Possibly Viminia (Acronicta) auricoma, known to us Brits as the Scarce Dagger. Not certain though.

Misha

Pete, the Red Ad. was in Walpole Road, Boscombe (SZ1191).

Misha

Out for a walk this morning in pleasantly mild sunshine, my thoughts turned to the possibility of a Red Admiral. Almost at once I spotted one sunning itself on the wall of a house. This has cheered me up no end. This afternoon I'll be looking out for basking Wall Lizards.

Misha

Hi Matt. I've only been there once. When I was in the RAF I used to get to Cyprus occasionally, where I saw the very closely related Cyprus Meadow Brown Maniola cypricola , a real beauty. I take it from your username that you have a special interest in Rhodes? It's certain;y a fascinating island for...

Yes, definitely Aegean Meadow Brown Maniola telmessia, the only member of the genus on Rhodes. Nice shot.

Misha

Thanks Zonda. Done.

Misha

Pardon my ignorance, but how does one add an avatar?

Misha

I wonder if it could be one of the Urania moths, large colourful moths with tails.

Misha

Interesting, Guy. I agree it does not look like a typical deione, but given the colour of the palps, what do you suggest it is?

Misha

I agree with Pete except for no 2, which I'm pretty sure is Provençal Frit. You can see foxy red hairs on the palps, which rules out Heath Frit.

Misha

Very impressive Gary, but I wonder if the predated caterpillar might actually be the Holly Blue, seeing that it's on the flowers of Ling, which is often used as a foodplant by the second generation in heathy districts.

Misha

Guy, sightings of Painted Ladies in February or March are no guarantee of overwintering. In early Feb.2004 there was a sizeable influx of Painted Ladies into southern England, accompanied by many migrant moths. Many of these butterflies were still to be seen a month later in spite of several frosty ...

It's confusing, but it seems that the lens actually costs $479. I don't know what the higher price of over $1000 applies to.

Misha

I have never heard of a November record before. Correction: I've just looked in the Moths of Hampshire and the IoW. It says: very rarely before Christmas, but cites a record from Stoke Charity on 2.10.97!

Misha

Two Painted Ladies today, one on Hebe and one on Seaside Daisy. Also a Red Admiral ovipositing on some nettles growing at the foot of the cliffs in the shelter of beach huts. This particular site is often selected by Red Admirals for egg laying at this time of year, and I have often seen larvae ther...

Guy, apropos darwiniana, gardetta etc. Have you seen the interesting and at least partly comprehensible paper by M. Wiemers at http://www.univie.ac.at/population-ecol ... s_1998.pdf?

Misha

Felix, I agree with your views. The proliferation of "sub-species" is even worse in the Iberian peninsula: Manley and Allcard list no fewer than 18 sub-species of Silver-studded Blue in their Field Guide. This only goes to devalue the concept of sub-species, which surely should be reserved...

There are hotels in Kalavryta. I think you can get lists from the Greek tourist office. Yes, I had the use of a hired car, which is indispensable.

Misha

Hi Traplican.

I'M not sure about your first larva. It's certainly a noctuid, but there are many with similar larvae, and it may not be a British species. The second is a Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar). The third is a sawfly larva (Hymenoptera).

Misha

Guy, the Dutch Idas fed on heather (struikhei) according to De Dagvlinders van Nederland.

Misha