Autumn Moths

Sunday, September 29th 2019

At this time of year, weather permitting the moth trap is still set on a Tuesday night and the moths ID'd on a Wednesday morning by the moth team.  As the months change so do the moths caught.  It is the time of the Green-brindled Crescent.  The caterpillars, in spring, feed on a variety of trees including Hawthorn and Blackthorn.  Freshly hatched adults have a green metallic sheen on their wings.  There is also a dark form with no green.  We caught both one morning and a photograph comparing the two was desired.  All set until a camera strap got caught on the Bramble next to the leaf on which the moths were sitting and both disappeared into the undergrowth!  Thankfully we did have another green one.

Canary-shouldered Thorn moths are on the wing from July through to October.  The caterpillars feed on a variety of deciduous trees including both Silver and Downy Birch.  Although we sometimes find holes in the leaves we have not as yet found any caterpillars.

Inside the moth trap are egg trays, which give the moths somewhere to hang onto and shelter.  They prefer the grey ones to the green ones.  Some moths can be found on the wall of the Field Centre, but there is always one.  An Angle Shades moth decided that the best place to rest was on the plug for the light!

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