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Mostly Moths 2019

Noisette
05/01/2019 20:02

Well here goes, for better or worse, another year of moths. The old thread is here https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/all-creatures/196070/mostly-moths-2018/1221500#1221500

To start us off a couple of silly ones that came to greet the first trap of the year on the night of the 1st to 2nd january. It was around 6-7°C all night & frosts ever since so I gave it a go.

A Double-striped Pug

& same one closed

& White Speck

Nothing earth-shattering, but a start!

  • 20/07/2019 21:51 in reply to WendyBartter

    WendyBartter said:

    ***WendyBartter 
    26 May 2019 3:40 PM
    Next on the agenda ... eggs of Death's Head HM!!***


    Never followed through from this post as of the 16 eggs which I received only 5 hatched & subsequently died over a period of a week or so!
    However, WWB sent replacement eggs & these all hatched & today I counted 11 survivors including a weeny runty one which looks like it's just hatched (might well lose this one!) They have attained a reasonable size so am cautiously optimistic they may continue to thrive on their diet of common privet ... will sort out some pics shortly!

    New batch of eggs on 2nd July

    All 16 hatched on 5th July

    7th July & already poo machines

    Forever wandering to the lid, have to move them back to food source or they will perish

    8th July

    No more pics after these until today when I cleaned them out once more & moved into bigger box with mesh cover to cut down risk of mould!

  • 20/07/2019 22:09

    Here's how much they've grown in 15 days ...
    took a series of pics & measurements as I picked through their messy box

    Had to mount a search for 'baby'

    Apparently they reach 'chipolata' size by 45 days then pupate .....  Eeeeeek!!!

  • 21/07/2019 10:47

    This was the last man standing from first doomed batch on 9th July @ 23 days it just stopped eating & perished a few days later!!

  • 21/07/2019 13:59
    Amazing Wendy, if that lot hatches you'll have to turn your bathroom into a giant flying area for them. Will they hatch this year?
  • 21/07/2019 14:10
    Apparently they will H but won't be keeping them all, sharing with a friend, just waiting another week to make sure they're growing well! Still have my very large laundry bin that I used for the Silkies & the butterfly house if they need splitting up!
    Don't think I'll be breeding from them though, they need to feed on honey/water mix but don't take to it readily ... have to be held by wings & proboscis unfurled using cocktail stick & dipped into drink, two or three times til they get the idea ... if they don't feed then there will be no eggs!! Of course, in the wild they just raid bee hives!
    Privet HM same thing which is why I set them free last year!
  • 21/07/2019 16:19
    They are very scary to handle Wendy, my first attempt to move one gently onto a leaf for a photo session resulted in it hissing at me, I dropped it in fright & it dived into the wood pile. Bang went the photo session.
  • 21/07/2019 17:12

    Trying to psych myself up H ... may just take pics whilst Mick holds one! Lol
    They have clawed feet too & can squirt liquid! Double eeeeek!

  • 21/07/2019 20:40
    I hope Mick doesn't read this! LOL
  • 21/07/2019 21:01

    Garden Tiger, a first for me. :-)

  • 21/07/2019 21:04
    Lovely moth PA, lucky you, don't see them at mine but local reserve have them!