By David McHattie.
Colourful visitors photographed during Essex garden lock-down from the Dengie Peninsula.
I have been lucky this spring – lots of moths and butterflies to see in the garden. I have enticed the “visitors” with a pheromone lure (Emperor Moth), the Cinnabar Moth with the UV light from a moth trap, but the Holly Blue just came because it was a sunny day.
My UV moth trap has been a revelation.
I never realised that there were so many stunning looking moths in the ordinary suburban garden. The UK has in excess of 2000 moths and some of the most spectacular ones can be seen from the armchair. No effort involved (almost).
Here are some of the highlights from the last couple of weeks:
I have included the date of trapping.
All the best
David McHattie – FFON’s entomological correspondent
FFON. Written by nature detectives. 
Fantastic collection of moth photos, David McHattie. I like the white ermine best. Is it right that ‘moths’ and ‘butterflies’ form a single coherent group and that the inclusive term is ‘Moth’ such that all butterflies could be called moths, but ‘butterflies’ being much the minority? ‘Stout and fuzzy’ is a lovely description I’ve read to characterise the ‘moth’ majority, as your photos show.
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I’ll make sure David sees your questions, Valerie.
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Hi Valerie – Here’s David’s reply: ‘Valerie,
Moths and butterflies make up the Order Lepidoptera, of which Moths are the most numerous. I would not call Butterflies a type of Moth. But as a “rule of thumb” butterflies have long antennae with a ball or club shape at the end. Moth antennae are thin and feathery. There are, of course exceptions to a “rule of thumb”, the hydelids being an example.
I hope this answers your question.
Thank you, David McHattie’
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Thank you David. Now I should make a contribution: Isn’t it wonderful how we now know that butterflies evolved before flowers, so they must have originally fed on the young reproductive structures of conifers like pine and yew trees, back in those early dinosaur days !
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Wonderful!
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