Wednesday 31 August 2011

Beautiful moths.

An angle shades moth with its delicately rolled wings looking just like a dead leaf. Butterflies are hugely popular wildlife with the public but moths have a bit of a hard time. People usually firstly think of holes in theri woolens or coming out of wallets and the fact that most fly at night doesn't help their cause. But many of the moths found in the Uk are absolutely stunning. We run a moth trap most nights on the island. It consists of a bright light that attracts the moths in, a wooden box under the light with a slot that mothdrop into and can't get out and lots of eggs boxes. Before you ask these go in the box and the moths hide under them until we release them in the morning. Below are pictures of a selection of some of the species that we have caught so far in the seaosn. Enjoy.








A burnished brass



A yellowshell


An antler moth - it gets its name from the white antler patterns on its wing.


A garden tiger (next 3 pictures), many peoples favourites moth.








A dark arches - the commonest moth on the island, it is possible to catch 200 in one night.


A brimstone moth


A square spot dart, a notable species as it is rare in the UK, recorded for the first time on the Isle of May this year.

A rosy rustic, not always rosy but always beautifully put together.


A hedge rustic.



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