#MothOfTheDay is a stunner.

You may recognise it from my profile pic, but one came to visit the #moth box last night. The gloriously beautiful #green and black mosaic of:

MERVEILLE DU JOUR
Griposia aprilina

Larvae feed on oak.

One of my absolute favourite moths of the year.

#moths #moth #mothsandbutterflies #butterflies #MothsMatter #nature #naturalworld #wildlife #britishwildlife #lepidoptera #entomology #insect #cute #garden #autumn #october #conservation #biodiversity #alttext

#MothOfTheDay

A cloudy, mild, still night last night prompted the moth box. Only 6 moths in total, but best was this very handsome:

BLACK RUSTIC
Aporophyla nigra

I love the coal matte black colour with just a hint of sparkly gold. Common in southeast this time of year. Larvae feed on dock and grasses

#moths #moth #mothsandbutterflies #butterflies #MothsMatter #nature #wildlife #britishwildlife #lepidoptera #entomology #insect #black #gold #garden #autumn #conservation #biodiversity #alttext

Today's #MothOfTheDay was a little tinker. Would not sit still for a good photo at 6:30am in dimpsy light.

Places to be; moths to see ...

SEPTEMBER THORN
Ennomos erosaria

One of the paler, plainer thorn moths, but still a little pearl.

#moths #moth #mothsandbutterflies #butterflies #MothsMatter #nature #wildlife #britishwildlife #lepidoptera #entomology #insect #cute #garden #summer #conservation #biodiversity #alttext

#MothOfTheDay is a bit few & far between currently. Either a poor year for autumnals, they're behind schedule, or just not visiting me. Cloudy, 14C, still air last night so should have been decent.

Solitary PINE CARPET (Pennithera firmata).

Hoping for Black Rustics, Merveille du Jours and Feathered Ranunculus soon!

#moths #moth #mothsandbutterflies #butterflies #MothsMatter #nature #wildlife #britishwildlife #lepidoptera #entomology #insect #garden #conservation #biodiversity #alttext

#MothOfTheDay
Little #moth activity recently. Summer visitors dying off and autumnals yet to get going. It is only the 1st day of autumn today, so a little patience needed.

Just 3 visitors overnight, including this autumn species:

LUNAR UNDERWING
Anchoscelis lunosa

Named after dark crescent on (not visible here) hindwings.

#moths #mothsandbutterflies #butterflies #MothsMatter #nature #wildlife #britishwildlife #lepidoptera #entomology #insect #garden #conservation #biodiversity #alttext

#MothOfTheDay is a drab, sombre-looking thing, but one of our larger moths

OLD LADY
Mormo maura

So named because of a shawl-like appearance on its wings. Not a looker, but they can't all be bobby-dazzlers!

#moths #moth #mothsandbutterflies #butterflies #MothsMatter #nature #wildlife #britishwildlife #lepidoptera #entomology #insect #garden #summer #conservation #biodiversity #alttext

#MothOfTheDay today can be seen as much during the day near damp ditches and hedgerows, as it can by night. Last night, two popped by to say hello.

YELLOW SHELL
Camptogramma bilineata

Larvae feed on chickweed and sorrel ... and surprise surprise we grow delicious sorrel in a trough.

#yellow #moths #moth #mothsandbutterflies #butterflies #MothsMatter #nature #wildlife #britishwildlife #lepidoptera #entomology #insect #cute #garden #summer #conservation #biodiversity #alttext

Today's #MothOfTheDay is the comical:

THE SNOUT
Hypena proboscidalis

A rather plain moth in colour, but with stupidly elongated labial palps that give it its proboscial name.

#moths #moth #mothsandbutterflies #butterflies #MothsMatter #nature #wildlife #britishwildlife #lepidoptera #entomology #insect #cute #garden #summer #conservation #biodiversity #alttext

Today's #MothOfTheDay is another that crosses the English Channel to our shores around this time of year. The ethereal (but in my view, quite visually ugly)

Palpita Vitrealis
aka Olive-tree pearl or Jasmine moth

#moths #moth #mothsandbutterflies #butterflies #MothsMatter #nature #wildlife #britishwildlife #lepidoptera #entomology #insect #cute #garden #summer #conservation #biodiversity #alttext

Today's #MothOfTheDay is two for the price of one. A female (left) and male (right)

FOUR-SPOTTED FOOTMAN
Lithosia quadra

Larvae feed on lichen. Only the females have spots which only show three as the fourth is hidden by overlapping wings.

#moths #moth #mothsandbutterflies #butterflies #MothsMatter #nature #wildlife #britishwildlife #lepidoptera #entomology #insect #cute #garden #summer #conservation #biodiversity #alttext