then needs redipping during the day before the 4th night. Here are some "library pictures"
My rope is now a lot shorter as I only have 1 tree & just loop it from one low branch, it needs to be about 4ft from the ground. Here is one from 30 December, a Chestnut
Everone is welcome!
Best wishes
Hazel in Southwest France
Wouldn't dare H, house sitters with cat & moth experience are pretty hard to come by! Lol
I just hope that a few at least appear together, too much of a gap will see first ones dying off before later ones appear & I'd like some eggs!
I spotted this fellow coming charging out of the undergrowth and across the path at Barns Ness this afternoon. I'm thinking Garden Tiger but I'm open to correction.
My bird photos HERE
Really good photo Paul, it looks a bit more like a Fox Moth caterpillar to me. Ask Wendy, she's seen a few! LOL
That was my first thought too H but needs closer inspection for markings hidden by the hairy overcoat! Definitely no lighter longer hairs showing as per garden tiger comparing with pics on images! Sadly noone of mine survived for comparison!
The face looks good too!
Thanks Hazel & Wendy, a Fox Moth it is then. :-)
WELL ....on day 32, right in the midst of Peregrine eggs being laid ...... this is what Mick found ..... what excitement!!!
The pics so far
Wonder if antennae indicate Male, we shall see?
There will be more pics to follow
Back home now to this wonderful moth ...
Wow, that's an impressive look moth, Wendy. Is this one you've raised?
You will have to enlighten me as to what species it is as I'm not very well up on moths. I would speculate it might be a hawk moth but probably way off the mark.
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
Yes, way off TJ ... Samia Cynthia Ricini which is an Indian Silkmoth! A friend gave me 11 just hatched larvae & I raised them on Privet leaves, lots & lots of leaves in fact! Lost one along the way, nine spun silk cocoons & pupated with the tenth one just a naked pupa!
So now waiting to see if others emerge ... have been posting progress along the way back in this thread!
When this one has fully inflated & dried off I will get it out for a proper photoshoot!