Not all moths are dark, heavy-bodied night flyers.
Yesterday I went out to have lunch with a friend with whom I am plotting something that will keep me out of mischief for a short while later in the year. She’s not well so I didn’t stay long and as the cloud cover had cleared I went over to the marina at Burnham to see what I might see.
Though not as sunny or warm as it might have been there were Common Blue Damselflies on the water and one darter dragonfly, the Broad-bodied Libellula (libellula depressa) I think: sadly they would not let me get close enough for good pictures. I found Gate-keepers, Essex Skippers and Meadow Browns in the grass above the marina as well as plenty of Large Whites and my first definite Red Admiral of the year; but the Adder warning signs have gone up and all the training I had as a child often going bush with my parents kicked in.
- Gate-keeper (Pyronia tithonus)
The Gatekeeper (also known as the Hedge Brown) is readily recognised – the twin white dots in the eye are the signature. They were about in large numbers. I spotted my first Green Shieldbug of the year, too:
- Greeen Shieldbug
The find of the day, though, was something else. I’ve never spotted a Six-spot Burnet before and wasn’t looking for them specifically but walking back along one of the paths above the marina I stumbled upon what I suspect is a colony.
First one, then another a couple of steps further on and then, perhaps a metre or so further still a pair engaged in ensuring the future of the species. This is a magnificent and unmissible moth. All four were in beautiful shape with brilliant red marks against a metallic black background.
- Six-spot Burnet (zygaena filipendulae)
Six-spot Burnet (zygaena filipendulae)
I saved this over from yesterday because I rightly suspected that there would be absolutely nothing in the bathroom last night. The weather is, if anything less promising today. What happened to summer?
Goodness. I think I am becoming a “Hapless” addict. I am doing a “Moth and Night Insect Walk” in a couple of weeks. I am guessing that you set up lights in your yard to see moths. I do this at the museum, and local children and some adults too come for a night hike. It is great fun. I am fermenting my “moth recipe” right now inside a steel trash can. Last year a raccon got into my supply and ate it all. He must have left our yard reeling drunk. I use a marine battery to keep my lights on all night. How about you? Diane Tucker, Estate Naturalist, Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington, CT
You know what, Diane … this started with a point-and-click digital camera I had very little idea what to do with and a sudden recognition that if I left the bathroom light on the insects would come.
At the core of this blog is just a recitation of the moths that come into the house because the lights are on, as they are in every single house in district. I have a neighbour (and would-be swain) who is offering to build a moth trap for me, and if I didn’t think it would overly encourage him I’d take up the offer.
The moths for the most part come to me as they would anyone. I just pay a bit more attention than most and I don’t dwell too hard on what I’ve been missing.
My observation skills have improved out of sight in the past few years; and at the same time I’ve developed a deeper appreciation of the world around me and acceptance of that world in all its imperfections which has enabled me to embrace a far more thoughtful and enriching approach to my home and farm garden.
All of that sounds a bit twee… the short hand version is I let nature take its course. I’m torn over moth trapping. If I run a moth trap am I maintaining a true picture of the local moth population?
Moth nights are wonderful fun and for people like me a great way to see moth species ‘in person’ – an experience that can’t be beaten for developing IDing skills, and meet other moth-ers. I hope all goes well with your moth walk. We don’t have racoons here (of course) but foxes, badgers and hedgehogs are all notorious for doing pretty much as your racoon did and upsetting best laid plans.
Already looking forward to the post walk post!!
Well, we did have quite a bit of fun. We had people from six years old to eighty six, and we saw some good things. The really super-duper moths come out after midnight, I am told, but I cannot stay up that late anymore! We did nicely with the lovely sphinx, which we heard before we saw! I was sorry to hear about your rain-it’s been one torrential downpour after another here all summer. Usually we have hot, and not too awfully much rain, but this summer has been the worst in 100 years, they saw. There is thunder brewing as we speak. I look forward to your next post-and I put your website on as a link at mine. Cheers!
thank you for that Diane. I’m glad you had some fun. I know what you mean abou the whole ‘staying up late’ thing, and I do find that moth activity level continues to rise for hours after dark; I have stayed up till well past midnight if things have been busy but find I run out of steam and get me to bed without finding out when the activity level actually tails off. Not very scientific I know but I’d never get up in the morning, otherwise.