Three moths to the trap here in Jordans last night. Two are easily identified as pale brindled beauty but this one has much more contrast in the markings. Is this also a pale brindled beauty, please? Thanks for your help!
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Hello Mary-Anne,
ReplyDeleteYes, that's still a Pale Brindled Beauty and they can be quite variable. If you were being tempted by images of Brindled Beauty, then please don't be yet! That moth won't be around until April (occasionally the last few days of March) and it is slightly larger and more colourful with yellow-ish browns appearing in the ground colour of the wings rather than the plain grey and black of Pale Brindled Beauty. Brindled Beauty also has a much fatter body than the rather wimpish Pale Brindled Beauty!
I've had seven Pale Brindled Beauty over the last couple of weeks and two Spring Usher here in Witney. The former were very variable.
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of winter mothing. All have been outside the light (MV Robinson) All, perhaps not surprisingly, have been very docile and torpid and the other thing is they are all of the same design; ie triangular or dart shaped. From Winter Moth through the Umbers and now these. Not sure if there is a reason or a relevance but it seems very noticeable to me as a novice. I've had just one micro; Tortricodes alternella, also outside the trap.
Yes, at this time of year moths are often found on, rather than in, the trap and they are mostly quite docile which can be useful for photography (that's if you can find sufficient light during the daytime to take pictures). There are some noctuids around too, the Chestnuts and Satellite spring to mind which come out on warmer nights, so not everything is triangular even though it may seem that way from what you've been getting!
DeleteThank you both - very helpful
ReplyDelete