Sunday 5 September 2010

Under the patio table


As usual I released the moths I trapped on Friday in the garden last night. The vast majority fly out of the garden and probably feed elsewhere. It's unusual for any of them to be hanging around the following day. Today however, what I suspect was the same male Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing was hiding under the patio table, as was a female which I had not caught the other night. Maybe he was impressed with what's on offer in the garden and brought his girlfriend along for a meal.

Broad-bodied Yellow Underwing - male
Broad-bodied Yellow Underwing - female
This species, unlike the majority of moths, show marked differences in colouration depending on sex. The males are generally shades of dark brown,  where as the females are an orangey-buff.

 No sign of any finches again in the stubble, where have they got to? A SE wind but very cloudy and cool and there's not one butterfly in the garden. Half a dozen Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus flitting around the flowers together with a lone Carder Bumblebee is the best I could muster..
Now 12 Golden Plover at Chester Moor where there's still a family party of Swallow and a calling Chiffchaff that burst into song for a minute or so in the hedge along the road leading into the village.  On the quiet walk back I hear a faint 'scaip' call and looked up to see a Common Snipe flying overhead, heading towards the fell.

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