A Foxglove Pug

Until a few days ago the only Pugs I knew about have four legs and a tail. I had found this small moth trying to be unnoticed in the kitchen so I couldn't resist trying to take a photo of it. At the time the lighting was poor so I ended up having to use the in built flash on the Nikon.



On researching sone moth identification sites I concluded this was an example of a Foxglove Pug moth. They can be very variable in colouring but the wing patterns are the same on all the variations. The moth is so named as the caterpillars feed inside the flowers of the Foxglove plant. As a species the Foxglove Pug is widely and commonly distributed.

Plume Moth

When I went to open the large shed I could see two Plume Moths resting on the doors with their wings rolled up. First I tried for a single decent photo with the Nikon Colorpix S9050 but ended up with half a dozen fuzzy shots. Next I tried the iPhone with similar results. All this time, with the camera lens within a couple of inches of the moths, they stayed absolutely still. Even when I unlocked and opened a door they did not move.

In the end I though I would try the Canon M5 with a macro lens attached. No single shot was near half in focus on the subject so in desperation I tried for a series of hand held shots to put in a focus stacking program. Zerene Stacker did a grand job aligning things considering the way the position of the moth in each photo varied from shot to shot.



Camera set up - Canon M5 + Canon 18-150mm zoom lens + Raynox DCR-150 macro / close-up conversion lens.

Scalloped Oak Moth

Found on my front door yesterday morning.
A macro moth, the Scalloped Oak moth. (Crocallis elinguaria)
Resting it measured near 20mm across but in flight can have a wingspan of 32 - 46mm.
Not one I would like to meet indoors.

with iPhone 6s



with Canon M5 + macro lens



Both photos were cropped.

A bit of a surprise to see it there, in full Sun on a South facing door.
Especially as it is a night flying moth.
I would have expected it to be hidden away somewhere.

Pale Tussock?

Spotted this furry moth hiding its head on a window ledge:

After much searching I am reasonably sure it is a Pale Tussock moth.

Minibeasts

An afternoon look round to see what minibeasts were about.

Bee on Bramble



Woodlouse on rotting wood



Ants on the same rotting wood





A moth, possibly AgriphilaTristella

 

Finally a spider

 

as yet unidentified.

Daytime Flying Month

Once again something caught my eye as we were walking down the lane mid afternoon:



A Silver-ground Carpet moth. (Xanthorhoe montanata)

Not Just a Fly Catcher

As one of the traps opened this morning I could see that my Venus Fly Trap had caught a small moth:



What annoying weather conditions we have had recently. The night before the 'Blood Moon' there were perfect views of the Moon. They night after, once again perfectly clear views. The night of the Lunar eclipse - thick cloud, heavy rain and thunder storms!

Murky Moth

Poor photo as I could only photograph it through murky greenhouse glass:



An Oak Eggar or Northern Eggar moth.
At about 45mm across I was pleased there was glass between it and me.

Silver Y

As we set off for our early morning jaunt I spotted this Silver Y moth.
Autographa gamma:

Winter Moth

Spotted resting on my front door this morning:



For once it was one I managed to identify very quickly.
A Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata)
For detailed information about them visit The Garden Safari HERE.

I Spy With My Little Eye

Can you spy what I spied here?



As many will know, not a subject I particularly like to get near:



But fascination got the better of me:



What was most interesting to me was the pale marking on each wing. In the photos it tends to look yellow but actually seemed to glitter like gold leaf. In spite of the gold colour this appears to me to be a Silver Y (Autographa gamma) moth. With a wing span of 30 - 45mm I definitely do not want to see any of these indoors.

Bathroom View

Not often I get to see the underneath of a moth.
This one was on the outside of the bathroom window.
The surrounding patterns are formed by the window glass.



I went outside to try to photo a top view but, alas, it flew away.
All I got was a brief glimpse of chestnut brown wings each with a white spot.

Many thanks to Ragged Robin for identifying this as a Vapourer Moth.

The Flying T

Spotted resting on the shed door.
A common Plume Moth:



In its usual resting configuration with the wings rolled up.
Not managed to see one with its wings open as yet

Micro Moth

I was watching a bee busily collecting pollen from an Autumn Crocus flower when I noticed a small dark triangle move. I had a feeling it must be a moth and a bit of research showed it was a micro moth, Anthophila fabriciana known as Nettle-tap:







Although descriptions say they have a 10-15 mm wingspan, presumably when in flight, as this one crept from pollen grain to pollen grain around the petals I would estimate that it was about 5-6 mm across. I also managed to take a bit of video:



These are said to be very common daytime flying moths which are active from May to October.

Background sounds include the bee I was originally watching and various whistles and clicks from nearby Starlings.

Viewed From Above and Below

Saw this moth on the outside of the kitchen window this morning:



Not a brilliant photo through two sheets of glass.

Went outside hoping it would stay still while I got a top yiew:



I must admit, much as I hate moths, this one was very pretty.
It was about 25mm across.
It appears to be a Geometridae moth but which one I don't know.


Looks as though it is going to be an expensive day.
The dishwasher was emitting a nasty smell this morning.
That odour you get when electrical wiring is well above its working temperature.
By the clunking from it I guess a solenoid is past its use by date.

A Swallow of Sorts

In a way it's been a moth day. As we were getting ready for our early morning walkies I spotted a beautiful ginger coloured moth. Unfortunately I forgot about it when we returned and by the time I went looking it was nowhere to be seen.

I had more luck with our final walkabout. When we reached the cricket field I could see the gang mower was there, along with his two dogs racing about. A sharp about turn and off in the opposite direction. On one garden hedge something caught my eye:



Fortunately the little Nikon can get within a few inches for a close shot:



A Swallow-tailed moth Ourapteryx sambucaria. As the larvae feed on privet, hawthorn and blackthorn it was in the right place as there seems to be a mixture of all three along that hedge.

Feathered Thorn Moth

Not one of my favourite subjects but I couldn't resist photographing this beauty:



A Feathered Thorn Moth (Colotois pennaria) male. Size about 45mm (1.75 inches) and a glorious brown colour. Unfortunately this specimen had folded its big feathery antennae out of view as it rested in the morning Sunlight. They are more common the further South you go in the UK.

Full description can be found on the Garden Safari site.

Hoping for a smooth change over tomorrow. Broadband fibre to the cabinet has finally arrived in the village and tomorrow my connection gets moved to that. Should go from the present maximum download speed of 8Mb/second (I actually achieve 7.2) to a maximum of  38Mb/second. I could have gone for double that speed but I'll see how this one goes first as it only costs me an extra £1 a month with unlimited data use. I think the maximum upload speed is around 9Mb/sec which will be a vast improvement on the present average of 400Kb/sec. It should be able to handle a live video feed easily if either of the camera nest boxes are occupied next Spring.

Vapourer Moth

The Vapourer Moth (Orgyia antiqua) is a small day time flying moth, common in the UK but rarely seen at rest. This specimen caught my attention as it was rapidly twirling round and round in the middle of the lane. At first I thought it was a bee but once it stopped moving I noticed the brilliant white spots on its wings:


 

At just 3/4 inch (20mm) across I wouldn't have noticed it if it hadn't been moving.
Identification was found on the Butterfly Conservation site.

Micro Moth

Spotted this small moth (about 10mm long, wingspan about 18mm) hiding in the gap by my shed door. For once I was able to identify it - Dipleurina lacustrata

 

 

These fly in June and July. The larvae feed on various mosses and lychens growing on tree trunks, rocks and walls.

Buff Ermine Moth

Spotted lurking at the bottom of my doorway:



A Buff Ermine Moth (Spilosoma lutea)

Not one of my favourite subjects but couldn't resist a photo before I persuaded it to find somewhere else to rest before it decided to investigate indoors.

Information about this moth can be found HERE on the Garden Safari site. This is usually one of the first places I look hoping for a quick and easy identification of the more common UK creatures.