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Moths Page 13

Image Taken on 11 Aug 2013 at 11:16    Image of day on 01 Oct 2013

What we believe is a Ruby Tiger Moth montaged from 3 separate flights to make this impression.


Ref: 20131001_da1_20130811_1116_167+1112_150+1120_179_ft1 ruby tiger moth (q) in 3 flights (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 12 Sep 2010 at 09:43    Image of day on 09 Nov 2010

We are fairly sure this moth is a 'Sallow'. We didn't get any one shot we thought told the whole story so here are two views on either side of a twig.


Ref: 20101109_da1_20100912_0943_127+133+0940_121_ft1 the sallow moth in flight - 2 views either side of hawthorn twig (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 29 Oct 2009 at 10:01    Image of day on 29 Nov 2009

We found we had another with much less obvious marks in orange. A completely normal variation according to the 'book'.


Ref: 20091129_da1_20091029_1001_185_ft1 the satellite moth (brown markings) in flight (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 29 Oct 2009 at 09:44    Image of day on 29 Nov 2009

Probably the last outing for the moth-trap this year only collected some 50 insects but some were new species for us. This moth gets the name Satellite Moth' from an interesting 'dot' pattern on the wing with two 'satellite' dots by each main spot marking.


Ref: 20091129_da1_20091029_0944_150+0909_029_ft1 the satellite moth in flight with blackthorn (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 16 Jul 2009 at 14:22    Image of day on 19 Aug 2009

A pretty creamy gold moth called the Scalloped Oak shown in flight.


Ref: 20090819_da1_20090716_1422_403+1453_476 ft1 scalloped oak moth in flight with hawthorn twig (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 19 Jun 2025 at 11:09    Image of day on 11 Aug 2025

This Scarlet Tiger Moth is a day-flying Moth with attractive light patches pattern when perched. The 'scarlet' of the common name refers to the rear wings which create a startling flickering red when in flight.


Ref: 20250811_d72_20250619_1109_033 scarlet tiger moth (callimorpha dominula) 4 of 4 (crop with tiny red speck of rear wings)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 26 Jun 2024 at 10:54    Image of day on 28 Jul 2024

While walking round the North West corner of the house, we find this startling Moth. It is perched on the remains of the rendering under a bay window. This is a Scarlet Tiger Moth that we have never seen before anywhere but ID books. It is a daytime flying moth so we have never caught one in our night-time moth trap.


Ref: 20240728_df3_20240626_1054_093 scarlet tiger moth (callimorpha dominula) on subsidence damaged rendering (1st sighting) (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 25 Jun 2025 at 12:59    Image of day on 11 Aug 2025

Another moment of a Scarlet Tiger Moth in flight.
That sudden appearance of Red must be quite a shock for a predator.
Many Moths use the same tactic - generally called 'colour Underwing moths'.


Ref: 20250811_d72_20250625_1259_099-101 scarlet tiger moth flying from thistle stem 1-3 of 3 (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 02 Jul 2025 at 12:45    Image of day on 15 Aug 2025

Another Scarlet Tiger Moth leaves from a ground level leaf.


Ref: 20250815_d72_20250702_1245_069-071 scarlet tiger moth launching from hedge below study window 1-3 of 3 (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Jun 2025 at 08:54    Image of day on 11 Aug 2025

The startling red rear wings show best in flight - indeed the flying insects is more a blur of red than anything else.


Ref: 20250811_r70_20250622_0854_166+168+170 scarlet tiger moth launching from thistle head 1+2+4 of 4 (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 05 Jul 2024 at 13:29    Image of day on 13 Aug 2024

Here we see again our newly discovered Scarlet Tiger Moth, this time perched on a hedge. The coloured spots have all but bleached to white on the top of the wings though the basic black seems to be a more persistent dye. The Moth flew across the path to land on a stem on the other side, providing an unexpected view of the underside - still quite brightly coloured.
As usual we blame the sun bleaching the side most often exposed to the UV.
IGNORE all this 'don't use Sunscreen' trash on social media - excess UV is dangerous.



Ref: 20240813_r70_20240705_1329_025+1330_035 scarlet tiger moth showing faded spots only on top of wings (montage of same individual)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Jun 2025 at 08:55    Image of day on 11 Aug 2025

Viewed from beneath you see the rear wings even with covering by the forewings.


Ref: 20250811_r70_20250622_0855_183 scarlet tiger moth underside view(r+mb id@432).jpg


Image Taken on 06 Jul 2024 at 12:42    Image of day on 13 Aug 2024

Next day we find what is probably the same Moth utterly soaked by the rain lying on the grass path with wings tangled up. We untangled the wings and left the poor little creature to dry on the sunlit hedge. Gone next day - whether a rescue or a snack for a bird we don't know.
The orange you don't normally see is a quite common characteristic for moths - the orange top of the rear wings is normally covered and in flight the orange effect is a quite startling change from normal appearance. ID books often manage to show pics of insects called by their underwing colour without a hint of the colour in the photo or drawing!
The underwing colour shows well in photos taken in-flight - this pic shows the same moth with both wings closed and in flight at
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing in flight & on Hawthorn twig (montage)



Ref: 20240813_r70_20240706_1242_068+1244_076 scarlet tiger moth with tangled wings on ground rescued and left in hedge (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 15 Jun 2023 at 13:50    Image of day on 11 Aug 2023

The Moth trap catch this time was something between 200 and 300 moths - a more typical number than the thousand or so a few days earlier.
This is a Scorched Wing Moth caught in two moments of flight.


Ref: 20230811_da1_20230615_1350_110+1352_119+1518+329_ft1 scorched wind moth two flights with cranesbill (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 27 May 2017 at 11:22    Image of day on 18 Jul 2017

Another first for us, this time the Scorched Wing Moth.
We couldn't get it to fly for the camera, so here is our initial 'ID' pic.


Ref: 20170718_da1_20170527_1122_080_ft1 scorched wing moth (plagodis dolabraria) (crop on box)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 07 Sep 2012 at 20:32    Image of day on 21 Oct 2012

Not the more common Hebrew Character moth, but the 'Setaceous' (means 'hairy') variant on a yellow Buddleia.


Ref: 20121021_db1_20120907_2032_012 setaceous hebrew character moth feeding on buddleia (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 12 May 2022 at 13:53    Image of day on 20 Jun 2022

The stretch of hedge showing the density of the clusters


Ref: 20220620_d72_20220512_1353_029 silk meshes in south facing hedge (poss ermine moth caterpillars) 3 of 3(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 12 May 2022 at 13:51    Image of day on 20 Jun 2022

One patch of the south side of the south hedge becomes a 'nursery' for hundred of what we think are Ermine Moth caterpillars. The caterpillars 'hide' behind sheet of silk in groups a a few dozen.


Ref: 20220620_d72_20220512_1351_014 silk meshes in south facing hedge (poss ermine moth caterpillars) with 2x insert 1 of 3(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 12 May 2020 at 10:11    Image of day on 02 Jun 2020

This moth fluttered past us and landed on this stinging nettle. It is the fairly common 'Silver Y' Moth that flies both day and night. The Latin name (Autographa gamma) just seem so apt!


Ref: 20200602_df3_20200512_1011_125 silver y moth (autographa gamma) (1st of 2020)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 08 Sep 2009 at 20:18    Image of day on 22 Oct 2009

Another newly discovered dusk visitor to our yellow buddleia is this 'Silver Y' moth - it's not hard to see where it gets it's name.


Ref: 20091022_d01_20090908_2018_032 silver y moth feeding on yellow buddleia at night (orig)(r+mb id@576).jpg


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