Lepidoptera [ not Butterflies ]

[Denise]

Oh wow! What a stunner. You are lucky having all these fab moths around your way.

Denise

[Lee Hurrell]

Hi all,

This little fellow flew in to my living room last night but I've been unsuccessful identiying it. Does anyone have any ideas?

I'm in Greenford, Middlesex and wingspan was approx 20mm.

Cheers

Lee

[Matsukaze]

Hi Lee,

It's a micro-moth - could well be the pyralid Phlyctaenia coronata.

http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=1378

[Lee Hurrell]

Hi Matsukaze,

That's the one, thank you. It was quite a beautiful little thing for such a small moth. It was still in here just a minute ago so I've liberated it into the back garden!

Cheers

Lee

[bugmadmark]

Thanks for this too - it's one of the moths I uploaded to on an earlier page (2) that Id not been able to identify. Once again, it's becuase it's a micro that I struggled to find it. I never understand how some relatively large moths get classified as micros still. For example the Small Magpie was very common in my garden in june and I assumed at first that it was the Magpie - but soon realised it wasnt. However it didnt appear in any of my macro moth books despite being a reasonable sized moth, yet some smaller ones did!

[Mikhail]

The distinction between macro and micro leps is entirely arbitrary. It's just that certain families are traditionally regarded as micromoths. Most of the micros are indeed small, but some members of the Pyralidae and Tortricidae in particular are larger than many macros. On the continent the Psychidae (bag moths) are included with the macros, but in this country they are treated as micros. There is no scientific justification for any of this.

Misha

[Lee Hurrell]

Saw a beautiful Swallowtail Moth on the wall 2 doors up from me on the way to work yesterday. Only got a mobile photo so won't post but it was a fresh looking indivual.

[Susie]

Female vapourer. Wingless and butt ugly but a goddess if you are a male vapourer.

[Gruditch]

Ooow that is nasty.

Gruditch

[Susie]

Nooooooooooooooo, she's lovely. All furry, cuddly and squidgy.

[Dave McCormick]

Thats one odd looking moth the vaporer... I have always wanted to find a female one. Where is the best places to search? I have seen the males around and know where to search

[Pete Eeles]

Look for a colony, and then find the pupation sites. The females generally lay on (or close to) their cocoon. I've become the lucky "father" of a colony that breeds on the sallows I have in my back garden, and it's great showing the local children the larvae in the spring and summer. I'm known as the "butterfly man" in these parts as a result In fact, I had a Lime Hawk larva presented to me yesterday - which eclipsed the Buff-tips earlier in the year, but I can't say that, can I?

Cheers,

- Pete

[Zonda]

Hya moth people,,,, saw this in garden this very morning, and i haven't a clue what it is. I'm calling it 'tiny pretty moth'.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rc ... directlink

[Lee Hurrell]

Hi Zonda,

Looks like Pyrausta aurata to me:

http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=965

Cheers

Lee

[Zonda]

Hey thanks,, i see it was noted and named by Scopoli. I recognise that name from a fungi he did too. No common name then?

[Lee Hurrell]

Hey Zonda,

No idea on that one I'm afraid...

Cheers

Lee

[Zonda]

Here's another moth, dining on a buddy with a Tort. Any ideas moth men
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_r ... directlink

[geniculata]

hi zonda,

that'll be a jersey tiger.
never seen one myself were was it?

gary.

[Zonda]

Thanks Gary. Langton Herring in south Dorset.

[Zonda]

Still with the Jersey Tiger Gazzer,,,,if you tickle the Tigers, will they flash the red bits, for photo purposes?