www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

This moth was visiting flowers in my garden in Northamptonshire, and then it settled down to rest in the shade of a leaf. It had a distinctive shiny orangey blob on its thorax, but I can't find anything similar on my web searches.

Can anyone help me to identify it please?

Linda

This is a silver-y moth: http://www.ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=1134 there are a few Y moths in Britian, but this is usually the most common because of immigrants from Europe

Thank you Dave

I have followed the link, and the markings are almost identical to my photos of 'my' moth with its wings closed - apart from the orange blob. Does the blob mean it is a slightly different moth, or had it got something wrong with it? You must excuse my ignorance if that is a really stupid thing to say.

Linda

LindaL wrote:Thank you Dave

I have followed the link, and the markings are almost identical to my photos of 'my' moth with its wings closed - apart from the orange blob. Does the blob mean it is a slightly different moth, or had it got something wrong with it? You must excuse my ignorance if that is a really stupid thing to say.

Linda

The blob just means that the tuft of hiar around the top of its head has gone, usually happens with age, happens in a lot of moths and butterflies when they age, the hair tufts rub of leaving the red/orange head.

just means that the tuft of hiar around the top of its head has gone, usually happens with age, happens in a lot of moths and butterflies when they age, the hair tufts rub of leaving the red/orange head.

Happens with some people too