Not much doing here at the minute. Even the common local birds seem to have become elusive. Apart from the juv Great spotted Woodpecker still at the feeders, 2 Grey Wagtails in the village and a flock of about a hundred Swallows near the farm a single Yellow Wagtail in with the cows was the only thing of note.
above - Marbled Beauty.
The past couple of nights I have been out with the torch checking our buddleias for moths. There has been a few, including good numbers of Mother of Pearl, several Smoky Wainscot, Snout, Large Yellow Underwing, a single Common Footman and Marbled Beauty. Give it a try in your garden but be sparing with the torch light because the moths move off after few minutes of their flowers being illuminated...
Above - Mother of Pearl. Look at the iridescence on the wing, just like mother of pearl!
8 comments:
It`s quiet everywhere, Stewart.
You`re right about the Mother of Pearls, stunning species & hard to believe they`re a micro.
Right then - i'll give it go!
Been doing likewise, checking the Buddlejas and Honeysuckles for moths. They seem to like Dahlias and Cotoneasters as well.
Loads of Marbled Beauties, what looked like a Swallow-tailed Moth flyover that never landed and had a few Large Yellow Underwings.
I've left the side liight on a few times as well and had the odd moth on house wall in the morning.
Bats a plenty flying around the houses as well, which is nice.
Stewart, All,
With the apparent increase in moth interest up there, you might want to have a go at sugaring in your gardens or local woodland. Late summer / early autumn can be a good time to try it. Have a look here for what you need etc:
http://www.angleps.com/Sugaring.pdf
About 10 years ago before I started light trapping in the garden and elsewhere, I spent a few hours on warm summer nights loitering around an external light above our garage door with a pot - on a good night it was amazing how many moths appeared for a few minutes and then flew off so potting them quickly allowed time to ID them.
Ta for the tips Skev, I have pondered sugaring and have read a bit about it. I thought it best in spring, but might just have a go this week.
Aye Dean, its a big micro and a canny bit bigger that a lot of macro's ?!?
Wow, that Mother of Pearl is gorgeous.
Yep - it's really quiet but you always seem to manage finding something Stewart.
Now that Mother of Pearl Moth is a real beauty. I shall have to look at moths a great deal more!
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