Also, although this is out-of-area, I'd be very grateful if anyone had any thoughts about the distinctive but extremely worn moth below, seen yesterday in my grandchildren's garden in Walthamstow - a very small patch which also played host during the day to Painted Ladies, Holly Blues and large dragonflies. It's perched on a standard sash windowsill, which may be a guide to its (quite considerable) size. Thanks in advance, Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon
Bottom moth is a male Gypsy Moth.
ReplyDeleteHello Martin,
ReplyDeleteNice to get your first Tree-lichen Beauty and I'm sure you'll be seeing many more of them! Your pictures do indeed show Marbled Green and then Marbled Beauty, the main difference (apart from size and colour) being the first black cross-line - broken in the former and continuous across both wings in the latter.
Your Walthamstow moth is a very worn male Gypsy Moth, very common across London and other parts of the south-east. It is spreading so I wouldn't be surprised if it turned up at Thrupp in a year or two.
Many thanks both - the Gypsy was on my shortlist of big-antenna-ed suspects but it seemed a bit less common from the books than it clearly is. Very good to have the beauties and Greens sorted too. What lovely moths they are! I'm so glad that the TLB feels at home here. Thanks again, M
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