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| Pine Beauty pic taken a while ago. I should get an up to date one tomorrow. |
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| The real Pine Beauty from last night. Slightly duller than the first image... |
After an absence in 2013 due to a particularly cold spring, I was pleased to re-acquaint myself with this species again this morning. On checking here we see that there was only one record in the whole county last year.
One of the very few insects to feed on pine needles at the caterpillar stage, it joins the orthosias on sallow catkins for the nectar as an adult. Its a really stunning moth when fresh, but is quite small. In Northumberland its not uncommon, but I have never found it in large numbers either, with a maximum of about 4 at a time in the trap, usually ones or twos.
Lets hope there are a few more over the weekend, weather permitting....
Lovely moth. Thanks for IDing my micro
ReplyDeleteHi Stewart
ReplyDeleteI am up north this weekend and I'm going to do a bit of recording tomorrow in the sand dunes just north of St Mary's Lighthouse if you are free would be nice to meet up! Email address is graemelyons@hotmail.com if you are keen?
Graeme
Phil - No probs
ReplyDeleteGraeme -Keen as mustard! Emailed you directly...
What an absolute stunner. Never seen one before so thank you!
ReplyDelete