Well it's time to start a new thread for this year. I saw my 1st Red Admiral of the year yesterday & have had a couple of moths in the house & in the trap overnight.
The house moths come out of the firewood (I think), Ive had 3 around the computer this month, I just keep putting them back out Mompha subbistrigella
Photo taken of it in the plastic pot before I threw it out.
Then in the trap a couple of moths, Eudonia angustea, always around in the winter,
& this one which is several weeks early, not sure why, Orthosia incerta "Clouded Drab Moth"
Last years thread is here https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/all-creatures/206393/butterflies-moths-2020 for those that want to have a bit of bedtime reading.
Best wishes
Hazel in Southwest France
WendyBartter said:Great find Sandra, such a stunning moth!
Many thanks, Wendy, I was thrilled to see it!
Neighbour called me over to see an unusual critter walking up his drive, turned out to be Poplar Hawk Moth caterpillar obviously looking for somewhere to pupate ... brought it to mine & popped it into a pot where I'd just planted a buddleia as compost would be nice & crumbly ... it immediately started to dig in, ran for cam & started videoing then battery died, ran for big cam & found that it had mostly disappeared at a rate of knots, just caught the last sight of it!!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Excellent vid, Wendy. You'll have to keep an eye on it so you can show us when it emerges. :)
Another Jersey Tiger visitor to my garden last night. Pleased to see part of its underwings before it flew off
Didn’t even know there was a butterfly and moth thread on here. Can anyone tell me what this is? Taken in the summer.
Great pic of lovely Painted Lady ... welcome, we've been running a thread for some years now, feel free to join in!
Sandra P said:You'll have to keep an eye on it so you can show us when it emerges. :)
Best I can do about that Sandra is to carefully poke around pot for pupa next year just before it's due to eclose & pop it into my butterfly house in the hopes of seeing it break out!
_____________________________________
Regards, Hazel
Good news @ Mike, Hazel :o) You'll need your bins for the purple hairstreaks, they live at the top of oak trees and apparently don't come down very often!! Purple Hairstreak Info .... Of course, depending how close the oak trees are, you may see them from your balcony lol
Edit, just looked up the White Letter Hairstreak, and similarly they like the tops of trees...elms this time! White Letter Hairstreak
So pleased to hear good news of Mike!