Wildlife Blog by Ron Allen – 16th July 2021

Moth Night

National Moth Night this year was organised for the 8-10 July and I put the moth trap out on the evening of 9 July. Here are ten of the moths that turned up.

There were two hawk moths: the splendid Elephant Hawk-moth (image 1) and of which the elephant trunk-like caterpillar feeds on willow-herbs and garden fuschias and the Privet Hawk-moth (image 2), our largest resident hawk-moth whose caterpillars feed on privet amongst other plants.

The Plain Golden Y (image 3) was another spectacular moth (hardly plain except in the comparison with the beautiful golden Y which is brighter in colour) and whose caterpillars feed on stinging nettle.  The Peppered Moth (image 4) has spectacular black and white mottled wings and in past industrial areas, with soot covered trees, developed a black and better camouflaged form. The July Highflier (image 5) is a small greenish moth typical of hedgerows and woodland edges where the larvae feed on sallow. The Riband Wave (image 6) is a pale and more delicate moth with three wavy lines across the wings, the wings being speckled with black scales; the caterpillar feeds on small herbs including dandelions and docks.

The Double Square-spot (image 7) is a woodland species whose caterpillars feed on various trees and shrubs.  The Buff Ermine (image 8) is a handsome buff coloued moth with several black dots on the wings and whose caterpillars feed on nettle, hop, honeysuckle and birch.  The Common Footman (image 9) is a very common species whose caterpillars feed on hawthorn, blackthorn and bramble amongst others. The Smoky Wainscott (image 10) is grass feeding species.