Spring moths at Woolpit (Update…)

Tempted by the prospect of a reasonable night I ran the trap last night for only the fourth time this year, recording the to be expected early spring species: Clouded Drab, Double-striped Pug, Early Grey, Hebrew Character, Streamer and both Small & Common Quaker. It was one of the latter that provided most interest with its unusual ‘ink tip’ markings …. and now also seen from below. 

Through a hand lens it is still difficult to tell just what caused this. Some areas look as though they could be as a result of contact with a painted surface, others less so. The one thing a can be certain about is that its a female as I now have a pot full of eggs!

cerasi - Woolpit 2016-04-13 (below)

cerasi – Woolpit 2016-04-13 (below)

Common Quaker - Woolpit 2016-04-13

Common Quaker – Woolpit 2016-04-13

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5 Responses to Spring moths at Woolpit (Update…)

  1. Raymond Watson says:

    It’s cheating to dip moths in paint.

    • paulb says:

      No cheating involved. Anyway, I might have gone for something a bit more blatant like lime green or a fancy polka dot effect ;-)

  2. Neil says:

    Looks like that one has been too near someone’s fence that’s just been painted! I had a Large yellow underwing like that not too long ago.

  3. Raymond Watson says:

    This is certainly not natural. Firstly the black does not follow the moth wing shape nor the natural markings, which would be so if naturally formed. The moth is not worn yet the cilia are missing on the left wing and missing on the black part but not the rest on the right wing. The black is also present in patches along the right costa. on the front tarsi, middle right femur and left middle leg spur. Jet black is not a shade in the Common Quaker vocabulary. It has obviously been in contact with something that has marked it.

  4. keith says:

    Could be the first Bryant’s Quaker!

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