There is just SO much I could talk about, it's such an amazing month for garden wildlife. It thought I'd do 'Plant of the Day', but events today have instead prompted me to be extravagant and go for 'Moth of the Day'!
The thing is that I had the pleasure of visiting some friends this morning who had borrowed my moth trap overnight in their meadowside garden. And here was perhaps the pick of the bunch that it attracted (left).
Now we don't have many green moths, and to find one with its wings outstretched like this shows that it is an 'emerald' moth of some sort.
And those 'nibbled' markings, which are one of evolution's clever tricks of pretending to be a slightly damaged leaf, immediately pick this out as the Blotched Emerald.
Found throughout much of England and eastern Wales*,it's mainly a woodland moth whose caterpillars feed on oaks. My friends have a lovely teenage oak in their garden, and it's nice to think that this could have been a homegrown visitor.
Anyway, with the other 15 species in the trap to add to the haul, they were delighted and I was too. As we unearthed each moth hiding among the egg boxes within the trap, it gave us that exciting sense that gardens are so alive with all sorts of hidden wildlife.
*Sorry Scotland, I've excluded you again. But at least you can keep an eye out for Common, Large or Grass Emeralds, which all reach up as far as you.
You're right, Wildlife Friendly - moth trapping usually needs at least £100 to get going. However, I've yet to meet anyone who has regretted it. For a good introduction, I'd recommend this www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/.../mothing%20guide.html (but then I would because I pulled the page together when I managed that website!).
Hi Taffy2. It's the wonder of evolution, isn't it? Presumably those that didn't look enough like a nibbled leaf got nibbled themselves, leaving those that looked so perfect to fight another day and pass on their genes.
I think a Moth trap would be very interesting, I had a search on the internet and found they are not that cheap. I did find this site (www.pollywog.co.uk/.../227-moth-trap.html) I know they are not catching them for the same reasons but it is a cheap start to see if it is worth while investing in something a little better.
Perhaps we’ll have scrambled eggs tonight, that will be one egg box, only six or so to go.
Many thanks for that stunning photo, what a beauty! It's when I look at creatures like that I fully realise Nature is SO much cleverer than we are! and why we should protect all species.