A moth question

[Denise]

Can anyone tell me, what is the biggest moth flying at the moment in the west country?
I just saw a HUGE moth fly through my garden. It flew toward me and I took a very quick step back as at first I thought that it was a bat but no, it fluttered off like a moth. I'm sorry that I didn't note any colour as it was only illuminated by the outside light and it was a very brief encounter.

Denise

[Dave McCormick]

The biggest moths in UK are the Emperor Moth (40-60 mm) Oak Eggar (45-75mm) the Northern eggar (Lasiocampa quercus callunae) Can be sometime mistaken for a fritillary like DG or HB in flight if disturbed during the day, but its fattish body can identifyits not one but this fluies from May to early July. Other moths found this time of year:

Pine-tree Lappet (Dendrolimus pini) 45-70 mm wingspan
The Lappet (Gastropacha quercifolia) 50-90 mm Wingspan
A very rare one is the great peacock (Saturnia pyri) 100-130 wingspan, looks like a large emperor moth but its found usually in May-June

Anyway, there might be a few more large moths and I saw something pretty large flying about in my garden, seems similar to what you said so I put out two 6w Heath Traps out to see if it comes to it, if it does, I can see if its one you found.

[ChrisC]

one that always gets me is Old Lady. they are a fair ol' size in flight.

Chris

[Susie]

Try this one for size, Denise. Goat Moth. http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=162

[Dave McCormick]

The moth I thought it could be might be swallow-tail moth: http://www.ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=1665 found one in moth trap this morning, flies kinda fast, but don't think you would mistake it for a bat, goat moth might be more something you would

[Denise]

Thanks folks.
Certainly not a Swallowtail Moth, they were flying at the same time as the huge one and were totally dwarfed by it! I would say at least four times the size of them, maybe even bigger, and brown (at least dark)
Goat Moth is a possibility. I keep watching hoping that it will come back, but not yet.

Denise

[Mikhail]

Is the a butterfly house near you? It could have been some exotic escapee. A lot of people breed big silk moths.

Misha

[Denise]

hi Misha,

The only butterfly house that I know of anywhere near me is at Bristol Zoo, and as far as I am aware, they only breed butterflies, but it is a possibility.

Denise

[Trev Sawyer]

I had a couple of Privet Hawk moths in my garden a couple of weeks ago and they are seriously large insects. Very dark and with a wingspan just about as large as you are likely to find anywhere in the UK... 11cm+. If you see one flying it would be very fast and generally, during the day, this will be only when disturbed. A short flight looking for somewhere else to hide.
Beautiful moth and most often seen sitting on their usual position of a wooden post or shed during the day. After dark, they will fly more, but obviously not often seen.
This was the one in my garden.



Trev