10th November 2011

Rain,wind and the approach of winter has meant little or no activity in the moth trap despite it being mild. This morning there was a Dark Sword-grass, Angle Shades, 5 Red-green Carpets and a Northern Winter Moth. Ironically it is now that you see more moths in your headlights than at any other time of the year. The majority are the Winter Moth but you also get Northern Winter Moth too, though less frequently. The two look similar but in this species, when it is at rest, you can just see the hind wings showing beneath the forewing - see photo below. In the spring it is the small green larvae of these two species that birds like Blue and Great Tits feed on - so a major food source for them.

Northern Winter Moth