A Mixture

Saturday, August 18th 2018

Our moth trap continues to reveal some beautiful moths and some surprises.  We can identify Antler moths without any problem at all, but we did double check when we caught one that was twice the usual size.  The large one is a female and the smaller, rather worn one is the male with feathered antenna.  I have left my thumb in place for a comparison.  Well actually I was holding the leaves away from the moths and trying to get a photo of both moths before they moved - but it sounds more scientific to say it was for comparison!

Female and male Antler moths

A lovely patterned large moth that we catching is Copper Underwing.

Copper Underwing

The Cinnabar moth caterpillars on the Ragwort, found earlier in the summer have pupated, having completely eaten all the leaves and flowers on the stalk.  Hidden away some late caterpilliars were still feeding.  

Cinnabar moth caterpillars

 Wild Angelica usually has white flowers and dull green to brown seeds so I was surprised at finding one that was purple.

Wild Angelica

We waited a long time for spring to arrive and then even longer for flowers to appear.  White Blackthorn flowers soon covered the trees and now the blue fruits are ripening.

Sloes

Washing up always takes longer at Foxglove than it does at home as I am always distracted by the birds on the garden feeders.  The Long-tailed Tits dropped in to feed and I was able to catch a photograph and can't help but thinking that the one at the bottom is wondering what I am doing.

Long-tailed Tits


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