A Blog for moth recorders in Bucks, Berks and Oxon
Wednesday, 31 July 2019
100 moths sleeping together
I took this photo paddle boarding on the Oxford Canal (near Kidlington, Oxfordshire). It was 100 moths all together under a bridge. Is this hibernating or mating or keeping warm???
It was last week so pretty warm. I've never seen this before. Anyone else see this???? Thanks Jon
A type of Rustic I'm assuming....
ReplyDeleteHello Jon,
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. The pictures aren't too clear but from what I can see these are a much larger moth, Old Lady (Mormo maura). They have a habit of coming indoors when it gets warm (I've had two in the house already this summer) and were presumably roosting somewhere cool during the hot weather. I've not previously seen or heard of an aggregation of quite this number, though, so you witnessed a very interesting event! If you can provide the date and a grid reference (or an explanation of which bridge you mean) then it would be a very useful record to have.
We had just the one last week fly into the lounge and settle in the open cupboard under the stairs.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Yes, sorry about the picture quality. There was not much light and it was my phone camera (And I was wobbling on a paddle board!) 😃. I don't have a grid reference, but it was Bullets Bridge 227 on the Oxford Canal near Grovelands Road , Kidlington estate. I bet they are still there...it was on Sunday 28 July. Jon
ReplyDeletesorry- Bullers Bridge 227
ReplyDeleteDefinitely Old Lady moth, yes.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, thanks very much for the data.
ReplyDeleteI saw similar numbers last year in Benson, under a bridge beneath the A4074.
ReplyDeleteTom - interesting. Was this by the river?? Sounds like something Chris Packam needs to investigate further....
ReplyDeleteThanks for this - details extracted. I've seen them under bridges but never in this kind of number. There was one in our lean-to on Monday. It was on the side of the pot in which I keep my wine ropes, just under the lid. Whether it could smell the contents I don't know!
ReplyDeleteThe Benson ones, last year, were by the Ewelme brook about 300m from its confluence with the Thames. I looked about two weeks ago - nothing - but will try to check again tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThis communal roosting behaviour is well known. It's associated with a period of summer dormancy (aestivation) during which the moth undergoes a diapause. Therefore in theory if you look after dark they will all still be there. The copper underwings and some of the yellow underwings also aestivate.
ReplyDelete