May I just ask for help with this moth above? In spite of the resting position, I've been homing in on the Carpets and a friend suggests Spruce. I'd be grateful for help. I also thought you might enjoy my Pine Hawk - I had to dismantle the egg box cone to photograph him or her. Plus one of my morning foes; if anyone has methods beyond hiding the eggboxes and sometimes the whole, inverted trap, in dense undergrowth, I'd be very grateful. Other moths in the last two nights include a beautiful Campion with its mauve lines and a Shoulder-stripe Wainscot - oh, and I've just added at the bottom of this, from last night, the first example I've had here of a Treble Lines with the heavily shadowed middle line.
Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon
Hi Martin, your photo at the top is either Treble-bar or Lesser Treble-bar.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your first moth: it's an awkward angle to view it at but isn't that one of the Treble Bars?
ReplyDeleteHi Martin first one is one of the Treble-bars, probably Lesser. Feeding the birds - tut tut :-). I would just chase it away but seldom a problem here as i often go through the trap indoors beside the pation doors. Pine Hawk-moth - this is why I never use egg-boxes and never recommend them, i.e. because things can burrow into the cone. Egg-trays are much better, cut in half (or smaller depending on the size of the trap).
ReplyDeleteThanks so much all. I had considered the Treble Bars but not carefully enough. Sorry. I will look out for egg trays. I am pretty sure I outwit the birds usually but the robin and blackbird have no qualms about going into our shed. Mind you, a magpie got at one iof our blackbirds' nests this afternoon. Nature isn't sentimental
ReplyDeleteWe will all have developed our own preferred ways of going through the traps depending on our differing work situations and lifestyle choices. My first concern is always the birds having a feast at breakfast-time because Robins and Blackbirds in particular are very quick to learn when a free supply of food is on offer. That's why I get up just before dawn (currently 4am - yawn!) to secure the traps and check carefully for any moths scattered around the immediate area while the birds are still concentrating on exercising their vocal chords. There are always several moths which haven't made it to the traps and I suspect your Robin will already have eaten a few, Martin! The traps are then put in our garage with the light on and the moths quickly settle down - as do I, back to bed, and I often don't go through the catch until lunchtime.
ReplyDelete