Some UK Carpet Moths
By Charlie • October 10, 2009 • 9 commentsYes, I know we’re a bird blog (we are, we most certainly are) but the odd moth post can’t do any harm can it…?
Anyway, I thought the following series might be of interest for any birder in, eg, North America who thinks sparrows are tough, or European birder who thinks that sorting out autumn Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers are a bit tricky. Run your eyes over this lot! I have to admit photos like these originally put me off mothing as so many moths I saw to begin with seemed to look the same - but if you look closely there are differences…
So what do you reckon? Given a moth-guide and a bit of help could you be adding seven new moths to your brand-new moth life-list?
Sadly, no matter how hard you try, you (and I) can only get one tick on the list from this lot as every single one is a Common Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta truncata, a widespread and common garden moth here in the UK! Yes, there are differences - but background colour in this species is as changeable as the autumn weather. What all would-be mothers need to do is concentrate on the similarities…
What does remain consistent in moth species (on the whole) is the pattern of certain areas of the wing. Check out the ‘triangle’ in the lower corner of each wing (usually known as the apex), the dark angled mark about half way up the wing (many moths have a mark here and it’s called the discal spot), and the very similarly-shaped zig-zag ‘bar’ running across the lower half of both wings for example. (There is a very similar and closely-related species, the Dark Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta citrata, but I’m confident these are all Common Marbleds: all these were taken in September and October outside the flight period of Dark Marbled, but if any real experts stumble across this page and would like to disagree please do so…).
Fortunately many autumn moths here in the UK are WAY more attractive and if readers would like me to I’d be happy to post photos of gems such as Merveille du Jour, Green-brindled Crescent, Figure of Eight, and Barred Sallow? let me know in the comments below, and if the vote is a strong ‘No’ I’ll keep my mothing adventures to myself (or perhaps start up 10,000 Moths…)
All photographs copyright Charlie Moores 2009
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I’m not sure about other people, but I’d definitely love to see those photos of moths
Even though it’s a bird blog, another nature-related, informative post isn’t harmful at all, is it?
What moth guide do you use?
Fatima: I can’t see how it can be, no! So that’s pne vote for ‘yes’ then…
Nick: This one - http://10000birds.com/field-guide-to-the-moths-of-great-britain-and-ireland.htm
I’m all for the occasional insect post (where occasional is very loosely defined as no more than half).
Yikes! Those are all the same species?
More, please.
You’ve nicely articulated the principle that has helped me most in my own mothing: look at the pattern, not the color. The variability in moth species is amazing. As a birder who has been badly bitten by the moth bug (major identification challenges right outside one’s door), I would definitely vote for more!
But I’m biased (and trying not to let my own birding blog go to the moths).
I’ve found the Concise Guide to Moths of GB and Ireland a good starting point, as it is has the same photos as the main Field guide by the same authors but the description is next to the photos. (Buy from your local bookshop if you can!)
I built my own mains powered moth trap with an 80W MV bulb cannibalised from a specially bought floodlight and it has been rewarding to start identifying moths this year. I got some small plastic pots from Anglia Lepidopterist Supplies (part nos: ST06b and ST07) to catch the brutes temporarily - they also do complete traps.
There are less moths around now, esp here in Cumbria - but someone locally photographed a nice Angle Shades recently. Some of my moth photos are here. There are plenty more moth blogs/photos online.
Chris
Hi charlie
The photos of moths are so beautiful- abstract art even. Keep it up.
and the names are to die for.
Life has got a lot easier not they do guides with pics of moths with their wings closed, as one sees them in the live, rather than pinned out as guides used to show them.
I had the immense pleasure of seeing the results of a nights lamping at my house. The guide was a dream too but I never wrote down the name.
so that’s a YES
Andy